The moment he walked into the room, I knew it was our Keerikadan: Sibi Malayil

Although he portrayed a terrifying villain on screen, Mohanraj was, in reality, a genuinely good person. Known primarily by his character name, ‘Keerikkadan Jose,’ many might not recognize him by his own name. The impact of this character not only solidified his presence in cinema but also made the name synonymous with him.

Director Sibi Malayil fondly reminisced about his first meeting with Mohanraj and the experience of shooting together for 'Kireedam.' He recalled, “When we were casting for the role of Keerikkadan in ‘Kireedam,’ we sought someone new and different. Despite conducting numerous auditions, we struggled to find the right fit. It was during this search that my associate, Kaladharan, mentioned a potential candidate. The moment I saw the imposing figure in a white jubba walk into my room, I knew instantly—this is Keerikkadan Jose. I turned to Lohithadas, who lived next door, and said, ‘Our Keerikkadan has arrived.’ In that moment, I completely forgot the name Mohanraj.”

Prior to this, Mohanraj had played one of the villains in the film ‘Moonnam Mura.’ In ‘Kireedam,’ his first scenes involved intense action sequences. It quickly became evident that he wasn’t accustomed to such scenes; during shooting, I could hear the sound of the impact as Mohanlal actually got hit. Eventually, Lal took over those action sequences and executed them flawlessly.

Mohanraj also made an appearance in the sequel, ‘Chenkol.’ Although he was active in numerous Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu films, we unfortunately never had the chance to collaborate again. Nevertheless, whenever we cross paths, we always greet each other fondly.