Rekindling nostalgia, with Kunjamminis Hospital

Although they've previously forayed into thriller territory, writers Anil Kurian and Abhayakumar have always had a thing for lighthearted stories. And right now, Malayalam cinema is looking at a severe lack of feel-good entertainers that could become blockbusters, as they did in large numbers in the early 90s. Keeping in mind the occasional social media discussions where some Malayali film buffs lament this very fact, I ask Anil if he thinks, from an industry insider's standpoint, that feel-good entertainers are currently in vogue. "I doubt it," he replies, as he remembers the year 1993, in particular, which saw the release of hits from various genres — Devasuram, Manichithrathazhu, Vatsalyam, Midhunam, Sakshal Sreeman Chathunni — to recall a picture of a time when these films shaped the formative years of many a 90s kid, including yours truly.

So, for Anil, his new film Kunjamminis Hospital—directed by Sanal Devan; starring Indrajith Sukumaran, Prakash Raj, and Nyla Usha—is a way to revisit the memories of those carefree days of plopping oneself in front of the telly and consuming such widely diverse escapist fare. He cites particular examples like Sakshal Sreeman Chathunni or Ayushkalam—stories tinged with humour and a bit of the fantastical.

"Nowadays, our kids consume more feel-good fantasy movies from Hollywood. But when we remember 90s Malayalam cinema... they've done films like that back then," says Anil.

Speaking on behalf of Abhayakumar as well, Anil notes that changing trends has always been a notable quality of Malayalam cinema and that one particular genre would be in vogue for a brief period, followed by something else, and then return to the very first one. "People find it cool to loosely throw around terms like 'new gen' or 'realistic' and then, one day, they yearn for something reliant on heavy drama, and then they get fed up with that, too. Today, we can see that people have become too selective. Is a particular film worthy enough for a big screen visit? Unless there is a damn good reason, they don't dare to venture out to the cinemas," Anil reflects.

Anil says there is no specific formula for a movie to be successful in today's climate. He calls attention to the numerous, unpredictable factors attached to a movie's fate. "It could be a week of rain or some reason we don't know or foresee. Or it could be a movie's title working against it. One can't say with 100 per cent certainty if something will work out. But, you know what? There's a beauty to that uncertainty."

Anil attributes certain films' success to luck, among other factors, and most importantly, its arrival at the right time, "when audiences are free to accept those films when they've been waiting for something like that."

"What matters is whether it was done sincerely or not, instead of doing something to please a certain section of the audience lest they get upset," he adds.

Anil is no stranger to ghost stories. Having collaborated with Abhayakumar, on the script of the Manju Warrier-starrer Chathurmukham, with directors Ranjeet Kamala Sankar and Salil V, he seems to know a thing or two about creating an imaginary 'afterlife'. Following a full-fledged feel-good film, Priyan Ottathilaanu, starring Sharafudheen and Nyla, Anil and Abhay wrote Kunjamminis Hospital, directed by debutant Sanal Devan, which is gearing up for release tomorrow. It sees Anil and Abhayakumar combining feel-good and fantasy elements aside from a bit of horror.

Anil says the idea, this time, is to appeal to both grownups and children alike. "Kunjamminis Hospital is more of a lighthearted entertainer. It's nothing like Chathurmukham, where Salil-Ranjeet was particular about keeping comedy completely out of the material. That was an atmospheric horror movie they wanted to make, with some heady ideas pertaining to technology. Kunjamminis Hospital is a completely different beast, not serious like the other. It doesn't traverse a realistic terrain, but we need to keep such genres alive, too, no?"

Anil and Abhayakumar had entertained the idea of Kunjamminis Hospital for a while. Talking about the inspiration, Anil recalls that time when, before the proliferation of numerous hospitals as we see today, there used to be one hospital or one doctor every resident in the locality trusted and constantly relied on. "Kunjamminis Hospital centres on one such hospital, its associated stories, characters, fun and so on... It also briefly touches upon how healthcare has become a business now, how people have become scared of hospitals -- Where did that trust go? But at the same time, it's not a very serious discussion, mind you. Perhaps keen viewers might spot these things."

Anil shares an interesting anecdote about casting Prakash Raj in a pivotal role. He didn't expect to hear a 'yes' from the much-celebrated thespian. "We were stunned; it was a dream-come-true situation."

But there was a double twist.

"Two weeks before we were about to roll, he broke his hand, and we were faced with the possibility of cancelling the whole schedule and started scouting alternatives. For a role like this, it was essential to have it played by a big name; we knew it was unlikely for someone from Malayalam to take on such a character with a certain aura. When we expressed concern that we couldn't find anyone to take his place, he immediately responded, saying he felt sad about the shoot getting affected because of him and that he was making up his mind to show up. All we had to do was arrange the date accordingly. Needless to say, we felt exhilarated!"