'I was afraid of the dark': Tovino Thomas recalls how 'Manichitrathazhu' haunted his childhood

Despite inspiring several remakes over the years, including 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa', 'Manichitrathazhu' continues to hold a special place among Malayalam audiences. The Mohanlal-starrer remains one of the most celebrated psychological thrillers in Malayalam cinema and is surely a classic.

Tovino Thomas recently revisited one of his earliest movie memories while promoting his latest release, 'Balan: The Boy'. Looking back at his childhood the actor recalled how watching Manichitrathazhu in theatres left a lasting impact on him.Speaking to Club FM about the experience, Tovino said, "I watched many films in theatres during my childhood, but Manichitrathazhu is one that has stayed with me ever since. For quite some time after watching it, I was scared to walk alone in the dark."

Cinema was always a family tradition

Tovino also shared that his love for films was due to his upbringing. Cinema had always been an important part of family life, with theatre visits becoming a tradition during family celebrations.He explained that even before he and his siblings were born his parents regularly watched films together. As the family grew larger, those outings became more difficult to organize. But their enthusiasm for cinema never faded.

Sharing those memories, Tovino said, "My family has always loved watching films. Whenever there was a wedding in the family, it was a tradition for everyone to go to the theatre together. Even before my siblings and I were born, my parents never missed the chance to watch movies."

Weekend movie nights shaped his passion

As frequent trips to theatres became less practical, Tovino's father found another way to keep the family's movie tradition alive. He purchased a video cassette player.

He ensured that weekends were dedicated to watching films at home.The actor recalled spending hours rewatching the rented cassettes with his brother. Such experiences shaped his passion for cinema.Remembering those days, he said, "As we grew older, it became difficult for the entire family to go to the theatre together. So my father bought a video cassette player. Every Friday, he would rent video cassettes, and we would spend the weekends watching films.

My brother and I would watch those movies over and over again. I think that's where my passion for cinema began."On the work front, Tovino Thomas' recent outing is in 'Balan: The Boy'. Directed by Chidambaram and written by Jithu Madhavan, the Malayalam psychological drama thriller features Adhisheshan K. R. , Farzana Palathingal, Muhammad Zinaan, Jean Paul Lal, Girish A. D. , and Tovino in important roles.According to Sacnilk estimates, 'Balan: The Boy's' worldwide gross collection currently stands at Rs 24.26 crore.