Explained: PVR-INOX to Now Screen Malayalam Films Following Tiff With Producers

1. Film Exhibition in the Digital Era
Before we get into the dispute between the PVR group and the producers’ union, it’s important to understand how film exhibition works in the digital era. Unlike earlier, when film reels were used for projection in theatres, producers now use virtual prints to digitally project their films.

This requires a technology and system to ensure seamless sharing without piracy issues.

Content sharing companies or service providers like QUBE, TRS, Sony, and UFO provide encrypted, high-quality films that can be easily accessible through satellite, server, or hard disks.

These films are protected, encrypted, and accessible through a key that works only for a limited time.

For this, producers have to pay a virtual print fee.

But, what’s a Virtual Print Fee (VPF)?

The Virtual Print Fee (VPF) is a subsidy paid by film distributors to film exhibitors for purchasing projection equipment for digital cinema. This fee is paid per movie booking to match the savings from not shipping a film print and redistribute the savings realized by studios using digital distribution instead of film print distribution.

The producers’ council and the PVR INOX group had disagreements over the cost of VPF.
Expand
2. Dispute Between PVR INOX & KFPA

Two years ago, the KFPA launched a facility called the Producers Digital Cinema (PDC) to avoid the high fees charged by existing service providers like QUBE, UFO, and Sony, which negatively impact the producers’ revenue. PDC, on the other hand, charges reasonable fees for the service, benefiting them.

Although the association has been attempting to reach several theatres to use their technology, large multiplexes like PVR-INOX, which have contracts with existing service providers, are unable to work with them.

According to reports, the dispute escalated when the newly-opened PVR-INOX theatre at Kochi’s Forum Mall refused to use PDC, citing a contract with QUBE.

The multiplex chain stopped screening Malayalam films across the country after the KFPA stuck to its position that their content should be released at the screens in Forum Mall at a low VPF using the films mastered at the PDC.

In an interview with The Indian Express, Subramanian, aka Evershine Mani, the Secretary of the Film Distribution Association of Kerala, criticized the PVR INOX group for stopping the screening of Malayalam films, and explained how service providers like QUBE, UFO and Sony charge exorbitant fees (VPF) from producers for virtual print services for theatres and multiplexes.

“For one week, they charge Rs 11,500. If it is for multiplexes with four or five screens, they charge Rs 24,500. For one show, Rs 450… like that, they have many schemes,” he told the publication.

“We started our own content mastering unit two years back called PDC. Gradually, we are asking all theatres to change to our content mastering scheme because our charges are just Rs 3500 per week, Rs 5500 for a lifetime, and in multiplexes, it will be Rs 7500. This will hugely benefit the producers, who are already losing money while making the film and distributing it.”

Subramanian added.

In addition to new releases, the multiplex chain also pulled out running Malayalam hits like Blessy’s Aadujeevitham, AD Girish’s Premalu, Mammootty’s Brahmayugam, and Chidambaram’s Manjummal Boys from its theatres. Moreover, the company has also stopped showing dubbed Malayalam movies.

Expand
3. PVR-INOX’S Statement Amid Tiff

Amid the dispute, Kamal Gianchandani, the CEO of PVR-INOX, had claimed that the KFPA is forcing them to opt for PDC, which he believes is against the law and is prohibitive under it.

Gianchandani released an official statement on X (formerly Twitter) on 11 April, which said, “At the outset, we would like to express our sincere appreciation to all our Producer and Distributor friends in Malayalam Film Industry for their unwavering support for the theatrical platform and their significant contribution to the revival of theatres post Covid-19. No one holds greater respect for all the Producers releasing their films in our theatres than all of us at PVRINOX.”

The statement also addressed the issue with the newly-launched PVR-INOX theatre in Kochi. “Our cinemas have been advised by the Association to source Malayalam movie content exclusively through one channel i.e. through the content mastering and distribution network run by the association. Such an action of forcing an exhibitor to procure content from only one source is anticompetitive in nature and prohibited under the law. As a law-abiding member of Indian Film Industry, we are unable to comply with this advice,” it further read.

Have a look at it here:

Expand
4. KFPA to Hold Talks With PVR-INOX

According to The Hindu, KFPA secretary B Rakesh announced that PVR INOX will resume screening Malayalam movies and is ready to hold talks within a week to resolve the pending issues.

In continuation of the report, FEFKA’s general secretary B Unnikrishnan also expressed his gratitude to MA Yusuff Ali, chairman of the Lulu Group, who intervened to resolve the deadlock as the multiplex player has multiple screens in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.

As per The Hindu, filmmaker Blessy said that FEFKA’s intervention was crucial in resolving the conflict, as the FEFKA suffered considerable loss after their films were pulled out from PVR’s screens.

He added that a planned protest in front of PVR Cinemas in Lulu Mall was called off following the truce.

(With inputs from The Indian Express, The Hindu, and The Telegraph.

Expand

Film Exhibition in the Digital Era

Before we get into the dispute between the PVR group and the producers’ union, it’s important to understand how film exhibition works in the digital era. Unlike earlier, when film reels were used for projection in theatres, producers now use virtual prints to digitally project their films.

This requires a technology and system to ensure seamless sharing without piracy issues.
Content sharing companies or service providers like QUBE, TRS, Sony, and UFO provide encrypted, high-quality films that can be easily accessible through satellite, server, or hard disks.
These films are protected, encrypted, and accessible through a key that works only for a limited time.
For this, producers have to pay a virtual print fee.

But, what’s a Virtual Print Fee (VPF)?

The Virtual Print Fee (VPF) is a subsidy paid by film distributors to film exhibitors for purchasing projection equipment for digital cinema. This fee is paid per movie booking to match the savings from not shipping a film print and redistribute the savings realized by studios using digital distribution instead of film print distribution.

The producers’ council and the PVR INOX group had disagreements over the cost of VPF.

Dispute Between PVR INOX & KFPA

Two years ago, the KFPA launched a facility called the Producers Digital Cinema (PDC) to avoid the high fees charged by existing service providers like QUBE, UFO, and Sony, which negatively impact the producers’ revenue. PDC, on the other hand, charges reasonable fees for the service, benefiting them.

Although the association has been attempting to reach several theatres to use their technology, large multiplexes like PVR-INOX, which have contracts with existing service providers, are unable to work with them.

According to reports, the dispute escalated when the newly-opened PVR-INOX theatre at Kochi’s Forum Mall refused to use PDC, citing a contract with QUBE.

The multiplex chain stopped screening Malayalam films across the country after the KFPA stuck to its position that their content should be released at the screens in Forum Mall at a low VPF using the films mastered at the PDC.

In an interview with The Indian Express, Subramanian, aka Evershine Mani, the Secretary of the Film Distribution Association of Kerala, criticized the PVR INOX group for stopping the screening of Malayalam films, and explained how service providers like QUBE, UFO and Sony charge exorbitant fees (VPF) from producers for virtual print services for theatres and multiplexes.

“For one week, they charge Rs 11,500. If it is for multiplexes with four or five screens, they charge Rs 24,500. For one show, Rs 450… like that, they have many schemes,” he told the publication.

“We started our own content mastering unit two years back called PDC. Gradually, we are asking all theatres to change to our content mastering scheme because our charges are just Rs 3500 per week, Rs 5500 for a lifetime, and in multiplexes, it will be Rs 7500. This will hugely benefit the producers, who are already losing money while making the film and distributing it.”

Subramanian added.

In addition to new releases, the multiplex chain also pulled out running Malayalam hits like Blessy’s Aadujeevitham, AD Girish’s Premalu, Mammootty’s Brahmayugam, and Chidambaram’s Manjummal Boys from its theatres. Moreover, the company has also stopped showing dubbed Malayalam movies.

PVR-INOX’S Statement Amid Tiff

Amid the dispute, Kamal Gianchandani, the CEO of PVR-INOX, had claimed that the KFPA is forcing them to opt for PDC, which he believes is against the law and is prohibitive under it.

Gianchandani released an official statement on X (formerly Twitter) on 11 April, which said, “At the outset, we would like to express our sincere appreciation to all our Producer and Distributor friends in Malayalam Film Industry for their unwavering support for the theatrical platform and their significant contribution to the revival of theatres post Covid-19. No one holds greater respect for all the Producers releasing their films in our theatres than all of us at PVRINOX.”

The statement also addressed the issue with the newly-launched PVR-INOX theatre in Kochi. “Our cinemas have been advised by the Association to source Malayalam movie content exclusively through one channel i.e. through the content mastering and distribution network run by the association. Such an action of forcing an exhibitor to procure content from only one source is anticompetitive in nature and prohibited under the law. As a law-abiding member of Indian Film Industry, we are unable to comply with this advice,” it further read.

