There is a particular kind of excitement when a filmmaker you trust shares a new idea before the ink has dried on your last collaboration. For actor Niranj Maniyanpilla Raju, that moment arrived during the post-production of the acclaimed web series Sambhava Vivaranam Nalarasangham (4.5 Gang), when director Krishand called him with something unexpected. “I love sci-fi films like Blade Runner. When someone from Malayalam cinema talks about attempting something in that space, it was a no-brainer to commit to it,” Niranj recalls. That early conversation has since evolved into Masthishka Maranam, a cyberpunk science-fiction comedy set in a neo-Kochi of 2046, scheduled to hit theatres on February 27.
Mounting such a film required persistence, he reflects. Timing, however, worked in their favour, he says. The schedule was intensive and visually ambitious. Since the story unfolds in 2046, the team sought a distinct texture. “We wanted a futuristic look,” he says. “After shooting in Kochi, we went to Thailand and Hong Kong to capture a more stylised skyline and enhance the world-building,” he explains.
In the film, Niranj plays Bimal Raj, a grieving father who enters a virtual memory game and becomes entangled in the world of superstar Frida Soman, played by Rajisha Vijayan. Bimal, he says, is emotionally layered. “He carries trauma and does everything he can to protect himself. Wherever he goes, his instinct is survival,” he adds. The connection between Bimal and Frida forms a crucial emotional thread. “I’m a fan of that character within the story,” he says with a smile.
His second collaboration with the National Award-winning filmmaker Krishand came with greater ease, he notes. “We’re much more comfortable now. During 4.5 Gang, Krishand ettan was still figuring me out while understanding my strengths and weaknesses. Now I know how he works, and he knows what he can extract from me,” he says.
Asked whether Masthishka Maranam carries the kind of weighty social message audiences have come to associate with Krishand's work, Niranj is straightforward. “This film is a 100 per cent commercial entertainer with humour,” he says emphatically. “It’s meant to entertain you for two and a half hours,” he adds. Not every film, he reflects, needs to leave audiences with a heavy takeaway.
That said, he acknowledges that the film is not without its political layers and reflections on the age in which we live. “Look at social media,” he says thoughtfully. “I don't even remember a time when I didn't have a phone. We're constantly scrolling. It's slowly eating into our brains. We live in a time of high technology but low standards of living in terms of meaningful conversations. That's what Masthishka Maranam feels like to me,” he adds.
This period feels pivotal in his career. “I’m passionate about acting and doing good films. After 4.5 Gang, the way people interact with me has changed. They take me more seriously,” he notes. He speaks candidly about the compromises actors sometimes make. “There were times when I had to do projects just to survive,” he reflects. “Some films are for the stomach, some are for the soul. At this moment, I feel I’m doing films for the soul.”
Away from the film, Niranj speaks with notable candour about navigating an industry that knows his surname all too well. Being veteran actor-producer Maniyanpilla Raju's son has opened certain doors, he acknowledges, but it has closed others. "Malayalam cinema doesn't really work on recommendations alone. If someone performs poorly, the blame falls back on the person who recommended them. Ultimately, you survive on merit. I want to stand on my own while respecting my father's legacy,” he says. His father, he adds with a laugh, is not one to offer unearned comfort. "He's one of the most straightforward people. Sometimes I feel he could be a little more diplomatic.”
In the age of viral snippets, however, frankness can be risky, he reflects. “People cut bits of what you say and create a different narrative. A full sentence can be twisted,” he says. That reality often makes actors guarded. “That is one of the aspects Masthishka Maranam discusses,” he adds. He also pays close attention to feedback. “Even if many people like something, but some say it’s not good, I’ll rewatch it,” he explains. “If there is truth in criticism, I’ll try working on it. We’ll never become perfect actors. It’s a continuous process.”
Looking ahead, he believes younger viewers familiar with global streaming content will connect with Masthishka Maranam’s world-building and humour. A sequel is already in the pipeline. “Yes, there is a second part planned, and I’ll be playing Bimal Raj again,” he confirms, adding that it is expected to be “even crazier and more expansive.”
There is also movement on a potential Mohanlal project directed by Krishand and produced by Maniyanpilla Raju. “It’s in the writing stage,” he shares. “It’s a mass action entertainer. Once the new script is ready, we’ll meet Lalettan and pitch it,” he adds.