MohanLal’s ‘Ittymaani — Made in China’ is a family entertainer

Onam festival brings a family entertainer with Mohanlal’s ‘Ittymaani — Made in China’.

Directed by debutant duo Jiby and Joju — former associates of director Jibu Jacob and close buddies for more than 20 years, this family entertainer follows the life of Ittymaani, who was born in China and then moved to Kunnamkulam at the age of 10. Mohanlal plays the title role.

Jibu and Joju conceived this story idea 10 years ago. They met Mohanlal four years ago with the script. The veteran actor liked the script but suggested some changes.

“He felt the story must have a message and asked us to meet him with the rewritten script,” said Joju. After several drafts, the actor was completely satisfied with the screenplay and the film began production in 2018.

‘This is about a Malayali family that lived in China. Ittymaani’s father and grandfather lived there,” shared Joju.

“After moving to India, the family is still rooted in its Chinese past. Ittymaani is into several business ventures in Kunnamkulam and is an active member of the local church activities.”

‘Ittymaani — Made in China’ holds the distinction of being the first Malayalam film shot in China.

Mohanlal speaks the Thrissur dialect here. Fans will recall another Lal starrer, ‘Thuvanathumbikal’ (1987), a Padmarajan film, where the star spoke in the same dialect.

KPAC Lalitha plays Ittymaani’s mother. Ittymaani and his mother share a close bond. The bond is explored through several humorous moments. You can see it in the trailer where Ittymaani teases his mother. Honey Rose is paired opposite Lal. She plays a nurse. The supporting cast includes a powerhouse of talented actors including Siddique, Salim Kumar, Aju Verghese, Tamil actress Radhika and Dharmajan Bolghatty.

Music is scored by 4 Musics, Deepak Dev and Kailash Menon. Shaji Kumar has handled the camera.

‘Ittymaani — Made in China’, produced by Anthony Perumbavoor, releases in the UAE on September 6.