- Permission granted to shoot Mohanlal's Athimanoharam at Sabarimala with conditions
- Filmmakers must submit full script and avoid negative portrayal of Sabarimala or its traditions
- A Rs 50,000 deposit and Forest Department permission are required before shooting begins
The Travancore Devaswom Board has granted permission for the shooting of Mohanlal-starrer Athimanoharam at Sabarimala, subject to a set of conditions.
The film, directed by Tharun Moorthy, will be allowed to shoot at the Sabarimala Sannidhanam and its surrounding areas. The second schedule of the film is expected to be shot at the hill shrine.
One of the key conditions is that the filmmakers must submit the complete script to the Devaswom Board. The Board has made it clear that the film should not contain any scene or dialogue that portrays Sabarimala, the temple, its traditions, or the faith associated with it in a poor light.
The production team will also have to deposit Rs 50,000 with the Board before beginning the shoot. Separate permission from the Forest Department will also be mandatory.
The decision comes against the backdrop of an earlier controversy over a film shoot allegedly conducted at Sabarimala without permission during the Makaravilakku season.
This time, the makers formally approached the Devaswom Board seeking permission. Director Tharun Moorthy had also visited the Devaswom Board office recently and held discussions with Board president K Jayakumar and other officials.
The makers had earlier released the first-look poster featuring Mohanlal in a police uniform, standing among Ayyappa devotees heading to Sabarimala.
Mohanlal plays Loulajan, an ordinary police sub-inspector, with the film following the dramatic events that unfold in his professional and personal life. Meera Jasmine plays the female lead.
Athimanoharam marks another collaboration between Mohanlal and Tharun Moorthy after Thudarum. The film is also the first Mohanlal project under the banner of Aashiq Usman Productions.
The screenplay has been written by Ratheesh Ravi, while Shaji Kumar, who has worked on several Mohanlal films, including Thudarum, handles the cinematography.
Tharun Moorthy recently said on social media that nearly 80 per cent of the film's shooting has been completed.
Athimanoharam is scheduled for a worldwide release on December 24.
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