Do you know it was Pakistani jailer's request for Telugu superstar Allu Arjun's autograph that led to the making of Thandel?

The policeman had helped the fishermen when they were in jail. He was a huge fan of Allu Arjun. Later, when the fishermen returned to India, they met a writer who contacted Geetha Arts for Allu Arjun's autograph. The producer learned of this entire incident and he decided to make a film about the fishermen's struggle.

Thandel is based on a true incident of how 22 fishermen from Srikakulam entered Pakistani waters accidentally and were imprisoned there for about 13 months.

At a recent event, Sunil, who had played the role of Mangalam Seenu in Sukumar’s Pushpa: The Rise and Pushpa 2: The Rule, spoke about Pakistan's love for Indian films.

Sunil then recalled an incident when Pakistanis in Spain recognised him from the film. "It was after 10 pm, and we were looking for restaurants that were still open when we came across a kebab point. It was closed, but the people who owned it were smoking outside; we assumed they were Indians. One of the men stared at me and said he recognised me from the Pushpa interval block. He even rewatched the scene on his phone to be sure; I was surprised. The owners were Pakistani and cooked for us despite the restaurant being closed." said Sunil.

Chandoo Mondeti's Thandel is based on a true incident where Indian fishermen crossed over to Pakistani waters and were held captive in Pakistan jails.