Have a look at it here:

KFPA to Hold Talks With PVR-INOX

According to The Hindu, KFPA secretary B Rakesh announced that PVR INOX will resume screening Malayalam movies and is ready to hold talks within a week to resolve the pending issues.

In continuation of the report, FEFKA’s general secretary B Unnikrishnan also expressed his gratitude to MA Yusuff Ali, chairman of the Lulu Group, who intervened to resolve the deadlock as the multiplex player has multiple screens in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.

As per The Hindu, filmmaker Blessy said that FEFKA’s intervention was crucial in resolving the conflict, as the FEFKA suffered considerable loss after their films were pulled out from PVR’s screens.

He added that a planned protest in front of PVR Cinemas in Lulu Mall was called off following the truce.

(With inputs from The Indian Express, The Hindu, and The Telegraph.

Published: 18 Apr 2024, 2:40 PM IST

Source link

#Explained #PVRINOX #Screen #Malayalam #Films #Tiff #Producers

Blessy’s ‘Aadujeevitham’ Wants to Stay True to Human Suffering But Misses a Mark

Post By Fact Check Aadujeevitham, aadujeevitham film, benyamin, blessy, goat life, Malayalam cinema, malayalam movies, Prithviraj Sukumaran, the goat life, the goat life film

Benyamin’s novel Aadujeevitham or Goat Days may be many things. But this particular line is the crux of Blessy’s interpretation of the novel that we see on screen as the movie Aadujeevitham – The Goat Life. The will of a broken shell of a man to somehow survive against all odds.

While Benyamin’s Goat Days traverses into its protagonist Najeeb’s inner turmoil – and his unique spiritual awakening – Blessy’s The Goat Life flushes out his more visible hardships and his great escape from captivity.

A migrant worker from Kerala, Najeeb, like many others from the state, lands in Saudi Arabia in the year 1992, in the hopes of building a better life for himself and his family. An Arab, pretending to be their employer, takes Najeeb and his co-traveller Hakkim from the airport to the rural interiors of the country to work in a goat farm in the middle of the desert.

What awaits Najeeb is the most harrowing experience any human would ever go through – from being enslaved in a desert with hardly any food or water and being tortured at regular intervals by the person in charge of the farm, to having no contact with the outside world, and with nothing but the haunting vastness of the desert surrounding him.

Benyamin’s ‘Goat Days’ goes on to explore the spiritual connect of a helpless man in such a situation, the bond he forges with the goats – the way he calls them the names of his kin from back home – flashes of his Stockholm Syndrome, and his eventual, unbelievable escape from captivity.

The book is difficult to be adapted into a movie. No wonder then that director Blessy saw it to fruition only after 16 years. There were many hurdles – including the world shutting down due to COVID-19 when the crew was shooting in a desert in Jordan.

The Physical Aspect of Survival

The film Aadujeevitham – The Goat Life opens with a stony, lifeless stare of an emaciated Najeeb. He looks up after drinking from the goats’ water trough.

He is one among the goats – and he is unrecognisable. He would be alive for as long as he would serve his purpose for the person who “owns” him, just like the goats. This is one instance in the movie that invokes pathos like no other, where the lines of existence between Najeeb and the goats are blurred.

The first half of the film establishes how Najeeb finds himself in this dire situation with flashbacks of home, his mother, and wife who is in the early stages of her pregnancy. Despite slight clichés, these flashes are seamlessly weaved into the narrative.

From there, one can choose from the varied dimensions that the book holds, but if one is to chase behind all those dimensions, the end product could be all over the place. Perhaps, it is because of this very reason that Blessy seems to have taken the visible, physical aspect of Najeeb’s story and has used it as a tool to narrate a survival drama.

When the story is being told from that narrative, Prithviraj Sukumaran becomes an apt choice to portray Najeeb, for his strength clearly lies in encapsulating the essence of Najeeb’s plight physically, rather than tapping into its psychological core.

The effort and time that Prithviraj has put into this is laudable. It also reflects how big a phenomenon the book Goat Days is in the literary landscape of Kerala – and how the role of Najeeb could be the role of a lifetime for any actor.

This could easily be the career-best performance of Prithviraj, along with his role as Joshua Thomas from the movie Koode.

A shot from the movie ‘Aadujeevitham – The Goat Life’, featuring Prithviraj Sukumaran as Najeeb.

The Escape Sequence

Most of the second half of the film etches out the escape of Najeeb and Hakkim, guided by the latter’s friend Ibrahim, played by the Haitian actor, Jimmy Jean Louis. As Hakkim introduces Ibrahim to Najeeb, he says Ibrahim knows his way around the desert, and that perhaps he is godsent, like how God has sent Musa Nabi to guide people.

This is something that stays with the audience and is emphasised further in the way the director places Ibrahim in the following scenes, with a slightly god-like aura, if one cares to take a closer look. This, combined with the remarkable performance and screen presence of Jimmy Jean Louis, was a great tether to hook the audience to the otherwise tiresome and uncomfortable ordeal of the escape sequence.

The debutant actor, KR Gokul, who played Hakkim, too, has delivered a stunning performance with great restraint, especially when his character spirals into delirium. He has effortlessly held his space against the seasoned actors whom he shares screen space with.

Amala Paul as Sainu – Najeeb’s wife – appears in the flashbacks and in songs but has little to perform. While she fits into the role visually, the dialogue delivery feels quite other-worldly for a woman who has lived in a little village in Kerala.

The music by AR Rahman seems generic at best and has nothing to write home about, maybe except for the track ‘Periyone Rahmane’. Sunil KS’s camera, along with Resuul Pookutty’s sound design has done justice in providing a near-immersive experience for the audience in the desert sequences, which constitute more than three-fourths of film.

The visuals in Kerala were shot by KU Mohanan – and they have been blended in seamlessly. The CGI falters slightly in places but doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb. Ranjith Ambady and the makeup department need a special mention for their flawless job of transforming Prithviraj and Hakkim.

Where the Film Falters

In terms of its scale, The Goat Life may be the biggest movie Blessy has done yet as a director; despite that, his former outings such as Thanmathra, Kazhcha, and Pranayam had an emotional core that resonated deep within the audience, which The Goat Life lacks. This might be the case, because Benyamin’s Goat Days is a book that is layered and spiritual, and so widely read and interpreted that nothing would sate the readers as much as their interpretations of this book.

The sequence where the sponsors come to get the workers who have fled from them could easily be one of the most haunting episodes in the book, where a runaway worker’s trauma would trigger him to scream in agony at the sight of his “owner” even before the owner recognises him in the line-up.

The juxtaposition of human cruelty and vulnerability in the same page – and the emotions it evokes in readers – was one of the high points in the book. However, the portrayal of this strong, moving sequence somehow fell flat in the movie.

Protagonist Najeeb, who goes by the name Shukoor, in real life.

Then again, there is the question of how much human suffering one can watch. Or did the scenes preceding this desensitise the viewers so much that they’ve checked out emotionally by then?

Having said that, Blessy’s The Goat Life too has carved its own niche among the blockbusters Malayalam has produced this year, and it is highly appreciated that a small industry like Malayalam is bold enough to take up grand projects like these and execute it far better than most of the industries in sensible, convincing, and palatable ways.

The Controversial ‘Goat Days’

While at the topic of human suffering, it would be a massive oversight not to address the controversies surrounding both Benyamin’s work as well as the ‘parading’ of the person on whom the book was based – Najeeb – for the promotional activities of the movie. It has even come to the fore that Najeeb, in real life, primarily goes by the name Shukoor.

Benyamin’s Goat Days, from its early days, has been at the receiving end of the criticism that it has adopted elements from Mohammed Asad’s The Road to Mecca, but the author claims in the book that he has taken bare minimum creative liberties while telling Najeeb’s story because his lived experience itself is stranger than fiction.

While Shukoor alias Najeeb, in his interviews, uncomfortably and squirmingly recount the experiences he has been through, answering the intrusive questions he is asked, he also negates a few of the accounts described in the book.

The author has now come out and defended his book as a work of fiction with only about 30 percent of it being from the experiences of Shukoor. Whatever it may be, the blatant commodification of a man’s suffering and the insensitive manner is almost as hard to watch as a few sequences in the movie.

(Meenakshi Sajeev is a writer, published poet, and corporate communications consultant based out of Bengaluru. She has worked with the UN Environment and is currently with IBM. This is an opinion piece and the views expressed are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for them.)

