Jisho Lon Antony: The characters in Rudhiram are neither black nor white

Kannada actor-filmmaker Raj B Shetty and Aparna Balamurali are coming together for Rudhiram, a survival revenge thriller, which hits the screens on Friday. Directed by debutant Jisho Lon Antony, the film managed to grab pre-release attention with an engaging trailer, which begins with the intriguing quote, 'The axe forgets, but the tree remembers.' Director Jisho tells us that this quote was the primary inspiration behind the film. "It's an African proverb, which I wanted to use for another film I was working on. Though it didn't work out, this quote stayed with me. I gradually worked around it and developed a storyline centered around two principal characters."

Rudhiram has Aparna as Swathy and Raj as Dr Mathew Rosy. However, apart from this, the director is hesitant to share any details about the plot or the characters. "This is a film with multiple layers, but if asked for a one-liner, I would say, 'It's about an uninvited guest entering Swathy's life and the impact it has on her and Mathew's life. But don't ask me who the guest is," laughs Jisho. Circling back to the quote, he adds, "All of us at some point in our lives have either been an axe or a tree. We have tried to build the narrative around this idea. None of the characters in it are black or white."

Rudhiram comes at a time when the portrayal of violence on screen has become a raging topic. Though the film's trailer looks quite intense with plenty of action and violence, Jisho clarifies that "it's not blatant violence, but human emotions." He adds, "Rudhiram means blood. We all have distinct features and characteristics, but one common thing is the colour of our blood. This film talks about the politics of red."  

Recalling how the film materialised, Jisho says it was Aparna's nod that initially got things rolling. "Rudhiram's journey started with her. It was only later that we even found the production house. She was excited from the onset as the character had immense scope for performance." When the film was first announced in November 2022, it was also supposed to be Raj's Malayalam debut, but due to delays in its release, he went on to star in films like Turbo and Kondal. Talking about getting Raj onboard, Jisho adds, "The story demanded an equally strong performer opposite Aparna and we were looking for many options. It was around this time that the Kannada film Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana (GGVV) was released. The film and Raj sir's performance were the talk of the town then. We decided to approach him through composer Midhun Mukundan, but we weren't really confident. But he surprised us by readily agreeing to be a part of the project."

According to Jisho, the script was slightly reworked after Raj joined the project. Jisho, who also penned the screenplay along with Joseph Kiran George, explains, "Our first draft wasn't well balanced. With Raj joining, we got a better idea of how to expand the character. There's a lot of difference between conceiving a character from scratch and developing it after an actor joins." A fan of Raj's performances in films like GGVV, Ondu Motteya Kathe, and 777 Charlie, Jisho also wanted to ensure his acting prowess doesn't go underutilised. "The rewriting was majorly to enhance his performance. Since he's also a technician, it was easy to communicate with him. He never interfered or questioned our vision and creative choices," says the director, adding how Raj's addition to the cast brought more visibility to the film.

Made originally in Malayalam, Rudhiram is also set to be released in Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada. Jisho adds that the film's unique setting will ensure it appeals to a wide audience. "The story is set on an interstate border, with the terrain having a lot of significance. We mostly shot within the Chimmini Wildlife Sanctuary. All the living things part of this terrain are crucial to the narrative. We shot with some trained animals and also recreated some using animatronics and VFX. In the film, we have tried to present them as seamlessly as possible."

Jisho, who started as an assistant director, struggled for a few years before he could get his directorial debut greenlit. Simultaneously, he also headed an ad agency and worked as a political strategist briefly. "Struggles are part of any filmmaker's journey, without which success won't be sweet enough." Though his directorial debut doesn't fit within the framework of a typical entertainer, Jisho still sounds confident about the film making a mark. "I'm sure Rudhiram will be spoken about. It's a genuine attempt and I believe it will connect with the audience. I hope people give it a try and share their thoughts freely," says the filmmaker, who has already initiated talks with a couple of production houses for his next. "I intend to make engaging films, but I won't claim them to be entirely novel as every art form is inspired. I'm more excited about lending my signature touch."