Jishad Shamsudeen, the costume designer who styled Mohanlal for Jailer 2, says three of the actor's looks were cut entirely from the released film, and that a scene shown in the trailer was trimmed too. In an Instagram note posted after the release, he called the cuts unnecessary and said he would not work on any further sequel.
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Jishad's clarification a day later
On Friday, October 16, a day after the first note, Jishad posted a clarification on Instagram. He wrote that his earlier remarks "came purely from the heart of a devoted Lalettan fan", and that it was naturally disheartening for him to see Mohanlal's portions reduced. He added: "As a technician in this industry, I wholeheartedly respect the creative process and the autonomy of the filmmakers." The new note does not say whether he still stands by his decision to stay away from a sequel.
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What Jishad said
Jishad wrote that he had been confident in the work based on what was shot, "even when reduced to a two-second glimpse in the trailer". With the release, he said, "three of Mohanlal Sir's distinct looks were cut entirely, and even that trailer scene was trimmed out."
He called trimming Mohanlal's scenes "simply unnecessary" and said that if there is a sequel, he will not be part of it. He also apologised to people who had trusted him, and said his loyalty was to the fans, the craft and Mohanlal, not to box-office numbers or stardom.
Jishad has since softened that stance. In his follow-up note, he framed the first post as a fan's disappointment rather than a charge against the team, and stressed his respect for the filmmakers' creative choices. The makers have not commented publicly on either note.
Why this lands now
The note confirms, from inside the crew, what critics had already flagged. In our roundup of four Jailer 2 reviews, Mohanlal's entry as Mathew drew praise, but his part was seen as thin. Jishad's note suggests that thinness was partly made at the editing table, not on the page.
It also changes the comparison with the first film. In Jailer (2023), Mohanlal's Mathew was a short cameo, but the colourful shirts and dark glasses made the character stand out. A sequel that brought Mathew back was expected to build on that. Going by the note, there was more of him on camera than the theatres got.
Will the cut looks surface?
That is the open question. Nothing has been announced about an extended version, and it is not known whether the streaming cut will differ from the theatrical one. For now, the three looks exist only in Jishad's account.
For Mohanlal fans, the next big screen outing is closer to home: Athimanoharam, his second film with Tharun Moorthy, is set for release on December 24.