Source link

#Blessys #Aadujeevitham #Stay #True #Human #Suffering #Misses #Mark

Creating a believable setting was important, says director Rahul Sadasivan about the Malayalam horror thriller, ‘Bramayugam’

Post By Entertainment ‘Bramayugam’, Arjun Ashokan, Bhoothakalam, Christo Xavier, Malayalam cinema, mammootty, Rahul Sadasivan, Shehnad Jalal, Sidharth Bharathan

Bramayugam has taken the box office by storm the world over and director Rahul Sadasivan is taking in the adulation with a smile. Shot entirely in black and white, the horror thriller headlined by a terrific Mammootty is being hailed as a never-before-seen cinematic experience in Malayalam cinema. Bramayugam set in 17th-century Malabar revolves around a dilapidated mana (mansion), where the imposing Koduman Potty (Mammootty) stays with his cook (Sidharth Bharathan). Thevan (Arjun Ashokan), a member of the Panan community, arrives at the mana, while escaping from his captors. Potty gives him food and refuge but Thevan does not know what is in store for him there.

If his debut film, Red Rain (2013) was a sci-fi thriller, in his second film, Bhoothakalam (2022), Rahul scared the audience with the story of a mother and son staying in a haunted house. In Bramayugam, he blends folklore with horror and creates thrills and chills with the story, the setting and performances, supported by stunning production design, cinematography and music. Scripted by Rahul himself, the narrative is also an eerie take on power dynamics as it weaves in aspects such as greed and caste discrimination.

Mammootty in Bramayugam
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Rahul says that the story of Bramayugam was with him even before he made Bhoothakalam. “I wanted to tell a story from folklore. The inspiration was perhaps those images etched in my mind from my visits to my parents’ native place in Palakkad. The rural landscape with age-old ancestral houses, some of them deserted, and the ambience remained with me. I have gone back to those vignettes to write the story.”

Rahul Sadasivan, director of Bramayugam
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

It was the humungous success of Bhoothakalam that gave him the confidence to approach Mammootty, Rahul says. “If Bhoothakalam was a modern-day horror tale, I wanted to do something different in my next project to excite the audience. Since I wanted to tell a period drama, I knew that it had to be told in black and white. Mammootty was my only choice for the central character. I knew that only he could bring the power and enigma of that aged character on screen. Once he liked the story, we did a test shoot of one of the scenes in black and white. We worked on the grading, texture, contrast and several other aspects until we were confident about going ahead. I could never imagine Bramayugam in colour!” he emphasises.

The 72-year-old thespian has been on a roll with his choice of roles in the last couple of years and Koduman Potty is another addition to his oeuvre. “He always delivered more than what I expected. There were many scenes where he surprised all of us. His mannerisms, body language, dialogue delivery… everything was unique.”

The two other actors, Sidharth and Arjun are also getting positive reviews for their performances. “Once Mammookka was finalised, we started looking for actors to play these two key roles. Eventually the roles went to these two.”

Rahul mentions that he makes it a point to have a storyboard for his movies. “I have everything on paper before the shoot starts, for clarity on different aspects of the filmmaking process and the visual language. And I had a strong team who understood the world I created,” says the director who learnt filmmaking from London Film Academy and did his masters in animation and VFX from University of South Wales.

Sidharth Bharathan in Bramayugam
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The shoot took over 50 days, but preparations started much in advance. The mana was set up in Ottappalam by the team led by art director Jothish Shankar. “Except for one of the scenes that was shot at Varikkassery Mana [shooting location for some of the popular Malayalam films in Ottappalam], the rest was set inside the mana. In fact, the vegetation you see around the mana, especially the wild grass, was grown by the team over two months. Eventhough I was telling a fictional story, creating a believable setting was important for me. I wanted everything to look real, without any gimmicks. For instance, the kitchen had to look stinky, filthy and messy and you realise the reason as the story progresses,” he explains. Rain is a crucial component of the narrative, he adds. “It is like a character and we had to bring that feeling of being stuck in that weather.”

A shot of the mana, the prime location of Bramayugam
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The forest cover was areas in and around Malayattoor, while the waterfall shot in the beginning — one of the breathtakingly beautiful sequences in the movie — is from Athirappilly. “Athirappilly waterfall has been shown in several movies and we didn’t want to go with cliched shots. So we went with different camera angles for that shot,” he says, referring to his cinematographer, Shehnad Jalal, who also shot Bhoothakalam.

“I had discussed Bramayugam with him while we were shooting Bhoothakalam. A black-and-white film is on the wishlist of all filmmakers and cinematographers. When I told him this idea, he said it was his dream to do a black-and-white project. It has its challenges, but then a black-and-white frame has its charm and timelessness,” Rahul adds.

Rahul says that composer Christo Xavier was with the team throughout the making process. “Once I gave him a brief idea about the project, he sent a demo within two days. I was so impressed by the score that there were no second thoughts about having him on board. I have a fantastic team of assistant directors and one among them is Din Nath Puthenchery, son of veteran lyricist Gireesh Puthenchery. He has written three songs,” Rahul says.

Arjun Ashokan in a still from Bramayugam
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

He stresses that the project would not have happened but for the producers, Night Shift Studios, a production house exclusively into horror films under YNot Studios, one of the leading production houses. “This is the maiden production of Night Shift Studios. They had got in touch with me after Bhoothakalam through MR Rajakrishnan [audiographer/sound mixer]. When I I told them about Bramayugam I laid down three conditions – it will be a period movie, I want to make it in black and white and I needed Mammootty. They [S Sashikanth and Chakravarthy Ramachandra] got so excited that they stood by my vision. Without the backing of such a producer it would have been difficult for me to realise my dream.” According to the producers, the movie has been made with a budget of ₹27.73 crores, exclusive of the promotion expenses.

So, is he planning to tell more horror stories? Rahul says with a laugh, “I have many concepts in my mind and the stories I have told till now have been there with me for a long time.”

Source link

#Creating #believable #setting #important #director #Rahul #Sadasivan #Malayalam #horror #thriller #Bramayugam

Malayalam cinema: Marketing teams go for innovative ideas, rope in influencers to promote films

Post By Entertainment 2018 Everybody is a hero, Ajayante Randam Moshanam, Basil Joseph, Darshana Rajendran, Falimy, Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey, Keerthy Suresh, Lijo Jose Pellissery, Little Hearts, Maalaikottai Vaaliban, Madraskaaran, Malayalam cinema, Mohanlal, Neymar, Sandra Thomas, Shane Nigam, Tovino Thomas, Vaashi, VIshnu Raghav

Shane Nigam wonders if he could have Rashmika Mandanna as his co-star. While film directors Aby Treesa Paul and Anto Jose Periera, and producer Sandra Thomas hem and haw, Anagha LK walks in and, without batting an eyelid, Shane says he feels she would be the best. The same goes for another role in which he feels he would look right with a smattering of grey. The minute Baburaj walks in with a funny line, Shane agrees that only he would do for the character. And to cap it all, the dancer steps in with a shake and a twist… This is not a scene from the movie Little Hearts but a promotional reel for the film releasing today (January 26).

A few months ago, it was the makers of Falimy who came out with a reel that caught eyeballs and pulled youngsters into theatres for the Basil Joseph-starrer directed by debutant Nithish Sahadev.

Movie promotions have reached new heights with many producers going all out with innovative methods to market the movie.

Children wearing masks resembling Mohanlal’s character in Malaikottai Vaaliban
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

A comic book featuring Mohanlal as the lead character of Lijo Jose Pelliserry’s Malaikottai Vaaliban went viral. The books come with a mask of the Vaaliban. T-shirts and ‘strong man’ challenges were included in the promotions for the movie that reached cinemas on January 25.

The announcement of the title of a film has been turned into a big event with ‘first look poster’, trailers teasers, character sketches and promos released by super stars making it to the news. Then there are audio releases of the music, videos of the songs in the film, reactions of the audience after the premiere… It is a different ball game altogether from the days of mega cut outs and posters that announced the release of new films.

Synergy at play

Five years ago, when Sangeetha Janachandran started her agency, Stories Social Marketing and communication, she had to persuade directors and producers to credit her as such and not as public relations officer (PRO). “That is not the case now with production houses working with us to come up with interesting ideas to promote the film. There has been a 360 degree change,” she says.

Unmasking The Star from Mollywood to Kollywood, a promotional video for Shane’s Tamil debut, Madraskaaran, has got 1,77,337 views since it was released on January 19. It has Shane reeling off dialogues from Tamil blockbusters.

Sangeetha says it was an entertaining way to introduce him to a new audience. Depending on the content of the film and the budget, she reaches out to influencers to create eye-catching content that grab attention. She checks their demographics, follower base and the regions they are active in before collaborating with them. Sangeetha believes influencers know the local pulse better than anyone else.

Tovino Thomas in a still from the promotional video of Ajayante Randam Moshanam
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

“With many big-budget films being released in multiple Indian languages on the same day, marketing the movie has become a necessity. For instance, Tovino Thomas’ Ajayante Randaam Moshanam (ARM), being released in five languages, required us to reach out to influencers in all five languages to create content to promote the movie,” says Vaisakh C Vadakaveedu who handles public relations and marketing with his partner Jinu Anilkumar.

