Dubai talents shine in new horror-comedy Malayalam blockbuster
Kinavalli opens up doors to film career opportunities for several Uae-based talented youngsters
THIS YEAR HAS certainly been a fascinating time for Malayalam cinema. Movie buffs and critics admit that the new generation Malayalam film movement that developed in early 2011 has not lost its momentum, and 2018 releases the likes of Koode, Bhayanakam, Hey Jude, and Aami are witness to this fact.
Characterised by fresh, unusual themes and exciting narrative techniques, Mollywood (as Malayalam cinema is popularly referred to) has finally steered away from conventional themes and the tendency to bank on industry superstars like Mohanlal and Mammootty.
Most Malayalam movies today showcase an honest portrayal of ordinary men and women. While Bollywood struggles with nepotism issues and Tamil and Telugu cinemas bank on bigwigs, a legion of fresh faces continue to sneak into Malayalam cinema, narrating tales of challenges, hopes and dreams of the global Malayalee diaspora.
The recently released Kinavalli, directed by Sugeeth of Ordinary fame, is proof that fresh faces can do very well in the box office. The movie released to packed movie halls across Kerala, India, on July 27. The GCC premiere took place on Thursday, September 20.
Based on a fake story
Featuring six new actors, several of the movie’s leading cast and crew are Dubai -based. A fast-paced movie that dabbles with multiple genres, including horror, thriller and comedy, Sugeeth makes no qualms in admitting the movie is based on ‘a fake story’.
“We have all heard and read fairy tales, have we not? At some point in our lives, all of us have huddled around campfires and shared illogical horror stories that we heard from someone else, and we found interesting. That is the essence of Kinavalli. It is an absolute fake story. Our writers added a little bit of horror, fantasy, and a love story, and thankfully, it seems to be doing well,” said Sugeeth, in a candid interview.
The movie’s script has been penned by Syam Seethal and Vishnu Ramachandran and produced by Manesh Thomas under the banner Kannamthanam films. Rated PG 15 by the UAE censor, the movie opened to packed halls in cinemas across the UAE on Thursday.
The story revolves around newly-married couple Vivek (Ajmal Zayn) and Ann (Surabhi Santosh), who live in the scenic, yet secluded location atop a hill station. To celebrate their wedding anniversary, Ann decides to surprise her husband by inviting his close friends Gopan (Sujth Raj), Ajith (Vijay Johnny), Swati (Sowmya Menon), and Sudheesh (Vijay Johny) home. The friends experience para- normal activities in the house, and events that follow form the crux of the story.
A few of the lead actors, the director of photography, and three music directors are UAE based. Comedy actor Hareesh Kanaran also makes an appearance in the second-half of the movie, playing the titular role of Appu Shanti. City Times caught up with some of the Dubai-based cast and crew members of Kinavalli to know more.
“The era of stalwarts is no more. The industry is now open to innovative scripts and ideas. If the story is good, and it is well-made, movie stars do not matter,” said Sugeeth, who firmly believes that casting new faces will inspire new ideas.
The director added that the casting process worked out due to the efforts by the director of photography (DOP) Vivek Menon, who has worked with Sugeeth on several projects earlier, including Madhura Naranga.
“We cast actor Sujith Raj, and worked with music directors Mangal Suvarnan, Shashwath Paliath, and Sreesai Surendran through Vivek,” he added.
Kinavalli is Dubai-based Menon’s first movie as a DOP. “The movie was shot in Kuttikanam and Peerumedu. Climate played a huge role in the shoot as we wanted a cool, misty backdrop to reproduce an eerie feeling, which we were fortunate to have,” Menon said.
He also told us that several unexplained events took place during the shoot, adding a layer of mystery to the experience.
“We faced bizarre technical failures, crew member injuries, and the energy of the house we shot in, made the experience of shooting a horror film creepier.”
About 30 per cent of film’s post-production uses VFX and CGI. “The remaining 100 per cent is camera work.”
At some point in our lives, all of us have huddled around campfires and shared illogical horror stories that we heard from someone else, and we found interesting. That is the essence of Kinavalli.” Sugeeth