Tinu Pappachan: I'll be doing a romantic film soon

In the last 8-10 years, Malayalam cinema witnessed an influx of realistic films that mostly range from socially relevant narratives to serving simple feel-good entertainment. It was also during this period that Malayalam cinema earned a newfound acceptance among non-Keralites, who were mostly accustomed to larger-than-life masala tales. The popularity increased multifold with the advent of streaming platforms and the dramatic shift in the audience's sensibilities post-pandemic. But even amidst this glorious phase, there was always a section among the native audience who were missing the cathartic experience of goosebumps-inducing mass cinema. The raging success of other language films like KGF, Pushpa, and Vikram in Kerala stands tall as a testimony to Malayalis' love, or say yearning for whistleworthy mass flicks. This is where a filmmaker like Tinu Pappachan holds much significance. Despite being just two films old, Tinu is already a fan favourite as his films evoke the exhilaration that people crave inside a movie hall today. It is also precisely why there's a palpable excitement regarding who he will be collaborating with next. Will it be with Mohanlal? or Dulquer Salmaan... or Dileep? 

But Tinu, right now, is not in a mood to entertain these speculations. His sole focus is on Chaaver, which, after several delays, is finally hitting screens today. Just ahead of the release, we managed to have a quick conversation with the director. 
 

Excerpts

Chaaver seems to be your most serious work yet...

You can call it that, but essentially, it's a political thriller with strong human emotions. The story, characters, and politics are all universal. They have been addressed in different forms before and will continue to be. Beyond that, Chaaver, like my other films, is also designed as an edge-of-the-seat theatre experience.

While your films have a considerable fan base, a common grouse is about the overreliance on style over substance... 

I respect people's opinions, but I have a slightly different perspective on this. I only take up subjects that excite me with a peculiar hook factor. Before Swathanthryam Ardharathriyil, we were mostly used to seeing the prison lives of convicts in the central jail. So, I was naturally interested in doing a film on a bunch of undertrial prisoners and their jailbreak attempts. There's a similar hook factor in Ajagajantharam as well. Usually, survival stories are set in closed spaces. But here, we have two men and their elephant getting trapped in a festival area. Coming from Kottarakkara, where I grew up around festivals and elephants, I was keen to explore the possibilities of placing a thrilling survival story in such a setting.

So what's the hook factor in Chaaver?

Well, I'm not supposed to reveal that now (laughs). But I can say that Joy Mathew has penned a political subject of high relevance. 

Both your previous films were scripted by newcomers, but with Joy Mathew comes years of experience. How did you both deal with conflicting opinions?

I've always admired Joy Ettan and his knowledge of a wide range of subjects. I used his experience to my and the film's advantage. When he gave me the full-written script, I instantly liked it. But as a filmmaker, I'll have a certain vision, right? If I felt like tweaking something, I could, but only after convincing him. If I couldn't, he would explain his perspective. He's a very straightforward person who openly expresses his thoughts. It was a huge learning experience, where I got corrected a lot.

Joy Mathew's previous two works—Shutter and Uncle—had no shades of what you've done before. Did you ever ask him how he trusted you with Chaaver?

Joy Ettan had watched my films and liked them. When one of our common friends Ranga (sound designer Renganaath Ravee) told Joy Ettan that I was interested in his writing, he gave me this script that he wanted to direct himself. That's how I mostly function—I reach out for scripts rather than waiting for them to reach me.
 

Have you ever attempted scripting?

Not yet. Writing demands vast knowledge and experience, and I'm sure I still have a long way to go. I also don't have a regular reading habit, because of which my vocabulary is limited. I'll definitely try, but I'm not sure when exactly I'll gain the confidence.

When you narrate a subject, actors might have a different interpretation from what you have. How do you ensure they align with your vision?

As a director, it's my duty to convince actors and clear their doubts. Since the lead actors in my first two films were mostly new, it was easier to mould them and get what I wanted. For Chaaver, I approached Kunchacko Boban after he expressed his interest in working with me. Before the initial narration, I told him about the kind of film I wanted to make and asked him to think twice before agreeing. But he was instantly on board, and it was a smooth journey thereon.

Stylised action choreography and the preceding tension-building is generally perceived as your biggest strengths. How do you conceive these moments?

I'm very particular about pre-production. I will begin shooting only if I'm convinced with the pre-production. During this period, I'll get myself thorough with the script and its possibilities. I also prepare a shooting script, which will give a complete picture of how the film will turn out. For the action sequences, I'll have a basic design in mind and discuss it with the choreographers. There might be some minor improvisations on sets, but I mostly stick to the shooting script.

After the completion of Chaaver shoot, you immediately joined the shoot of Malaikottai Valiban. It's not often we see someone assisting even after establishing himself as an independent filmmaker...

I continue collaborating with Lijo Chettan to ensure I don't miss the journey with him. There's a lot to learn from him beyond cinema. We both have the freedom to share anything between us. Sometimes, his input won't work for me and I tell him that directly. Likewise, he is also very brutal with his opinions. I would call him my biggest critic.

How did you manage to focus on Malaikottai Valiban's shoot and Chaaver's post-production simultaneously?

Truth be told, it was a bit too stressful. I joined Malaikottai Valiban after putting Chaaver's post-production on hold. Not many producers would agree to it, but I somehow convinced my producers Arun Narayan and Venu Kunnappilly, and they were supportive enough to let me go. Though I'm not sure if I would do something like that again, I still enjoyed the process despite all the challenges.

Do you feel left out on Malaikottai Valiban's post-production?

When it comes to post-production, Lijo Chettan doesn't depend on anyone. He handles everything single-handedly (laughs). I still drop by out of curiosity.

And how is it shaping up?

Padam polikkum. Though I can't reveal much, I'm confident that it'll be an extraordinary theatre experience. The visual language that Lijo Chettan has attempted in it is something we have not seen before.

You've been working with Lijo since his second film, City of God. What is the biggest lesson you learned from him?

I'm always in awe of how he shapes a film, and I get to learn something new about it every time. He's also an expert in extracting performances. In fact, he is brilliant in all aspects of filmmaking, be it with shot composition, music, sound, or editing. He's called Aashan (master) for a reason.

After turning independent, did you find any department to be much more challenging than it was during your assistant days?

Music. As assistants, we rarely have a say in musical judgment. It was during Swathanthryam Ardharathriyil that I realised how tough a task it was. Thankfully, Lijo Chettan helped me out by supervising its background score throughout. Even today, it's one major hurdle that bothers me. I've been working on it by listening to the kind of music he listens to. By now, I think I've improved a bit from not knowing anything related to music to identifying what works in a scene and what doesn't.

It's refreshing to hear a filmmaker openly admit his shortcomings...

I don't think there's any point in hiding your weaknesses. It's important to identify and work on them. As a filmmaker, I don't want to confine myself to any one particular kind of film. I know that not many would expect me to do a romantic film, but I'm doing one soon. I don't know if people will be receptive to it, but I will continue to do whatever I find exciting.

Any word on your long rumoured Mohanlal film?

We've indeed had discussions, but we haven't arrived at anything concrete yet.