Jude Anthany reveals why Nivin Pauly’s mass cameo was removed from '2018'

With '2018' all set to break all box office records this year, it is no wonder that Jude Anthany is the most sought-after director right now. And he has made some interesting revelations during recent media interactions.

The latest bit that has caught everyone’s attention is that Nivin Pauly was initially picked to play a mass cameo in '2018'. But that entry during a crucial juncture in the film was removed as the director felt it wasn’t needed.

“Nivin Pauly had a mass entry in the film. But I had to remove that later. Rocket Bus was an important character in the film. And there is a scene when Tovino’s character gets scared upon seeing the bus. We had designed a scene in which Tanvi’s character and a Christian priest are getting down from the bus during the floods. There is a sequence that has the residents of an old age home getting rescued. They are all trapped but they cannot be rescued with the help of a boat or helicopter. That’s when they hear the sound of a bus. That’s the rocket bus with a silencer fitted on top. And it marked Nivin’s entry. I really loved the scene but had to remove it when I felt it was not necessary for the film.

While writing the script I had Nivin’s character in my mind, and I had also discussed it with him. And it really was a mass character. Since I felt the film didn’t require such a ‘mass character’ I removed him. Nivin used to call and inquire about the film’s developments,” says Jude Anthany.