Although a few years senior to Mohanlal, Maniyanpilla Raju had known him since school. (Credit: Instagram/@maniyanpillaraju)The love for Mohanlal among Malayalees knows no bounds. A small glimpse of this was visible following the release of director Tharun Moorthy’s Thudarum (2025), when even elderly people, who hadn’t been to theatres in a long time, flocked to cinemas to see their dear “Lalettan” on the big screen. In a career spanning 46 years, Mohanlal has starred in over 360 films, becoming beloved to several generations and reigning over the regional industry’s box office in an unparalleled manner.Hence, just imagine the Malayali wrath someone would face if Mohanlal had to take the blame for their wrongdoing, even if it’s just on screen. The consequences could be disastrous, and actor-producer Maniyanpilla Raju can attest to the same. In fact, his wedding was nearly called off because Mohanlal was convicted for a crime Raju committed, albeit on screen.Must Read | Vaazha 2 earns Rs 79 crore in 5 days: How social media sensations Hashir H and friends turned Malayalam box office into their playgroundAriyaatha Veethikal“In the film Ariyaatha Veethikal (1984), Mohanlal plays the character of my driver. In one scene, I try to assault a woman from the neighbouring house. Mohanlal arrives at that moment, and a small scuffle breaks out. During the struggle, I cover the woman’s mouth, and she dies. The blame falls on Mohanlal, and he is convicted of the murder. That is how the story goes,” Raju recalled during a conversation with a Malayalam YouTube channel.Helmed by KS Sethumadhavan and penned by John Paul, the movie also featured Madhu, Mammootty, Rahman, Karamana Janardhanan Nair, and Rohini in lead roles. By then, Raju had made a name for himself, having been in the industry for a few years and having risen to fame with Balachandra Menon’s Maniyan Pilla Adhava Maniyan Pilla (1981). However, this was an era when cinema and acting were considered lesser jobs, and he wasn’t earning much respect. This became apparent when his family started looking for marriage proposals for him.Also Read | Parvathy Thiruvothu says Ranjith’s arrest in sexual harassment case ‘not a surprise’: ‘They aren’t paying the price’Raju was called a ‘good-for-nothing’ guy“Ariyaatha Veethikal was released while my marriage was being finalised. Initially, her (his now-wife Indira’s) family said they wouldn’t marry their daughter to a film actor. Eventually, they decided to watch one of my movies before making a decision. They happened to go and see Ariyaatha Veethikal,” he shared.Story continues below this adBut the fact that Mohanlal had to face the brunt for his character’s wrongdoings didn’t sit well with her family, and they were fuming. “As soon as the movie ended, her father asked, ‘Are we really going to marry her to this good-for-nothing guy? Mohanlal was hanged because of him!’ It was only after a lot of explaining and convincing that my wedding finally happened,” Raju added.ICYMI | 2,500 movies in 62 years: Even if we start watching Sukumari’s films at a rate of one per day, we would finish only by 2033Mohanlal-Maniyanpilla Raju friendshipAlthough a few years senior to Mohanlal, Raju had known him since school. They both studied at the Government Model Boys Higher Secondary School in Thiruvananthapuram. During that period, Raju became the best actor in school for three years. One day, Mohanlal, who was in Class 6, and a few others approached him, requesting him to help them stage a play. He thus taught them a play, Raju shared during an interview, where Mohanlal portrayed a 90-year-old. He became the best actor, and the play was also well-received. That’s how their friendship began.While the two were most recently seen together in Thudarum, Mohanlal also took on the lead role in a handful of movies Raju bankrolled, such as Vellanakalude Nadu, Aye Auto, Chotta Mumbai, and Oru Naal Varum.Story continues below this adMohanlal, who was last seen in the colossal bomb Vrusshabha, is now gearing up for the release of director Mahesh Narayanan’s Patriot, where he shares the screen with Mammootty. The movie will hit the screens on May 1.