Trending reels

They were the ones behind the catchy promotions of 2018, Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey, Ozler, Falimy, Neymar, and so on. Nithish says Falimy’s good opening was thanks to the five reels that were used for the promotions.

Falimy centres on a family and a journey. The makers were apprehensive that the usual content might give it the feel of a family drama. So Vaisakh worked with influencers to come up with subjects and scripts. “We gave them inputs but they shot the reels. We also conducted a contest inviting people to share their experience of traveling with the family,” he adds.

Basil Joseph and Darshana Rajendran in a promotional reel conceptualised by Basil to promote Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL AARANGEMENT

Some actors are game to participate in the fun promos. In fact, it was Basil who came up with the viral dance video with Darshana Rajendran to promote Jaya…Hey. He had also conceptualised and shot a captivating song featuring animals and children for the promotion of his film Palthu Janwar (2022).

Remember Anjali Menon’s Wonder Women that premiered on SonyLiv? “Positive pregnancy test results were shared by the cast such as Parvathy Thiruvothu, Nithya Menen, Sayonara and the others on their social media handles. It created such a buzz and went beyond the digital media audience,” she points out.

Flashback in tinsel town

“We were assigned to take photographs on the sets and these would be provided to print magazines and dailies. Then there were single-page materials, called notice in the trade, with the names of the stars, directors, singers etc, and printed booklets with the lyrics of the songs that were for sale. All that has vanished,” says still photographer R Gopalakrishnan. While the notices were scattered from vehicles fitted with a loudspeaker to announce the release of a movie, in rural areas posters were carried on bullock carts, and drums were played to create excitement for the movie.

Still from Padmarajan’s Aparan in which Jayaram made his debut as an actor. (from left) Padmarajan, Madhu and Jayaram
| Photo Credit:
R GOPALAKRISHNAN

Cut to the eighties. Still photographer Gopalakrishnan who began working in 1979 recalls a time when still photographs and posters were the only material used to promote movies. In fact, the author-photographer wonders why, at present, even still photographs of the action on the sets are not given for publicity prior to the release.

Still from Priyadarsan’s Kadathanadan Ambadi (1990) featuring Mohanlal and Prem Nazir
| Photo Credit:
R GOPALAKRISHNAN

True to the trend now, when it came to his son, actor-director Vishnu Raghav’s film Vaashi, the still photographs of the film were not widely circulated until the movie reached theatres.

Vishnu explains that in the past, only the snaps were available as publicity material. At present, almost all the stars are active on social media, there is no mysterious aura about them. Their lives are out there on various platforms. “To create a bit of excitement and curiosity about the characters in Vaashi, we did not share photographs of Keerthy (Suresh) and Tovino as lawyers till the movie was ready to release,” says Vishnu.

Tovino Thomas and Keerthy Suresh in Vaashi, directed by Vishnu G Raghav
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

To make the film a talking point, the makers organised a discussion on the film at Government Law college, Ernakulam, as the leads played by Tovino and Keerthy were lawyers.

In the case of Jude Anthany Joseph’s 2018: Everyone Is A Hero, the marketing team released carefully selected footage of the flood in 2018 to help viewers connect with the film. “It was tricky. We did not want them to think that it was a documentary!” recalls Vaisakh.

For the upcoming ARM and Manjummel Boys, the marketing blitz has just started. The teaser was launched by Hrithik Roshan while Rakshit Shetty released it in Kannada. Then a glittering function was held at Lulu, Kochi to launch the 3-D teaser of ARM.

“Each film requires customised marketing to reach target audiences. And producers have realised the importance of marketing their films to reach target audiences. Once viewers are convinced that it is a visual and audio experience, they will frequent cinemas. Otherwise, they might enjoy it on OTT. So, many a time, we work closely with the production and creative teams,” says Sangeetha.

Source link

#Malayalam #cinema #Marketing #teams #innovative #ideas #rope #influencers #promote #films

Adarsh Sukumaran and Paulson Skaria talk about scripting ‘Kaathal – The Core’

Post By Entertainment adarsh sukumaran paulson skaria, homosexuality, jeo baby, jyothika, kaathal - the core, Malayalam cinema, mammootty, Neymar, rdx, screenplay writers, sudhi kozhikode

The crowd favourite of International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) 2022 was Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Mammootty-starrer Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam. Among the delegates who thronged the theatres to watch the movie was Adarsh Sukumaran and Paulson Skaria.

Little did the scriptwriter duo know that their movie, Kaathal-The Core, the Mammootty-Jyothika starrer directed by Jeo Baby, would be welcomed the same way at the next edition of the IFFK. “We had come to IFFK last year after the shoot of Kaathal…. Seeing the crowd for Nanpakal… we wondered if we would be able to bring Kaathal… to the next IFFK. It was a wonderful moment when that dream was fulfilled this year and all shows were jam-packed,” says Adarsh.

Paulson adds, “We didn’t expect the film to be welcomed so warmly especially since it is still running in cinemas. We knew that the film would be discussed but not to this extent. Even Jeo chettan (Jeo Baby) did not expect this response.”

Paulson Skaria (left) and Adarsh Sukumaran
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Kaathal… is the story of Mathew Devassy (Mammootty), a retired bank manager, who is all set to contest a local panchayat election when his wife of 20 years, Omana (Jyothika), files for divorce stating that her husband is in a relationship with a man, Thankan (Sudhi Kozhikode), who runs a driving school. Mathew, father to a teenager, is in denial but manages to come out towards the end.

Adarsh, 29, and Paulson, 27, debuted as scenarists with the surprise hit of the year, Neymar, a breezy story of an indie dog. Adarsh is also the co-writer of the blockbuster of the year,RDX, with Shabas Rasheed. In a chat with MetroPlus, the duo talks about finding their way in Malayalam cinema, the success of Kaathal… and more.

The duo says that it was their love for cinema that brought them together. “We have been friends for over 10 years now. Although we didn’t study together (Paulson is an engineer, while Adarsh is a post graduate in television journalism) our colleges were on the same campus (Mar Athanious College, Kothamangalam). Our common friend Devadath Shaji (co-writer of Bheeshma Parvam) used to make short films and we used to work in it. That’s how we met,” says Paulson.

They used to write stories and often shared them with each other. “After a point, when it became a question of surviving in the industry, we decided to write together. Kaathal… was our first joint script,” he adds.

Their original plan was to write the story about two thugs and their friendship. “We remembered this scene in Vettayadu Vilayaadu in which Kamal Hassan’s character asks two villains if they were homosexuals! It so happened that while preparing for my civil service exams I came across several articles on revocation of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (law that criminalises same-sex relations). Eventually, we decided to write the story of a family,” says Paulson.

They did not approach Jeo Baby initially because he usually direct his own scripts. But no one else was ready to take up the project. “We decided to give it a try with Jeo chettan as advised by a friend. We met him in October 2021. He took us on board, reworked the script with us. It his suggestion to have Mammookka [Mammootty]. It was Mammookka’s idea to cast Jyothika ma’am as Omana. Thus everything fell in place,” Adarsh says.

The writers say they learnt more about the subject as they wrote. “We read books, met people from the community, and that opened a whole new world to us,” Paulson says. Adarsh adds: ”We followed debates and discussions about the topic. We also consulted legal experts, especially with regard to points regarding the subject. We had heard about a similar court case while writing the script but couldn’t get the details.”

The duo admits that working with Jeo has been a learning experience because his perspectives influenced them as he knew more about the subject and how to handle it. “That helped us to break our conditioning about the subject. Now when the silences in the film are getting celebrated, the credit should go to the director. Our script had more conversations,” Paulson points out. They also appreciate the fact that Jeo involved them in every aspect of the movie, including designing the poster and title.

Discussions aplenty

The film has left the field wide open for discussions about homosexuality and the writers are excited about it. “We were overwhelmed by some of the comments and observations posted on social media handles. Many real-life stories are now in the open because of this film. We are happy that the film has worked with families as well, although we didn’t make any deliberate attempts to bring the family audience to the theatres,” Paulson comments. They are also pleased with the fact their families have loved the movie.

The film is another proof for how Mammootty is reinventing himself as an actor, they say. “We feel that he is some 10 years ahead of us, which probably comes from his experience, his reading and his interaction with others. He came up with several important suggestions that elevated some of the scenes,” Adarsh observes. Paulson adds, “He has put in subtle nuances in his scenes, which most of us in the crew noticed when we rewatched the movie.”

