Padmapriya reveals gobi manchurian 'chicken' trick on set of Mammootty's Karutha Pakshikal
Synopsis
Padmapriya's Instagram tribute to 'Karutha Pakshikal' at 18 is more than nostalgia — it surfaces a delightful on-set secret: the art director sculpted gobi manchurian into 'chicken' so the vegetarian actress could convincingly eat biryani on camera. The post also quietly confirms that a young Aashiq Abu was on that very set, watching and learning.
Key Takeaways
Padmapriya marked 18 years of 'Karutha Pakshikal' with an emotional Instagram post recalling her role as Poongodi .
Being vegetarian , she ate gobi manchurian sculpted to resemble chicken for a biryani scene — a workaround devised by the film's art director.
She prepared for the role by observing women at bus stops and traffic signals on the streets of Bengaluru .
Director Aashiq Abu was reportedly a young assistant director on the same set during the film's production.
Padmapriya credited director Kamal and cinematographer Sukumar for shaping her approach to cinema.
Actress Padmapriya has shared a heartfelt and candid account of her experience playing Poongodi in director Kamal's critically acclaimed Malayalam film 'Karutha Pakshikal', marking 18 years since the film's release. In an emotional post on her Instagram page, the actress recalled the depth of preparation, the camaraderie on set, and a delightful behind-the-scenes secret involving a vegetarian workaround for a pivotal scene.
Becoming Poongodi
Padmapriya wrote that she spent time on the streets of Bengaluru — her home at the time — observing women at bus stops and traffic signals to prepare for the role. 'Karutha Pakshikal brought me close to realities around us like no other character,' she wrote. 'Living in dust and dirt for days until Poongodi stopped being a costume and became a person.'
She added that the character's dignity and refusal to be diminished were qualities she consciously borrowed from the real women she observed. 'Her dignity, her refusal to be small, I borrowed all of it from them,' Padmapriya wrote.
The Gobi Manchurian Conspiracy
One of the most talked-about revelations in her post is what she called 'the great biryani conspiracy.' A vegetarian herself, Padmapriya had to eat chicken biryani on camera for a scene. The film's art director reportedly sculpted pieces of gobi manchurian to replicate the look of chicken until the substitution was convincing enough. 'The whole unit was in splits while I ate my biryani undercover like a gobi-star feast,' she wrote.
A Young AD Who Went on to Greatness
Padmapriya also recalled spotting a young assistant director quietly working on the same set — someone she identified as Aashiq Abu, who would go on to become one of Malayalam cinema's most celebrated filmmakers. The detail adds a layer of nostalgia, underscoring how the film served as a launchpad for multiple careers.
Craft, Collaboration, and What the Film Gave Her
The actress credited director Kamal and cinematographer Sukumar for shaping her understanding of cinema. She also praised co-star Malu Nair, describing her as 'fearless' and someone who 'broke our hearts in every frame.' Padmapriya concluded by saying the real prize from the film was not awards but the laughter, the chaos, and the connections forged on set. This comes amid a broader wave of Malayalam cinema nostalgia, as older films from the mid-2000s continue to find new audiences through streaming platforms.
Point of View
But the more significant detail is how methodically she prepared — street observation, embodied research, weeks of immersion — for a character mainstream cinema would have rendered as a caricature. That 'Karutha Pakshikal' is being rediscovered 18 years later also reflects a shift: Malayalam cinema's mid-2000s realist wave, long overshadowed by its recent global surge, is finally getting its retrospective due.
NationPress
29 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 'Karutha Pakshikal' and who is in it?
'Karutha Pakshikal' is a critically acclaimed Malayalam film directed by Kamal, featuring Mammootty in a lead role. Padmapriya played Poongodi, a character she has described as one of the most transformative of her career.
Why did Padmapriya eat gobi manchurian on the set of 'Karutha Pakshikal'?
Padmapriya is vegetarian, and a scene required her to eat chicken biryani on camera. The film's art director sculpted pieces of gobi manchurian to resemble chicken so she could perform the scene convincingly without consuming meat.
How did Padmapriya prepare for the role of Poongodi?
She spent time on the streets of Bengaluru observing women at bus stops and traffic signals, studying how they laughed, held their children, and carried themselves. She has said she borrowed the character's dignity directly from those real-life observations.
Who is Aashiq Abu and what is his connection to 'Karutha Pakshikal'?
Aashiq Abu is one of Malayalam cinema's prominent filmmakers. Padmapriya revealed in her post that he was a young assistant director working quietly on the set of 'Karutha Pakshikal' during its production, nearly two decades before his own directorial success.
When was 'Karutha Pakshikal' released and why is it being discussed now?
The film was released 18 years ago. Padmapriya's recent Instagram post marking the anniversary has brought it back into public conversation, drawing attention to its realist storytelling and the careers it helped shape.
