Lijo Jose Pellissery dismisses actor Joju George’s claim on Churuli

Thiruvananthapuram: Malayalam actor Joju George's recent claim that he was not paid for his cameo in the 2021 film Churuli (The Spiral), directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery, was refuted by the filmmaker in a Facebook post on Thursday.

In an interview with an English daily, George expressed frustration over the alleged non-payment by the producers. Responding to this, Pellissery—who also co-produced the film—shared payment details for George's three-day call sheet to clarify the matter.

He stated that the clarification was issued due to the emotional distress the allegation had caused his co-producers.

The director also noted that the film received an ‘A’ certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), making a theatrical release challenging. He added that a writ petition led the Kerala High Court to comment on the film’s use of expletives, which further hindered a theatrical rollout.

Ultimately, Churuli premiered at the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) in February and was later released on SonyLiv in November 2021.

Pellissery also refuted Joju’s claim that he was unaware of his character's role before joining the 2021 film Churuli. “Thankan (his character in the film) knew exactly what he was supposed to do in the film,” Pellissery said in a Facebook post, where he also shared details of the payment made for George’s guest appearance.

Responding to the post, George clarified he had no personal issues with Pellissery but said he felt misled by the production team, who allegedly told him the film was intended only for festival screenings. “Otherwise, I would not have acted in such a film in which I had to use abusive language,” he said.

He added that after the film was sold to an OTT platform for a substantial sum, he approached the producers about his remuneration but received no response. George also mentioned that two versions of the film were dubbed—one with expletives and one without—but the version containing abusive language was ultimately released online.

“I had to face a lot of personal problems after I acted in that role. I was getting trolled by social media with the language I used in the film,” he said.

Joju George clarified that his concerns extended beyond payment, pointing instead to a breakdown in communication between friends, while expressing deep respect for Lijo Jose Pellissery as a filmmaker.

In his Facebook post, Pellissery mentioned that Churuli could still see a theatrical release if the opportunity arises.

The film, known for its striking visuals and intricate narrative, garnered critical praise—but also faced criticism for its heavy use of profanity.

(inputs from PTI)