‘I was not insulted’: S N Swamy reacts to controversy surrounding viral Mohanlal video | Exclusive

Veteran scriptwriter S N Swamy, the creative force behind some of Malayalam cinema's most iconic and gripping thrillers—including the blockbuster CBI series—has broken his silence on a viral video featuring himself and superstar Mohanlal. Many claimed that Mohanlal disrespected Swamy’s age, while both of them walked down the stairs while leaving the high-profile trailer event of filmmaker B Unnikrishnan’s film ‘Prathichaya’.

The moment, captured on camera, has since been dissected and debated across social media, fueling a flurry of commentary and controversy. Swamy, however, while speaking to Onmanorama, dismissed the claims and the video, saying it had been misinterpreted and conveniently edited by people on social media. He spoke about his close bond with Mohanlal, and even shared how they have worked closely together in several films.

“I was not insulted. Mohanlal and I go a long way back, nearly 40 years. During this entire period, the actor has never spoken ill of me. Rather, we share a good bond and also respect each other. Anyone who knows Lal, would know that he isn’t a person who treats others with disrespect. Rather, he ensures he is respectful to everyone around him. I know social media can be misleading, but this is the first time an incident involving me was dissected like this. I guess, we have no control over social media and the narrative formed through it,” he added.

In the video,Mohanlal—his presence unmistakable in a striking dark red shirt and thick, elongated moustache—can be seen moving briskly down a staircase in an apparent rush. Swamy, who was also present at the event, appears on the stairs accompanied by Mohanlal and film producer Antony Perumbavoor. In the widely circulated footage, Mohanlal is heard asking, “You came in between?” before leaning toward Swamy and, in a tone that was audible, requesting, “If you could move a bit, I could leave.”

The scriptwriter, clarified that the statement ‘You came in between’ was addressed to a photographer who came in between to click a photo of the superstar. S N Swamy and Mohanlal have collaborated with each other in films like ‘Irupathaam Noottandu’, ‘Moonnam Mura’, ‘Sagar Alias Jacky Reloaded’, among others. Swamy is currently working on a couple of scripts, though he hasn't yet finalized a project. The scriptwriter mentioned that he would still like to pursue another installment of the CBI series, but he is yet to find a compelling story.