Why Did Prithviraj Sukumaran Stepped Down From Directing City Of God?(Photo Credit –Instagram/Prime Video)
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Malayalis first knew Prithviraj Sukumaran as an actor before he ventured into directing. He began his acting career in the early 2000s, a natural choice given that both his parents were actors. Entering the industry wasn’t particularly challenging for him, but he only made his directorial debut in 2019 with Lucifer.
However, did you know Lucifer wasn’t the first film he was supposed to direct? In the early 2010s, Prithviraj initially planned to direct City of God (2011), which Lijo Jose Pellissery eventually helmed. He couldn’t go ahead with the project because of a call from legendary filmmaker Mani Ratnam, who offered him a role in the Tamil film Raavanan (2010).
This film was unique because it had two versions, one in Tamil, titled Raavanan (2010), and another in Hindi, titled Raavan (2010). While both films had the same director, they featured some differences in casting, and Prithviraj appeared only in the Tamil version.
In an interview with Galatta Plus, Prithviraj Sukumaran revealed, “I had made all the preparations to direct City of God, but Mani Ratnam’s call changed everything. You can’t say no to a film by a legend like him.” Looking back, he believes it was the right decision, as he feels Lijo Jose Pellissery did a much better job with the film than he could have at that stage in his career.
He shared this during an interview while promoting his upcoming film L2: Empuraan, his third directorial venture. His debut film, Lucifer, was a massive success, and its sequel, L2: Empuraan, has generated immense hype. There’s no doubt about Prithviraj’s directorial abilities; he has proven himself to be a filmmaker, and ultimately, everything worked out in his favor. You can check out the trailer of the movie below:
