Madhupal: Oru Kuprasidha Payyan is a subject close to my heart

It's been a while since we've heard from actor-director Madhupal. His last directorial Ozhimuri garnered much critical acclaim and accolades, and so did Thalappavu, his directorial debut a decade ago. His latest, Oru Kuprasidha Payyan, marks his return to direction after a gap of six years. Madhupal believes in quality over quantity, and prefers taking his own time crafting his work.

Oru Kuprasidha Payyan, written by Jeevan Job Thomas, will have a more commercial appeal compared to his earlier work, according to Madhupal. "It's a murder investigation story straight from the headlines. It's based on not just one true incident, but several. It's an amalgamation of some incidents around us that we are familiar with."

Asked what drew him to the subject, Madhupal says, "I felt it was a relevant story that needed to be told. It's a subject that's close to my heart. My intention was to stage the murder investigation in a fresh and unique manner. I hope to create enough anxiety in the audience, that feeling of 'What next?'"

While Tovino Thomas, Anu Sithara, and Nimisha Sajayan play the main leads, Nedumudi Venu, Saranya Ponnvannan, Alencier Ley, and Sudheer Karamana appear in prominent supporting roles. "Tovino hasn't done something like this before. And I hope this will be a comeback of sorts for Saranya," say the filmmaker.

Madhupal also mentions the encouragement he got from Nedumudi Venu, saying the veteran actor complimented him for writing something so thought-provoking. "Venuchettan read the script and found the material different and challenging. He said it's the kind of script that will make your brains work a lot. Him saying that was a big confidence-booster. I hope this film will please audiences and bring them close to me."

The director, who began his film career as an actor despite working as an assistant director in the past, says he gives his actors the space to try out their own ideas. "I leave the actors to themselves and always welcome their suggestions. Even though everything's already in the script, sometimes you may require an actor to express an emotion in a way different from how it is written in the script. I believe that you can't get the best out of an actor if you're rigid with them. I don't punish my actors."

Madhupal has confirmed that the film's post-production work is over. He hopes to get it out by the end of August, after Onam.