Malayalam filmmaker Dinjith Ayyathan has found himself amidst a whirlwind of interviews over the past week, basking in the widespread acclaim for his latest film, “Kishkindha Kaandam.” The success of this film is not just a fortunate happenstance but a realization of Dinjith’s long-held vision. “I had manifested the movie’s success to such a level that it might sound ambitious for others. But we were confident about the product and I was sure about making my mark as a filmmaker,” Dinjith candidly admits.
“Kishkindha Kaandam,” a slow-burning thriller with a layered and gripping narrative, centers around Appu Pillai (played by Vijayaraghavan), a grumpy retired army man, his son Ajay Chandran (Asif Ali), a Forest Department employee, and Ajay’s wife, Aparna (Aparna Balamurali). The family resides in an old, imposing house surrounded by vast greenery, in close proximity to a forest reserve filled with monkeys. Aparna soon discovers that her father-in-law and husband harbor secrets that unveil themselves in shocking ways. Her role becomes the catalyst for the mystery that unravels, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats.
A jubilant Dinjith recounts the thrill of the film’s Onam release: “An Onam release is special. The film was supposed to reach theatres early this year but had to be pushed when a couple of Asif’s movies got delayed. Making it a festival release was Joby chettan’s (producer Joby George Thadathil) decision. Many of my well-wishers in the industry had advised me against it because of the content and other strong films in the fray. But he didn’t budge. The film had become personal for him,” Dinjith reveals.
For Dinjith, the success of “Kishkindha Kaandam” is a validation of his arduous journey as a filmmaker that began with “Kakshi : Amminipilla,” an engaging family drama released in 2019. “It didn’t do well at the box office, even though many loved the movie. We realized quite late that the movie was not being promoted. So the entire team went out to put up posters across the state. The best thing that happened is that the team is still together,” he recalls. Both Bahul Ramesh, the cinematographer, and Sooraj ES, the editor, have reprised their roles in “Kishkindha Kaandam,” strengthening the film’s foundation.
Bahul, who also penned the screenplay, is lauded for delivering one of Malayalam cinema’s best narratives. “Emotions run high in the narrative with no relief for the audience. It was important to keep those emotions in the right measure. Since we were not shooting the sequences in chronological order it was a challenge for the actors. Some of the intense scenes in the climax were shot in the beginning. We had to reshoot important scenes featuring Asif,” Dinjith elaborates.
With Bahul’s comprehensive screenplay and his expertise behind the camera, Dinjith felt supported in bringing their shared vision to life. “He wrote the story during the lockdown and the script was ready in eight days. He knew what he wanted and we were on the same page throughout. That is a pre-requisite for a film to do well. Sooraj is a master of his craft and his editing made it a seamless watch,” the director shares.
A conscious choice was made to forgo songs in the film, but Mujeeb Majeed’s soundscape added a unique character to “Kishkindha Kaandam.” The track “Doore doore” with Tibetan lyrics was used as a promotional song, suggested by the producer.
The stellar performances of seasoned artistes such as Vijayaraghavan, Asif Ali, Aparna Balamurali, Jagadeesh, and Ashokan have been pivotal.
. “When [director] Fazil sir read the screenplay, he pointed out that we should choose the actors wisely. Kuttettan (Vijayaraghavan), Asif, Aparna, Jagadeesh chettan, Ashokan chettan… we got some of the best talents,” Dinjith observes. He specially praises Vijayaraghavan’s understanding of his role: “He acted in my first film and I was blown away by how he designed the character [as advocate RP]. In ‘Kishkindha Kaandam,’ I just had to ensure that he performed within the meter we had in mind.” He also notes that Asif’s potential has significantly grown over the years.
Delays in the project, including finding the right house for shooting and securing permissions, contributed to a five-year gap between Dinjith’s two films. “I got the story in 2022 and the plan was to shoot in 2023. But it kept getting postponed. For instance, it took time to find the right house. Although we identified one in Kasaragod, we didn’t get permission to shoot there. Finally, we got the current one in Palakkad,” Dinjith explains.
One of the most challenging parts of the shoot involved scenes with monkeys. “We spent a whole day at Athirappilly for the shots and ended up with five-hour footage. From that, we had to pick the shots required,” he says.
Dinijah, originally from Thalassery and now settled in Chennai, sacrificed a promising career in animation to pursue filmmaking. “I even had the option to move to New Zealand. But I didn’t want to give up on my dream despite not knowing anybody in the film industry. That was when I was called by a company in Kochi to do some pre-production work for their 3D animation film. Even though my plan was to work there for only three months, I stayed back,” he shares about his early career moves. He eventually started doing VFX work, contributing to films such as “1983,” “Philips and the Monkey Pen,” “Double Barrel,” and “Action Hero Biju.”
Dinjith nostalgically talks about his early encounters with major figures in the industry, specifically mentioning how meeting Dulquer Salmaan and later approaching Asif Ali marked the beginning of his directorial ventures. “Since Dulquer was tied up with other projects, he was advised to meet Asif. The project didn’t take off immediately, but he was impressed by one of my animation films, A Mail for Col John Weits. Later, I approached him with the script of ‘Kakshi: Amminipilla’ and he immediately agreed to do it,” Dinjith recounts.
Before concluding the interview, Dinjith shares a heartwarming personal anecdote. The success of “Kishkindha Kaandam” brought him closer to his family, particularly his father, Divakaran Ayyathan, who even performed a small role in the film. “Everyone is talking about the sequence where Asif hugs Kuttettan, which surprises the latter. In my first film also there was such a hug [featuring Ahmed Sidique and P Sivadasan]. I have never hugged my parents, probably because we are not used to doing it. When I met my parents the other day, my father gave me his vintage watch and he was in tears. As they were going back home, I gave it back to him and hugged both of them for the first time. He was overwhelmed by that moment. That was special.”
Published: September 25, 2024, 03:24 pm IST
The Hindu MetroPlus
