4 min readHyderabadApr 22, 2026 05:20 PM IST
Murali Kunnumpurath’s story was once told as a triumph. His journey from severe alcoholism to becoming the Managing Director of Waterman Tiles was the real-life inspiration behind the 2021 Malayalam film Vellam, directed by Prajesh Sen and starring Jayasurya. The film was success, and Murali became something of a symbol of second chances in Kerala.
However, in a recently surfaced video, Murali Kunnumpurath broke down on camera and alleged that he had been cheated by Abhilash Pillai, the writer of Sumathi Valavu, and Vishnu Sasi Shankar, the film’s director. He said he was in debt of approximately Rs 7 crore and warned others in the industry not to trust either of them.
‘Vellam was cinema, this is my real life’
Murali began the video by drawing a clear line between his public image and his current reality. He said that many people know him through the film Vellam, but wanted to be clear that what was shown in that film was for cinema and not a full picture of who he is. “I am just an ordinary person,” he said.
He explained that his life now feels completely stuck and that the situation had pushed him to speak directly to the public through the video. He described suffering a loss of around Rs 2 crore in another venture before Sumathi Valavu came along. When the film was offered to him, he believed it would be a major success and committed fully to it. That confidence, he said, has cost him everything. “I believed it would be a big success. But now my life has slipped away. Because of this film, I lost around Rs 7 crore,” he said.
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The allegations
Murali did not hold back when naming the people he holds responsible. “Abhilash Pillai, Vishnu… never trust them. Vishnu doesn’t even know direction. Everyone are frauds. Everyone should know this truth. They all together cheated me. They ruined my good life. May God forgive them,” he said in the video.
Sumathi Valavu is a 2025 Malayalam horror comedy directed by Vishnu Sasi Shankar and written by Abhilash Pillai. The film stars Arjun Ashokan, Gokul Suresh, Saiju Kurup, Balu Varghese, Malavika Manoj and Sshivada. It was produced by Murali Kunnumpurath under Waterman Films LLP in association with Think Studios, alongside Gokulam Gopalan. The film released on August 1, 2025. Following its box office run, the makers announced a prequel titled Sumathi Valavu 2: The Origin in August 2025, with Vishnu Sasi Shankar, Abhilash Pillai and Murali Kunnumpurath all listed as returning for the follow-up.
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The most difficult part of the video is where Murali speaks about where he finds himself now. He expressed deep remorse, not just about the financial loss but about the effect on the people around him. “I can’t hold on anymore. I really can’t. I already have a lot of debts, and this has added to it. I haven’t had enough of living with my wife and children. But creditors are not letting me live. Everyone cheated me, everyone fooled me, and made me like this. Forgive me, everyone. Because of me, many people have suffered. Please, none of you should ever drink. This is what my life has come to. Sorry, friends… I’m sorry,” he said.
He also made allegations against the directors of another Malayalam film, Nadhikalil Sundari Yamuna, namely Vijesh Panathur and Unni Vellora. At the time of publication, none of the people accused by the producer had given a response to the allegations.
DISCLAIMER: This article discusses personal financial hardship and emotional distress, including mentions of significant debt and the personal impact of it. The narrative is for informational and editorial purposes and does not constitute financial or legal advice.