(From left) Adarsh Sukumaran, Paulson Skaria, Jeo Baby and Mammootty on the set of Kaathal – The Core
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

While Paulson picks Mathew’s interaction with his daughter in college as his favourite scene, Adarsh chooses the multi-shot sequence showing Mathew’s emotional interaction with his father, Omana’s reaction from the other room and her scene with Mathew that follows.

Hits in their kitty

Their first project to release was Neymar directed by Sudhi Madisson. “The project came to us through our friend, Justin Mathew (co-writer of Minnal Murali). We didn’t have to struggle much as there was already a director and production house. We had to crack the script by breaking the cliches on the subject of human-animal bond,” Paulson says.

The hit parade continued for Adarsh with RDX, the action-packed family drama. “Nahas (Nahas Hidayath, director of RDX), approached me with a real-life story and we (he and co-writer Shabas) had to come up with a script around that,” he says.

Facing the camera

Kaathal… is Adarsh’s 12th film as an actor and marked Paulson’s debut before the camera. Adarsh played a politician, while Paulson was cast as the pragmatic priest, Fr Jomon. “I debuted in Amal Neerad’s Varathan and am now acting with Mammookka in Turbo. I enjoy that. I have been a mimicry artiste as well and have done shows on Malayalam channels,” Adarsh says. “I felt that it is fairly easy to act if you are the writer as well!” Paulson says.

Paulson is already writing a project for Basil Joseph, while Adarsh has completed a script with another friend, Able Baby.

Source link

#Adarsh #Sukumaran #Paulson #Skaria #talk #scripting #Kaathal #Core

M Jayachandran on awards songs singers and journey in Malayalam film music industry

Post By Entertainment Carnatic music, cinema, Girish Puthencherry, Kerala, Kerala State film award, KJ Yesudas, M Jayachandran, m jayachandran musical journey, m jayachandran on songs, Malayalam cinema, music, music director Malayalam, Rafeek Ahamad, Thiruvananthapuram

Surrounded by framed handwritten lyrics by renowned Malayalam lyricists, it is easy to talk music in composer M Jayachandran’s aesthetically designed office at his home in Thiruvananthapuram. With nine Kerala State Film awards for the best music director and one for the best singer (male) in his 28-year journey in Malayalam cinema, Jayachandran is certainly on song. A trained Carnatic singer and performer, Jayachandran’s passion for music and his songs have been a gamechanger in Malayalam film music.

Currently working on the score of Otta, Resul Pookutty’s maiden directorial film, Jayachandran’s zest for music is as fresh as it was 28 years ago when the engineer-turned-musician made his debut as a composer in Chanda (1995).

Says Jayachandran, “I have composed for over 140 films in 28 years. That has been my biggest award. An award is a reminder to be more dedicated to my work.”

His latest award is for his songs in Ayesha and the period film Pathonpatham Noottandu, films set in two different periods, geographical locations and with very different themes.

If Pathonpatham… is about the warrior Velayudha Panicker who lived in the 19th century in Travancore, Ayesha, set in West Asia, is about a deep bond between two women who did not even have a common language to communicate.

A wall in M Jayachandran’s study has been adorned with framed handwritten lyrics by lyricists like Gireesh Puthenchery and Rafeeq Ahamed.

| Photo Credit:
Aswin V N

Agreeing that it was a challenge to work on both the films at around the same time, Jayachandran says that for the period film, he had to understand the music of those times. “Malayalam language was more inclined towards Manipravalam (a mix of Sanskrit and Malayalam used during the medieval period in Kerala) then and the music may have been influenced a lot by Carnatic music. At the same time, I had to create something that a listener of today can enjoy.”

For Ayesha, he tuned in to his interest in Arabic and world music. “We recorded in Istanbul; The Czech Symphony played a part for one of the compositions in the film and we also recorded in Dubai. The work involved a lot of research in West Asian music. I worked for nearly a year on the music of Ayesha.”

Versatile composer

According to him, versatility should be a music director’s calling card. “Even in our nature, we find so many contradictions, so many versions of the same person. A versatile music composer’s job is to do justice to all those shades of life.”

His effort, he says, is to try and improve with every song. “I don’t take much time to compose music in genres I am confident about. But to do that in areas that I am not confident about with the same ease is when I become versatile.” One has to listen a lot, including world music, and be open to new ideas to be able to cater to directors and listeners, irrespective of age, place and language, he adds.

Jayachandran believes he wins an award each time he is able to meet a film director’s expectations and brief for a song situation. “I believe in destiny. At the same time, it’s a person’s hard work, dedication and, most important, perseverance that helps him meet his destiny. Perseverance means one has crossed many hurdles and that one has fallen and then got up to start walking again.”

Tuning in

Initially, he found it difficult to compose in spaces that were not his comfort zones. For his first film, he was allotted a room in Jaya Auditorium in Kozhikode. “I would sit in that closed room, an alien space for me, not clear about what I was going to do. I took about 10 to 15 days to compose two songs. But now, I can compose a song even while travelling.”

Jayachandran insists a composition is not made, it happens. “When a film director explains a song situation, I try to understand what he wants from me and I try to give him my version with my signature on it. I pray that the composition evokes in the director the feeling of ‘this is what I want.’ That is bliss for me. Awards come after that.”

Asserting that the best artistic creations are born in moments of tranquillity, he adds that a composer’s lived experiences, good and bad, will certainly inform and shape his music.

Music director M Jayachandran
| Photo Credit:
Aswin V N

“For instance, while scoring the music for ‘Amma mazha kaar…’ in Madambi, I drew inspiration from my deep bond with my mother. I felt it was about my mother.”

However, a composer cannot have the luxury of letting his mood dictate his work. He believes the trick is to leave behind the baggage of mundane worries at home while stepping out for work. “Sometimes, when you are feeling euphoric, you may have to compose for a melancholic scene in the film. While scoring the music, you might slip into that mood and there might be a hangover.”

There were times when a background score, used with variations during different situations in a film, starts playing on a loop in his head. “Even three to four months later, it might keep reappearing in my mind. I pray for it to be erased from my mind. But then I realise even that is a blessing. It is only where there is that feeling, that one realises the value of a peaceful state of mind.”

Striking a chord

The versatile music composer has the rare distinction of winning a State award for the best singer in a film that also won him the award for the best music director. Tracing the evolution of that song ‘Melle…’ in the film Nottam, he recalls that the protagonist is a talented Koodiayattam artiste who lives in his own world, leading his life at his own pace.

Veteran P Jayachandran had recorded the song. “Till then Nottam’s director Sasi Parvaoor had been resonating with the track I had recorded in my voice. When he heard Jayaettan’s song, he felt that my version was more emotionally in sync with the character and the situation. There was a confusion since Jayaettan being senior and a wonderful singer at that had left his stamp on the number. But then Sasi sir decided go along with my track.”

M Jayachandran with the national award he won for the songs in Ennu Ninte Moideen.
| Photo Credit:
SREEJITH R KUMAR

Nevertheless, he asserts that he has no regrets about not being a singer. A seasoned Carnatic vocalist, Jayachandran explains that Carnatic music, one of the oldest music traditions “is so pristine and beautiful that it has to be approached with respect, dedication, constant practice and meditation.”

“If you can’t do that, it is best not to perform Carnatic concerts. So now, I try not to give Carnatic concerts although I get many invitations. Moreover, to make a mark in this field, one must develop a bani (an artist’s distinctive style). That never happened in my case. Perhaps, it happens in my music compositions.”

I listen to…

I never listen to my songs. I listen to Madan Mohan, RD Burman, SD Burman, MS Viswanthan-Ramamoorthy…there are several musicians I follow. I am a big fan of Ilaiyaraaja sir. He is someone who rewrote the sound of Indian music. Till he came on to the scene, we had never heard that kind of music. It is the same with AR Rahman as well, another pioneer.

In Malayalam, I listen to my guru Devarajan Master, Dakshinamoorthy Swami, Babuikka (MS Baburaj), K Raghavan Master, Ravindran Master, Johnson, MK Arjunan… the list is long. I am also an avid listener of Western classical music and orchestral score of greats such as John Williams, James Horner and Hans Zimmer.”

He is reluctant to sing for movies as well, even when there are directors who try to persuade him for his emotional connect to the song that might be missing in the singer’s voice. “I am very happy where I am. A singer has many limitations. Jayachandran, the singer, is not good!” he says with a smile.

A song for a singer

He firmly believes that each song has a singer since “a song is an entity in which the vocal is an important part. It is through the singer’s voice that the import of the lyrics will be conveyed. Should it be mellow? Or aggressive, restrained or sung with an open throat?” ‘

He realised the importance of the song-singer connect while working on Kamal’s Celluloid, set in the twenties of the last century. “I knew we did not need the kind of voice we hear now, cultured, accent-neutral. This was a period when mics were not on the scene. Singers like Kitappa had to sing loudly to ensure that people in the last row were able to hear the song. I wanted a singer with an open mind, without any prejudices about how a song should be sung. That is how I came across Vaikom Vijayalakshmi.”

