Director Akhil Sathyan has revealed that Preethi Mukundan was roped in for the character Delulu, played by Riya Shibu, in his recent release, Sarvam Maya.
Sarvam Maya is a supernatural romantic comedy film that has been written by Akhil Sathyana. The movie is about Prabhendu (Nivin Pauly), an atheist guitarist forced into working as a traditional priest, who finds himself haunted by a friendly, gentle ghost named Delulu. Riya Shibu has essayed the role of Maya Mathew Manjooran (Delulu).
In an interview, Director Akhil Sathyan said, "Initially, we had signed Preethi Mukundan to play the character 'Delulu'. However, we felt that if she portrayed the role, the film might turn into a more conventional love story. So, we decided to look for a younger actress for the character."
Akhil Sathyan added, "That's when I happened to come across Riya Shibu's reels, and I immediately felt she was perfect for the role. She was then brought on board to play Delulu."
Akhil Sathyan had initially planned Sarvam Delulu as its title. He said, "In fact, we had initially titled the film Sarvam Delulu. Later, Nivin Pauly asked me about the meaning of the word 'Delulu.' I felt that simply translating it as 'Sarvam Maya' would sound too typical. It was then that Nivin Pauly himself suggested including 'Sarvam Maya' in the title, which eventually became the final choice."
Sarvam Maya was released in the cinema halls as a Christmas treat on December 25, 2025. The movie has not only received positive reviews from everyone but was also a big hit at the worldwide box office. The film is now being streamed on Jio Hotstar, where it has registered a record number of viewers.
