When Kottayam’s Thidanadu panchayat member Sherin Joseph received a call from an unknown number claiming to be Malayalam actor Biju Menon, he assumed it was a prank. Moments later, the familiar voice convinced him it was indeed the actor, calling to congratulate him for a pre-wedding video inspired by Menon’s 2014 film ‘Vellimoonga’.
The surprise didn’t end there — a message followed from the film’s director Jibu Jacob, to videographer Jez Philip.

The video, titled Thommante Ujjwala Vijayam, was released last week and soon went viral on social media. Sherin played “Thomman,” modelled on Biju Menon’s Mamachan, while his fiancée Joice Abraham portrayed Nikki Galrani’s character Lina. Panchayat president Scaria Joseph appeared as the priest. Friends and relatives appeared as the rest of the cast.

“I thought someone was fooling me,” Sherin said. “Then I realised it was Biju Menon. He praised our work, wished us well, and jokingly told me not to ruin his career.”

The team recreated the ‘Vellimoonga’ setting in Kottayam with campaign flex boards from past elections, a rural junction, a church, and narrow paths through rubber plantations. The idea was sparked by Sherin and his sister Merlin Joseph, who suggested Jez after seeing his work online. “Friends used to call me Mamachan after I won the previous local body polls,” Sherin said. “So when we planned the shoot, a spoof of ‘Vellimoonga’ seemed perfect.”

Jez included a real-life moment from the couple’s first meeting a decade ago. “I was in college, and Joice was in Class 10 when a Labrador dog chased her at a nearby area. She hid behind me. It was after that incident, we got close and fell in love,” Sherin said. The scene was recreated in the video with Sherin’s own Labrador.

Filming took two days — church scenes on the first day and road sequences on the second. Due to a Bharat Bandh, the streets were empty, making the dog scene easier to shoot.
Everyone featured in the video hails from the neighbourhood, including Sherin’s friends; Manu and Joichan. Manu appears as “Pachan” (Aju Varghese’s role in the film) while Joichan is seen sticking posters. The children in the video are the cousins of the bride and groom.

Sherin roped in panchayat president Scaria Joseph to play the priest after learning about his past drama experience. “Sherin is like a son to me,” Scaria said. “I went without knowing the role. Only at the church did I learn I was the priest.” He wore a cassock borrowed from the nearby St Joseph’s Church, Variyanikkad, and later received praise from Kerala Congress (M) chief Jose K Mani and other party leaders.

Sherin, in his first term as panchayat member, represents Variyanikkad (Ward 7) — the same ward where Joice lives, just a kilometre away. He entered politics during his college days at MES College, Erumely, with SFI and later joined the Kerala Congress. His mother had held the same panchayat seat in the previous term.

For Joice, who works at an IT firm in Infopark, Kochi, this was her first camera experience. “I liked the concept and was told to wear something simple from my wardrobe. The only worry was the dog scene because I’ve been afraid of dogs since childhood,” she said.

Jez, a former lyrics video editor with the Malayalam film industry, now runs a freelance wedding company. He worked alongside his friend Sunny Kurishinkal and his wife, Navya, who also acted as Joice’s friend. “We suggested adding the dog chase to give a personal touch,” Jez said. “We chose Chettuthodu Church because it resembled the one in Vellimoonga. Receiving Biju Menon’s call and Jibu Jacob’s message was the biggest reward. The film’s popularity helped people instantly connect with the video.”
Sherin and Joice will tie the knot on August 24.