“Of the talents I have seen, Viji is one of the best, worldwide. How many people know that? That is why I got her and Sreeram to sing the song. They elevated the song to new heights.”

Food for thought

I was and am a gourmand. During the pandemic, I got to spend more time at home. I began to pay attention to my health. Now, I follow dietary restrictions. Having the right food at the right time and to be detached from certain kinds of food are important. I am fond of biryani and parathas. Now, I have biryani once in a month and parathas almost never. It is true that we are what we eat. Yesudas (KJ Yesudas) sir had mentioned that long ago. I did not grasp the significance of it then. But now, I understand what he meant.

Ten years from now, where does Jayachandran see himself?

“I would like to be a guiding light for young composers, musicians. Of the several songs I have made, more than 50 remain, which I hope will stand the test of time. But I want to make completely new songs. I would like to get song situations that will help me create these songs I have in mind.”

Considering his success in the Malayalam film music industry, why has he not worked in other language films? “I would have loved to work in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada. I am also confident that I would be able to bring in my own signatured music. However, the fact is that I have not been given a chance. Perhaps it might happen in the future if there is someone who feels that my music will sync with their cinema.”

Source link

#Jayachandran #awards #songs #singers #journey #Malayalam #film #music #industry

Actor Shanthi Krishna: I am happy that I could do justice to my role in ‘Nila’

Post By Entertainment actor shanthi krishna, indu lakshmi, Malayalam cinema, nila movie, santhi krishna, vineeth

Shanthi Krishna is basking in the appreciation coming her way for her role in Nila, the directorial debut of Thiruvananthapuram-based Indu Lakshmi. The two-time State film award winner, best known for her roles in films such as Nidra, Nayam Vyakthamaakkunnu, Chakoram, Savidham, Sukrutham, Vishnulokam, and Njandukalude Naattil Oridavela has once again proven that she is not just a pretty face.

Shanthi Krishna in a still from the movie Nila directed by Indu Lakshmi
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

In Nila, she plays Dr Malathi, a gritty gynaecologist in her 70s, with grace and conviction. Malathi may have retired from her profession but she has an active social life. She becomes bedridden due to a spinal injury and is being taken care of by her son, Mahi (Vineeth), her trusted helper, Rahman (Mamukkoya) and an unfriendly home nurse, Mini (Mini IG). While recuperating at her son’s new apartment, Malathi befriends Nila, a girl in the adjacent apartment without meeting her in person. But Malathi is not sure if Nila is real or a creation of her imagination. She is aware that all is not right with her memory.

In a telephonic interview, Shanthi Krishna talks about playing Malathi and her journey in Malayalam cinema. Excerpts:

Acclaim for Dr Malathi

I watched the movie in Kochi on the day of its release and the reactions were overwhelming. There were claps, some greeted me with folded hands, a few broke into tears and some wanted to hug me. I also became emotional; it felt like I had won the biggest award of my career. Such moments matter the most for an artiste.

Even though I got good roles after Njandukalude…, there came a point when the characters became repetitive, so I had to say no to many of them. I want the audience to remember my roles, irrespective of my screen time. Finally, I got Malathi, perhaps the best character of my career.

Actor Shanthi Krishna
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Incidentally, I went through a reel-like situation in real life after I finished Nila. My mother fell and had to undergo surgery. Then she had a stroke and was bedridden. She started walking only because of her willpower and medication. It was like watching what I did on screen. Also, the home nurse she had was more or less like the one in Nila!

Playing an aged character

I am 59 and Indu was not sure if I would do an aged character. But I was excited about the role because age has never been an issue for me in my career. I was in my late 20s when I essayed characters much older than me in films such as Savidham,Chakoram, and Chenkol. It would have been my loss had I refused Dr Malathi. I thank Indu for giving me such an amazing character. I am happy that I could do justice to the role.

Indu, the director

She is passionate about her craft and has clarity about the characters and scenes. So it was easy to become Malathi.

Shanthi Krishna in a still from the movie Nila directed by Indu Lakshmi
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

This is my second film with a woman director after Mangalyam Thanthunanena, directed by Soumya Sadanandan. For me, a director is a director, irrespective of gender. What matters is how well he or she communicates with the artiste. I need that rapport with my director, which I have had in all my films. In Nila, I had an emotional connection with Indu, which may not have happened if it was a male filmmaker. I would love to work with her again.

Being Malathi

Indu was particular that Malathi was to have no wrinkles and that she should not look sad or ailing on screen. Malathi is a positive, strong individual and I had to look the part.

Shanthi Krishna with Vineeth in a still from the movie Nila directed by Indu Lakshmi
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

I have been dubbing for my roles since Njandukalude… I speak Malayalam with an urban accent and Indu wanted it to be like that. What was new about Nila was that I dubbed for the whole movie lying on a recliner because my character is bedridden. [Director] Sibi Malayil who saw the movie appreciated my dubbing. Now I realise how dubbing brings perfection to the acting process.

On her co-actors

I shared a great rapport with Vineeth. There is not much of an age difference between us. But we didn’t think about it at all. Interacting with him was like talking to my son, who is like a friend to me. In fact, Indu has used my son’s photographs as a kid to show Vineeth’s childhood.

Shanthi Krishna and Mamukkoya in a still from the movie Nila directed by Indu Lakshmi
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Sharing screen space with Ikka [Mamukkoya] has been special. He had severe wheezing during the shooting and had to be taken to the hospital. But he was in a hurry to come back and finish the shoot. It was such a pleasure to watch the nuances in his acting. When you work with amazing co-actors, you are inspired to do well.

Working with different generations

I was 16 or 17 when I did my first Malayalam film, Nidra (1981). Back then I learned whatever I was told by Bharathettan [director Bharathan] and KPAC Lalitha chechi. I was lucky to work with stalwarts such as Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair in my second film, Tharattu, and Adoor Bhasi in Chillu. But I was not experienced enough to contribute as an actor. Later, when I took a break and returned with Nayam Vyakthamaakkunnu, I had changed as a person and was able to give inputs from my side. It was enriching to work with the who’s who of the industry.

Then I took another break and when I was back in Njandukalude… there was a whole new generation of actors and technicians. Filmmaking had changed. I enjoy working with this young generation of passionate filmmakers and actors, be it Nivin Pauly, Chackochan [Kunchacko Boban] or Fahadh [Faasil]. They treat me with respect and are eager to know about my experience of working with legends. It makes me happy that I am a familiar face for youngsters as well.

Reception for ‘Nila’

Shanthi Krishna in a still from the movie Nila directed by Indu Lakshmi
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

It was disappointing to see comments such as ‘it is an art house movie’ and that it is ‘a film about old people’. I was apprehensive if the younger generation would like it, especially when I took my children, Mithul and Mithali, to watch the movie. They loved it and talked so much about the making, the camera and my performance.

Up next

I have a small but good role in Dulquer Salmaan’s King of Kotha. I am excited about the web series, Masterpeace, which will drop on Disney+ Hotstar soon.

Dream role

I want to do a biopic. May be, someday I will be offered one such role.

Source link

#Actor #Shanthi #Krishna #happy #justice #role #Nila

Art director Mohandas Pallakkottil recreated a flood for Malayalam movie 2018

Post By Entertainment 2018 movie art director, 2018 movie mohandas pallakkottil, Aparna Balamurali, Asif Ali, blockbuster of 2023, Jude Anthany Joseph, Kunchacko Boban, Malayalam cinema, Malayalam film 2018, Mohandas art director, mohandas pallakkottil, Tovino Thomas, Vineeth Sreenivasan

‘Everyone is a hero’, goes the tagline in Jude Anthany Joseph’s blockbuster 2018. The tagline is true in the case of the cast and crew too. One of the frontrunners in the team is art director Mohandas Pallakkottil who worked on the sets of the film for four months and several months before that to convince producers that a movie on the flood of 2018 that devastated several places in Kerala could be made for the screen.

Thrilled at the success of the film that is creating new box office records for the Malayalam industry, Mohandas maintains it was teamwork and the theme of the film that brought in viewers to theatres.

Although Jude and Mohandas had talked about the subject in 2019, they took time to plan how they would go about shooting the flood and the rescue operations. That is when the pandemic played spoilsport. But the cast and crew overcame several hurdles to make the film a reality.

A poster of the film 2018.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Budget constraints demanded that the crew turn to innovative practices to film the movie. Mohandas says that contrary to what many viewers think, VFX was used only in a few scenes. Prior to the shooting, Jude, producer Anto Joseph and Mohandas had extensive discussions to plan the shoot.

