Mamta Mohandas on Arjun Ashokan’s ‘Thalavara’, says ‘While we cheer for superhero movies, let’s not miss this’

Amid the ongoing buzz around Kalyani Priyadarshan’s 'Lokah', actress Mamta Mohandas has urged audiences to also turn their attention to the drama film 'Thalavara'. The movie has Arjun Ashokan in the lead and is directed by debutant Akhil Anil Kumar.The recently released film tells the story of a man living with Vitiligo, a condition that causes loss of skin pigment.Sharing her thoughts on Facebook, Mamta wrote, “While we celebrate the rise and long awaited coming and successes of ‘superheroine’ films this season, I take this opportunity to also redirect your attention towards and throw a bright light on a hero who chose to select a script and played the role of a person who represents the life of several super- heroes & heroines that live amongst us fighting REAL battles everyday.

”

Praises for Arjun Ashokan and debutant director

The actress thanked Arjun Ashokan for picking a role that reflects the struggles of many living with Vitiligo. She also congratulated Akhil Anil Kumar on his debut. “Thanks @arjun_ashokan for choosing to do #thalavara and congrats to @i_am_akhil_anilkumar on his debut direction who has when told what could’ve otherwise been a dull and unrelatable problem to most, managed to keep it simple and entertaining without hurting anyone’s personal sentiment in my opinion.

” Mamta highlighted how Jyotish’s journey in the film showcases the personal, emotional, and psychological battles faced by those with the condition.

Mamta’s own journey with Vitiligo

Mamta’s words hold special weight, as she herself revealed last year that she had been diagnosed with Vitiligo. On World Vitiligo Day 2024, she embraced her skin condition publicly, writing, “𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝙲𝚑𝚘𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚘𝚞𝚌𝚑 that 𝚅𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚊 𝚜𝚔𝚢! 𝙷𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚢 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚟𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚘 𝚍𝚊𝚢.” In her note on Thalavara, she added an empowering message: “More power to all Pandas that live amongst us – we shall kungfu through this and more! Fight on.

”