Twenty years ago, Thanmathra (2005), starring Mohanlal and Meera Vasudevan, was released in Malayalam and made a lasting impression on audiences. The film, which captures the painful journey of a man losing his grip on reality after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, is remembered for a controversial scene in which Mohanlal appeared nude. Meera Vasudevan, who played an integral part in the scene, once revealed what went on behind the camera. She said Mohanlal apologised to her before filming the scene. She also added that many senior actors turned down the film because of that one scene.
What The Scene Was About
The entire scene didn't make it to the final cut, and certain parts were censored. The scene also became a talking point as it was not common back in the day.
Thanmathra features a scene showing Ramesan Nair (Mohanlal) getting intimate with his wife Lekha (Meera) at night. During their intimacy, he notices a lizard on the wall across the room, and his focus shifts to it. Suddenly, in a disoriented state, he gets up from the bed and follows the lizard, emphasising how he is losing control over his thoughts. In the scene, Mohanlal appeared nude, while Meera was fully covered with sheets.
How The Scene Was Shot — Meera's Version
During an appearance on Amrita TV's Red Carpet chat show, Meera said, “It was tougher for Mohanlal sir because he had to go completely nude for the scene. It was more challenging for him. I had to think about sir, as well as myself, and my integrity and respect. He is very professional. Before the shot, he came and apologised to me. He said, ‘I am very sorry about this. If I embarrass you in any way, I am sorry.' He was wearing a petticoat before the shot and removed it just before filming. I asked Blessy sir to ensure that it was shot with a small team, and they respected that. We all worked on the scene with pure hearts and integrity.”
About Thanmathra
Directed by Blessy, Thanmathra was a box office hit and ran for 150 days. The film won five Kerala State Film Awards, including Best Film, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and a Special Mention Award for debutant actor Arjun Lal. It also won the Best Feature Film in Malayalam at the 53rd National Film Awards.