“Initially, Anto chettan told us to rent a house and start working on miniature houses to show how I planned to show the water rushing in or seeping into the houses and the rising water levels. By then, we had selected a vacant plot in Vaikom as the main location,” he says.

Most of the frames of the flood were shot on sets put up on a 22-acre site at Maravanthuruthu in Vaikom, 30 kilometres from Kottayam. Prior to the shoot, the art director had made 45 miniatures of the entire set and showed the producers how they planned to show the deluge. That convinced the producers.

Jude Anthany Joseph and Tovino Thomas on the sets of 2018
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

And that was when the pandemic struck. Mohandas recounts with a chuckle that they thought the pandemic would be controlled within a week or two and went ahead with the schedule of the film. One of the challenges was finding a cinematographer. “Many of them were unsure of how the whole project could be shot and there were many night shots as well.”

Attention to detail

He used the time during the lockdown to design and fine tune the sets for the film. Jude and he went over each frame and finalised how each would be filmed. In the meantime, Mohandas worked on Jude’s Sara’s.

In November 2020, when the director decided to start shooting, Mohandas recalls how he was in the midst of big films such as Prithiviraj’s Kaduva and Bro Daddy, Priyadarsan’s Appatha, and Manju Warrier’s Ayisha.

“Nevertheless, during breaks in the shooting, we started working on the film — scouting for locations, holding discussions, and still searching for a cinematographer. That was when our DOP Akhil George joined us. Tovino put him in touch with us as they had worked together in Kala and Forensic. It was the same with editor Chaman Chacko and music director Nobin [Paul].”

That was also around the time producer Venu Kunnappilly came on board as a producer and then there was no looking back.

By April, the shooting started and it was completed on November 12, 2022. The time the team got for pre-production was put to good use to fine tune each sequence and scene and that helped during the actual shooting of the film.

After filming some general scenes, they decided to shoot a rescue sequence, as work on the tank and the sets were not completed and the onset of monsoon created a different set of problems.

On cloud nine

“Since Tovy (Tovino Thomas) was on the sets, Jude decided to film the scene that shows Anoop, Tovino’s character, help airlift a pregnant woman. We had already made the helicopter and it was kept in a godown owned by Anto chettan. We had planned a six-day shoot but it took us nine days to shoot the sequence.”

A few days later, the filming of the deluge began at Maravanthuruthu and they shot a scene of an elderly woman being taken to a shelter in a huge uruli (a large flat-bottomed vessel) while the set was being readied for another shot. “Akhil had kept the camera inside the uruli for that frame. That’s when he felt that it was a great idea to keep the camera in an uruli to shoot the scenes in the water. Since then, the camera was mounted inside an uruli for several shots focussed on the people trapped in the water and their rescue.”

Once the sequence involving the helicopter was canned, the team knew the project was on track. By then the set was completed.

Some of the members of the cast and crew of 2018.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Fourteen houses with different facades were made. So, the same house could be turned around with the help of a crane to make it look like another house. In the early part of the film, the ‘houses’ were placed outside the tank; to show the water rising, they were placed in the tank using a crane.

“A two-acre tank was built on the location and it was filled with water. That was where we shot the underwater scenes once we began shooting the flood,” explains Mohandas.

“There were about four different places where we had to show the water rising — the frame where Asif comes to the rescue; a scene that depicts Tovino moving in to save people; frames that shows them saving lives and the place where they reach the people to safety. Each scene was shot in four different sets.”

One of the most difficult shots was one that depicted Sudheesh, his wife and their injured son trapped in neck-deep water in their home. A terrifying frame shows the rush of water into their home, through doors and windows till it almost reaches the ceiling. The family is perched on a table and trying to breathe by craning their neck above the rising water level.

“Shot under water, Sudheesh chettan’s house was filled with water. Then we took the ‘house’ and put it in the tank and filled it with water to show the flood water gushing into the house through doors and windows. After that we put it under water to show their precarious condition. We had to keep changing the homes at least 10 times to shoot those sequences. It was challenging and required tremendous effort.”

However, he reiterates that all the effort was worth it now that the film is such a huge success. “I had worked on Mamankam, which bit the dust at the box office. So, the producers were worried about 2018. We are all relieved and thrilled that the movie is creating waves.”

In the meantime, Mohandas is busy with the work on Mohanlal-starrer L2:Empuraan, the sequel of Lucifer, directed by Prithviraj.

Source link

#Art #director #Mohandas #Pallakkottil #recreated #flood #Malayalam #movie

These senior actors in Malayalam cinema have reinvented themselves

Post By Entertainment ashokan, indrans, jagadish, Malayalam cinema, mammootty, nanpakal nerathu mayakkam, pookkalam, rorschach, senior actors in malayalam film industry, vijayaraghavan

At 72, Vijayaraghavan is on a roll. In Pookkalam, he plays a 100-year-old protagonist who files for a divorce when he finds his wife had an extramarital affair. But in Neymar, which was released after that, he appears as a cool, colourful, loud dad to a teenager, even playing to the gallery with whistle-worthy scenes.

Jagadish, 67, is in no mood to slow down. Having gradually shifted from comedy to serious roles, the actor has proved his mettle with intense roles in Rorschach, Kaapa and Purusha Pretham.

Jagadish in Rorschach
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Ashokan, 61, is happily cherry-picking roles these days. The ration shop dealer in Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam was just the kind of role he was waiting for and now the actor has some solid roles in his kitty like the tough dad inIntekkakkakoru Premodarnnu.

Thanks to new-age directors and writers, these senior actors are no longer relegated to insignificant supporting roles.

Ashokan in Inttakkakkakoru Premodarnnu
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

“I am excited that there is a generation of filmmakers and writers who create such roles, like the 100-year-old hero of Pookkalam, which has been inspired by a real incident in Italy,” says Vijayaraghavan, who donned the grease paint 53 years ago, first for the stage and, later, the big screen.

Pookkalam‘s director Ganesh Raj says, “Kuttettan (as Vijayaraghavan is known in the industry) was my first choice for Ittoop’s character. I admire his work and have always felt that he is an under-explored actor. There were discussions on how Ittoop should look, but what you see on screen is his creation. Kuttettan was so committed to the role that he didn’t do any other films for months together. That is not easy for an actor who has been doing a number of character roles.”

Actor Vijayaraghavan
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

For 25 days, the actor sat for four hours for the makeup to become Ittoop. He reduced his weight by 10 kilograms, used prosthetic teeth to change the shape of his jaw, shaved the eye-brows, changed his voice and worked on his body language to become Ittoop, aided by make-up artiste Ronex Xavier. “Dubbing was tough. I had to change my voice and this strained my voicebox. I had to rest my voice after the dubbing,” says the actor.

“I enjoy working on the look of my characters, as in the case of Cheradi Kariya (Ekalavyan), Appachayi (Roudram), Ramanathan (Shipayilahala), Sankaran (Deshadanam), Pillechan (Leela) etc. I can execute the character well only if the look complements that. I am enthused to portray characters that have something different to offer,” says the actor, who is carrying forward the legacy of his father and theatre doyen, the legendary NN Pillai.

Actor Jagadish
| Photo Credit:
Hari R Krishnagadha

Jagadish too has a background in theatre, learning from Vayala Vasudevan Pillai. A writer, singer and television anchor, Jagadish too says it is young directors who are giving him interesting roles. With comedy as his forte for years, he won a lot of fans with his characters. At the same time, he played the lead in films such as Sthalathe Pradhana Payyans, Grihapravesham and Welcome to Kodaikanal in the early 90s.

There was an attempt at parallel cinema as well — MP Sukumaran Nair’s Jalamsham (2014). Leela had him essaying the wily Thankappan Nair who abuses his daughter. “Even though the seeds for change were sown in Leela, it took time for meaty roles to come by. Eventually, Ashraf, the corrupt policeman in Rorschach, opened the doors for performance-oriented roles. Then came Jabbar, the lead character’s aide in Kaapa, and Dileep, the cop in Purusha Pretham,” says the actor who made his debut in My Dear Kuttichathan (1984).

Nisam Basheer, director of Mammootty-starrer Rorschach, opines that Jagadish is again an actor whose potential has not been tapped. “We have mostly seen a hyperactive Jagadish chettan on screen. But I knew there is more to him as an actor. It was a delight working with him because he knows the craft and doesn’t mind going for retakes if needed,” says Nisam, adding that the actor is part of his next project as well.

Jagadish says that while he used to play serious roles in amateur theatre, he handled comedy in plays staged in his college. “That got carried over to films. Directors and writers weren’t convinced about casting me as an aged character. [Director] Lal Jose once said that he could not visualise me playing the role of a father. People believe that saying that I look young makes me happy. However, that is not true if it comes at the cost of good role!” he laughs.

