On Tuesday, on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the Mohanlal starrer Bhramaram, actor-writer Murali Gopy put up a heartfelt post on his social media handle remembering how the film's director Blessy gave him a new lease of life in cinema.
Referring to his lacklustre debut in cinema as both actor and writer with the Lal Jose directorial Rasikan, Murali starts by recounting, "After my initial step into cinema in 2004, I didn't take up any further offers and had exiled myself abroad, basking in the comfortable sunshine of expatriate life," while adding, "It was during this time that Blessy ettan conveyed through my close friend, Ratheesh Ambat, that he wanted to meet me. With the authority and affection of an elder brother, he spoke at length about the necessity of me returning to cinema as both an actor and a writer."
The actor-writer also remembers doubting himself before committing to Blessy, who adamantly wanted only him to do a major role in Bhramaram. "When I asked, 'Do I need to come back after giving up cinema?', his immediate and firm response was a 'Yes.' The creativity and love that shone in his eyes when he uttered that word left me with no choice but to say, 'Alright then.'"
Showering his gratitude towards the Aadujeevitham director, Murali added, "Even today, before every shot I act in and every word I write, the memory of Blessy ettan's luminous eyes continues to guide and inspire me like a silent prayer. He still often remarks with a smile, 'I was just an instrument, Murali. If not me, it would have been someone else.' But it's not my habit to see great mentors as mere instruments. They are our teachers. Thank you, Blessy ettan."
Bhramaram, released on 25 June 2009, was a psychological drama about a jeep driver who finds his old schoolmates to prove his innocence in a convicted crime after 30 years. Headlined by Mohanlal as Sivankutty, the film featured Murali Gopy as one of the classmates Dr Alexander Varghese, alongside Suresh Menon as Unnikrishnan. It also starred Bhumika Chawla, Lakshmi Gopalaswamy and KPAC Lalitha in prominent roles.
Post Bhramaram, Murali went on to become a prominent name in Malayalam cinema—both as an actor and writer—over the last 15 years. While films like Ee Adutha Kaalathu (2012) and Left Right Left (2013) brought him critical acclaim, the gigantic commercial success of Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran's Lucifer (2019) made him one of the most sought-after scriptwriters in Malayalam. His upcoming film on the writing front is the much-awaited sequel to Lucifer titled Empuraan, which is currently undergoing shoot in Gujarat.
