Padmapriya Reveals How Gobi Manchurian Stood In for Chicken in ‘Karutha Pakshikal’

CHENNAI — Actress Padmapriya has shared memories from the set of director Kamal’s acclaimed Malayalam film Karutha Pakshikal, including a behind-the-scenes story about how the production team helped her film a chicken biryani scene despite being a vegetarian.

In a post on Instagram, Padmapriya reflected on her role as Poongodi in the 2006 film, which starred Mammootty and earned critical acclaim.

“Eighteen years ago, I became Poongodi — barefoot, unconventional and vibrant,” she wrote.

The actress said preparing for the role brought her closer to the lives of marginalized women she observed while living in Bengaluru.

“To find her, I spent time on the streets of Bangalore, watching the real Poongodis at bus stops and traffic signals — how they laughed, held their children and carried whole worlds that many of us pass without noticing,” she wrote. “Her dignity and refusal to be small, I borrowed from them.”

Padmapriya also shared a lighter memory from the production, recalling a scene in which her character had to eat chicken biryani.

Because she is a vegetarian, the film’s art director created imitation chicken pieces using gobi manchurian so the scene could be filmed.

“I’m vegetarian. For a scene where I had to devour chicken biryani, our art director sculpted piece after piece of ‘chicken’ out of gobi manchurian until it looked right,” she wrote. “The whole unit was in splits while I ate my biryani undercover.”

The actress also noted that filmmaker Aashiq Abu, who would later become one of Malayalam cinema’s leading directors, worked on the film as an assistant director.

Padmapriya credited director Kamal and cinematographer Sukumar for shaping her understanding of cinema through the project.

“Under Kamal sir’s direction and Sukumar’s lens, I learned what cinema can be when it refuses to look away,” she wrote.

Reflecting on the film’s legacy, she said the lasting memories were not the awards but the people and experiences associated with the production.

“The laughter, the performances, and the chaotic energy of the set are the real gifts I carry,” she wrote.

Karutha Pakshikal, which featured Mammootty in the lead role, was widely praised for its portrayal of poverty and social inequality and remains one of the notable films in Padmapriya’s career. (Source: IANS)