Mammootty has been in the news for all the wrong reasons in recent times, with the serial award controversy or the Shaji Kailas revelation that Mammootty refused to work with Mohanlal. However, actor Renji Panikar has come out with a clarification regarding the latter. He says that Mammootty never refused to work with Mohanlal.

Renji goes on to say that he and Ranjith had a script in mind which they wanted Shaji Kailas to direct and which would have Mammootty and Mohanlal in the lead roles. They had narrated the script to Mohanlal who agreed to do the film, and had then approached Mammootty. However, Mammootty refused the movie citing previous commitments and not because he did not want to share screen with Mohanlal as reported. He added that there would be some misunderstanding regarding Shaji Kailas' take on the matter, by the media.