As ‘Kireedam’ returns to theatres in a restored version 37 years after its original release, director Sibi Malayil has revealed an interesting chapter from the film’s journey. The filmmaker shared that the now-iconic title was not originally intended for the Mohanlal classic.Speaking in an interview with Silly Monks, Sibi Malayil recalled how the title eventually found its way to Kireedam. He also credited writer A.K. Lohithadas for naming both Kireedam and its sequel Chenkol.
‘Kireedam’ was first suggested for a Mammootty film
Sibi Malayil revealed that the idea for ‘Kireedam’ had existed long before Mohanlal was finalised for the lead role. At the time, Lohithadas was writing scripts for several filmmakers, including I.V. Sasi.Recalling the incident, Sibi said, “The idea for Kireedam had been with us for quite some time. When Lohi (Lohithadas) and I were developing the story, we hadn’t even decided that Mohanlal would play the lead. At that time, Lohi was writing films for several directors as well. I.V. Sasi sir was then making a film called Mukthi, starring Mammootty. Once, when Lohi was in Madras working on that film, I went to meet him. He told me about Mukthi. It was about the life of a collector and the ‘crown of thorns’ he carried in his life.”He further said, “Lohi suggested the title Kireedam for that film. But I.V. Sasi sir wasn’t particularly fond of the title. He told Lohi to come up with something else. When Lohi told me this, I immediately said, ‘That title belongs to us. Let’s use it for our film.’ Lohi agreed and said it perfectly suited our story. That’s how we ended up using the title Kireedam.”
How ‘Chenkol’ got its final title
Sibi Malayil also revealed that the sequel almost carried a different name before the team settled on ‘Chenkol’. Several options were discussed during the planning stage.Sharing the details, he said, “When we started planning the sequel, several titles were discussed. One of the names we considered was Kanneerpoovu. But it was Lohi who finally came up with the title ‘Chenkol’. He wanted a title that would have a connection with Kireedam. There is a symbolic relationship between a crown (Kireedam) and a sceptre (Chenkol). In fact, the ending title of the film says, ‘A prince who lost both the crown and the sceptre.‘ That idea also influenced the title.”According to the director, the symbolic link between the two titles made ‘Chenkol’ the perfect continuation of Sethumadhavan’s story.‘Kireedam’ marked one of the most memorable collaborations between director Sibi Malayil, writer A.K. Lohithadas and actor Mohanlal.Its sequel, ‘Chenkol’, continued the story and ended on a more emotional note than the first part.The restored version of ‘Kireedam’ has now returned to theatres.
