Actor Baiju Santhosh has sparked a social media debate after taking a direct dig at veteran filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan .

The controversy starts from Adoor’s remarks during Lalsalam which was a government-organized felicitation event held to honour Mohanlal , who recently received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award . Adoor’s speech during the event was intended to highlight differences in how the award was celebrated in a grand wat now compared to when he received it in the year 2004.
Baiju Santhosh comments on Adoor Gopalakrishnan
Under a viral video featuring Adoor’s recent speech alongside his past comments about Mohanlal, Baiju commented, “Mohanlal became a superstar because he didn’t act in your film.” The statement quickly went viral, earning widespread attention.
Netizens flooded the post with reactions. One commented, “This is exactly the reply Adoor needed.” Another comment read, "The perfect reply Baiju chetta." A third one wrote, "Such an apt reply Baiju chettan."
Adoor’s remarks during the Lalsalam event
During his speech at Lalsalam, Adoor Gopalakrishnan reflected on how his own Dadasaheb Phalke Award experience differed from Mohanlal’s grand felicitation. He stated,
“Two decades ago, when I received this award, there wasn’t such a grand celebration. This time, the government and the Chief Minister have shown special interest in honouring Mohanlal. I share in your pride and happiness.”
While some interpreted this as a neutral observation, others felt it carried an undertone of comparison that didn’t sit well with fans.

Mohanlal’s graceful response wins praise
In reply, Mohanlal said during the same event, “This isn’t the first time Adoor Gopalakrishnan sir has spoken about me. I sincerely thank him and everyone else.” Later Mohanlal took to Facebook and shared, "Moments like these fill me with profound gratitude… My sincere thanks to the Government of Kerala for the honour and warmth shown during the felicitation held in celebration of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award."