Don’t compare Drishyam 2 with the first film: Mohanlal

The pandemic has thrown many unpeasant surprises, but among the pleasant ones is the announcement of a sequel to the 2013 Jeethu Joseph film, Drishyam. Another surprise was the announcement on New Year's Day that the film would get released on Amazon Prime Video, given that many expected a Mohanlal film to revive the slumping theatre business. 

The upside for non-Malayali audiences is how they can get to watch the sequel on the day of its release. Drishyam 2, it is believed, will explore the psychological impact of the first film's events on Georgekutty (Mohanlal) and his family (Meena, Ansiba, and Esther Anil). Come this Friday, we will find out whether the skeletons will tumble out of Georgekutty's closet. Here’s Mohanlal himself telling us what we are in for:

Excerpts:

As Drishyam 2 has been written and shot in such a short span, was getting into the mind of Georgekutty a concurrent process for you while the script was being written or did you wait for the final draft?

I waited till Jeethu completed the screenplay. We had to make sure that it was flawless. So, after he wrote it, he gave it to some of his friends and family members to get their feedback. Only then did he proceed with it.

The trailer looks promising. All the actors from the first film seem very much in their elements. Was reproducing the mood of the first film and the family dynamics a challenge, as it has been seven years since the first came out?

Though the seven-year hiatus feels long, it felt like a family reunion when we all joined the Drishyam 2 sets; that’s why getting back into our characters did not feel that difficult. While the characters have grown and matured with time, they are still emotionally stuck in the past and share great camaraderie. Full credit goes to Jeethu, who has thought through every little aspect of the story, in order to maintain the emotional continuity and also to take the first film’s legacy forward.

Has Georgekutty changed much since the events of the first film?

There are a few things about him that have not changed at all. Georgekutty was fiercely protective about his family then and is even more so now. His character arc is full of mystery and possesses a lot of layers. Nobody knows what his next move will be, or what he is thinking, as he is capable of concealing his emotions so well. While I may be unable to truly comprehend Georgekutty's nature, I reconnected with him by taking the script one scene at a time. 

Any worries about the pandemic interfering with the shoot?

I was not worried, honestly. We took all the necessary precautions and followed all the required protocols; so, it felt like a safe place during the shoot. I was excited to return to the sets. I mean, it is Drishyam, you know... I know the film, the character, the script, the cast and crew, and the director. It was a comfortable situation for me. 

How high are the stakes for Georgekutty this time?

Very. Drishyam 2 is an intelligent suspense-thriller. Yes, the first film was one too. But all I can say now is that the sequel will be an edge-of-the-seat crime-thriller with more twists and turns. I would request the audience not to compare it with the first film. This one is best enjoyed as an independent film.