Actor Ashokan
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Ashokan, came into films to become a singer and ended up as an actor at the age of 17, playing the unlikely hero in veteran P Padmarajan’s debut film, Peruvazhiyambalam (1979). Having worked in over 200 films, including some with stalwarts such as KG George and Adoor Gopalakrishnan early in his career, the actor says, “A good team can always make a difference for an actor. That is what happened in Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam. People have expectations about a Lijo Jose Pellissery film because none of his characters go unnoticed,” says Ashokan.

Breaking the image

Indrans, 67, is the best example of how an actor can reinvent his craft. From being a comedian in his early films, he cemented his position playing serious characters, including roles with negative shades, and played lead roles as well. Another actor whose calibre is getting celebrated these days is Jaffer Idukki, who has graduated from small roles to playing the protagonist. Shammi Thilakan and Lalu Alex are among the other actors who have got a few opportunities to break their image.

In the case of female actors, Urvashi continues to be a delight to watch. Sidelined to small roles, Bindu Panicker was a revelation in Rorschach as Seetha, a character with grey shades. Although not a senior with regard to her age or number of films, Poornima Indrajith proved her credentials in Rajeev Ravi’s Thuramukham in which she played a character in her 30s and in early 60s.

The actor admits that he regrets acting in certain films because he did not have much to do in them. “At the same time, there have been films I got noticed in, irrespective of the screen time. For example, in some of my early films such as Yavanika and Gayathri Devi Ente Amma, I had just a few scenes but those characters are still remembered. My character in Hallo had one scene but that comedy sequence went viral,” says Ashokan, who has played the hero, anti-hero, comedian, supporting roles, and even guest roles. Another favourite is the one in Inttakkakakoru Premodarnnu. “I haven’t played such a character and enjoyed sporting that look,” he adds.

The actor admits that he became selective about his roles. “Now I know, that’s how you can stay put in the industry,” Ashokan says. Meanwhile, he is debuting as a music director in Babu Thiruvalla’s Manassu and is acting in two Malayalam web series.

Vijayaraghavan, on the other hand, points out that he is “going with the flow. Even though I look for variety in roles, I am ready to do all kinds of films. Otherwise, I will sit at home,” he asserts. Besides films, he is acting in web series as well.

Talking about longevity, Jagadish views, “Adapting to the times is important and that is possible if you keenly observe the changes around you, be it in people’s behaviour or in society.” Quite pleased about being “promoted” to father roles in upcoming films, he says, “I am playing father to Basil Joseph, Arjun Ashokan and Prithviraj in their upcoming films. I might even play Mammootty’s father some day!”

Source link

#senior #actors #Malayalam #cinema #reinvented

Award-winning Malayalam costume designer Stephy Zaviour turns director with the movie ‘Madhura Manohara Moham’

Post By Entertainment comedy drama, family drama, Kerala, Madhura Manohara Moham, Madura Manohara Moham, Malayalam, Malayalam cinema, Rajisha, Rajisha Vijayan, Sharaf, Sharafudeen, Stephy Xavier, Stephy Zavior, Stephy Zaviour, stephy zaviour director

When costume designer Stephy Zaviour told friends that she was set to direct a film she was warned that there would be frustration and a lot of tears. “There were no tears, if there was a problem I would just deal with it. What is the point of tears?” says the award-winning costume designer who makes her directorial debut with Madhura Manohara Moham.

Starring Bindu Panicker, Rajisha Vijayan, Saiju Kurup, Sharafudheen, and Vijayaraghavan among others, Madhura Manohara Moham is a ‘family, comedy drama’. “It is peopled by characters that we may or may not know. I am not claiming that this is a ‘different’ film, but there are parts in it that might resonate with some of us.” It is the story of a mother, Bindu Panicker, and her three children essayed by Sharafudheen, Rajisha Vijayan and Arsha Chandini Baiju.

What she does not say is that it would take more to make her cry.

Stephy chose fashion design with an eye on the film industry, determined to make a career as a costume designer. She made her debut designing costumes for Lukka Chuppi and Lord Livingston 7000 Kandi in 2015. Guppy landed her first State Award in 2018.

Getting to where she is right now, making the journey, literally and metaphorically, from Wayanad to establishing herself in the Malayalam film industry without connections, designing for films such as Aadujeevitham, Angamaly Diaries, Ishq, Joseph, Guppy, and Jana Gana Mana among others was no cakewalk.

Bindu Panicker, Rajisha Vijayan, Sharafudeen and Arsha Chandini Baiju in a still from the film
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

She was ‘advised’ to ‘stick’ to doing what she knew best and ‘warned’ that the move would jeopardise her costume designer career. “The privilege extended to a cinematographer or an editor when they turn director is denied to an art director, a make-up artist or a costume designer. We may all be in the spectrum of ‘creative’, but some of us are not enough. I have learnt from experience that it is very difficult to prove that you can be creative as a director,” she says.

She was also cautioned that she could lose work as a costume designer. “I had no such fears, in fact, I had to turn down a couple of films because Madhura… was in post-production. That said, I don’t take this chance (to direct a film) lightly.” The eight years spent in the industry have been a period of learning, some lessons in what to do and others in how not to be.

Ezra (2017) a supernatural horror film directed by Jayakrishnan, for which she was costume designer, is the film that got her curious about making a film. “I don’t watch horror films, and being on the set of one I was curious about how the subject would be treated. I would bombard Sujith Vaassudev, the DoP, and producer CV Sarathi, of E4 Entertainment, with questions. Amused by my love of storytelling and curiosity, Sarathi sir told me to direct films. That way I could tell as many stories as I wanted.”

To have that idea, which she had not told her closest friends, articulated was a turning point. It would be another two years till she told her friends about it.

By then, as the idea marinated in her mind, she found the confidence and the conviction to make the dream a reality.

Stephy Zaviour
| Photo Credit:
Thulasi Kakkat

The first person she narrated a story she wanted to make a film on was actor and friend Rajisha Vijayan in 2018. Just as everything fell into place the pandemic struck. It would be another two years when she would finally commit to a project as director. “Two of my friends, Mahesh Gopal and Jai Vishnu approached me with a script to read. They knew I was looking to direct a film, but this was not for that. When they asked who could be the lead, I suggested Rajisha. Unexpectedly I came on board as director… long story short, here we are!” she says. After a couple of false starts, the film finally started rolling in September 2022.

Contrary to the perception that her years in the industry would have made things easy for her, getting dates was not easy. “They see me as a costume designer; one of the first questions asked was ‘Has she worked as an AD (assistant director)? How good is she technically? How aware is she?’ Access, yes. But beyond that, it is not easy. That said, all the artists who are part of the project are here because they trust me.”

The Aadujeevitham experience

Aadujeevitham is a special film. I have been working on the film for six of the eight years that I have been part of the industry. I don’t think another film like this will happen again in my career as a costume designer. I have often wondered about Blessy sir choosing me. I barely had a couple of years of experience back then. Aadujeevitham is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Prithviraj was such a professional, he would be dressed in the threadbare costumes of the film in the biting cold of the desert. Some actors tend to get cranky, he was a thorough professional about it. A lot of research went into the costumes, for instance, how constant exposure to the sun affects fabric or how blood on a fabric ages. The whole process has been interesting.

She carefully picked technicians and actors and meticulously planned the film, unwilling to leave anything to chance. The costume designer kicked in, “We can’t go on set and improvise… same rules as a director for me.” However, sometimes even the best-laid plans don’t pan out.

“Since filming was delayed, the original DoP had to move to his next project. That is how Chandru Selvaraj came on board, I was meeting him for the first time. He does not speak Malayalam and my Tamil is below par. I was worried about how we would communicate…but it was one of the best things to happen!” says Stephy.

One of the things Chandru told her was to not get involved with the film’s costumes because that would distract her from the job at hand, and she calls it the best advice she could have got. It was not easy, she confesses, but she worked hard to not get involved. Though the costume designer is one of her former assistants, Sanooj, she stuck to her job as director.

Although a horror film inspired her, she says she prefers to be ‘genre-free’. “Women are expected to make templated films — ‘inspirational’ stories of empowerment — but I want to tell other kinds of stories too. If given a chance, I want to make an action film or even a horror flick. I don’t want to make a movie to ‘change the world’ because I have a producer’s money. Cinema should also entertain. And if I feel so strongly about something, there is always my social media.”

She says inspiration has come from everyone she has worked with irrespective of their gender. The problems she faced along the way while making the film, had nothing to do with her gender. “I have only faced the same problems that my male filmmaker peers have.”

Source link

#Awardwinning #Malayalam #costume #designer #Stephy #Zaviour #turns #director #movie #Madhura #Manohara #Moham

Cart