‘Jigarthanda Double X’ actors meet Mammootty; Raghava Lawrence recalls facing colour discrimination

Karthik Subbaraj said Jigarthanda Double X will have references to filmmaker Satyajit Ray as the film is set in 1975.

Visit to Turbo location

SJ Surya and Raghava Lawrence were in Kochi on Wednesday, 8 November, for the promotions of the film. The two actors, after the promotional press interaction, made a surprise visit to the location of Mammootty’s upcoming film Turbo helmed by Vysakh.

A picture of Jigarthanda Double X actors with the Mammootty was posted by the Mammootty Kampany. A video of three actors having a chat was also posted by the production company.

SJ Suryah reposted the picture saying it was a great time meeting the veteran Malayalam actor.

Thx a lot for meeting Us 🥰🥰🥰 had a great time💐💐💐 Sir’s timely jokes, what a energy, presence of mind 💥💥💥 🙏sjs https://t.co/6NK9OWkcM9

— S J Suryah (@iam_SJSuryah) November 8, 2023

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Faced discrimination: Lawrence

SJ Suryah and Raghava Lawrence addressing the media in Kochi. (Supplied)

During the press meet, Raghava Lawrence recalled that he had faced discrimination during the initial days of his career.

“In my early days as a group dancer, I was asked to stand in the back row. All these changed after the entry of Prabhu Deva master. I was even called a ‘Black Dog’ (referring to his colour),” he recollected.

To a question regarding the colour in the trailer of Jigarthanda Double X, Malayalam actor Shine Tom Chacko asked Lawrence if discrimination still existed in Tamil cinema even after Superstar Rajinikanth came to the forefront.

Raghava Lawrence replied that colour discrimination doesn’t exist in Tamil cinema any more.

The actor-director said he was happy to deliver the dialogue on colour (caste reference) in the movie as he faced similar experiences in his career. He noted that he wouldn’t have been successful in his life if he hadn’t heard such racist comments from the dance masters. He also thanked them all, sarcastically.

Related: ‘Jigarthanda Double X’ is the spiritual sequel to ‘Jigarthanda’: Director Karthik Subbaraju

‘Stuck in Kanchana image’

Raghava Lawrence said he directed the Kanchana series (2011, 2015, 2019) as a relief from doing continuous Telugu films. “But now, I’m unable to get out of that image since even children were asking me when I’d make newer versions of Kanchana.”

He also hoped that Karthik Subbaraj would help him come out of the Kanchana image through Jigarthanda Double X.

Jigarthanda Double X has music by Santhosh Narayanan and is produced by Karthik Subbaraj’s production house — Stonebench Films.

Malayalam actress Nimisha Sajayan and Shine Tom Chacko will play key roles in the movie.

Also Read: Even as Mammootty’s ‘Kannur Squad’ enters the ₹100-crore club, big-budget films to release in November-December