When Devadath Shaji set out to make Dheeran, his directorial debut, he knew he was attempting something that felt both familiar and fresh. The film, which releases in theatres on Friday, is described by its maker as a comedy action drama rooted in the spirit of Malayalam cinema’s past and present. “It’s the story of a brave man from Malayattoor and the people around him,” Devadath says, reflecting on the journey that lead him here. “I’ve tried to bring in all kinds of emotions in this film, whether it’s love, lust, humour, sacrifice or survival.”
While Rajesh Madhavan plays the titular Dheeran, Devadath emphasises that this is far from a one-man show. The ensemble includes veterans such as Jagadish, Manoj K Jayan, Ashokan, Sudheesh and Vineeth, who have contributed significantly to Malayalam cinema. “They’re all heroes from the 80s and 90s,” he points out. “It’s not a film that’s entirely centred on the title character alone. They’re all brave in their own ways, and they’re all the heroes of this story.” This ambition to showcase multiple generations of performers also shaped his casting decisions from the outset. “The cast in Dheeran brings together three generations,” he explains. One of the most satisfying aspects of working with such a seasoned cast, he adds, was witnessing their collaborative spirit on set. “All the actors might suggest delivering a line in a certain way, reacting differently or adding a line here and there,” he says. “I really like getting that kind of input.” Though Aswathy Manoharan is the only woman featured prominently in the promotional materials, including the trailer and songs, Devadath is quick to clarify that Dheeran includes a broader range of female characters. “It’s just not possible to feature everyone in the promotional materials,” he says. “You’ll see Vijaya Sadhan, Geethi Sangeetha, Unnimaya Nalappadam, Ambily and Nandini Gopalakrishnan, among others, in significant roles. There’s also the Tamil actor Indumathy Manikandan, who was in Meiyazhagan and Dragon.”
One of Devadath’s major inspirations was the body of work created by the celebrated duo Siddique-Lal. Their distinctive blend of humour and drama has left a lasting impact on Malayalam audiences, and Devdath credits their films for shaping the tonality of Dheeran. “In their work, you’ll find very humorous situations happening in one place, while somewhere else there’s something quite serious unfolding,” he says. “At a crucial point, usually in the second half of the film, there’s a blend of both humour and seriousness. Dheeran is also based on that formula.”
Interestingly, the seed for the film was planted over twenty years ago. In 2003, an incident in Devadath’s native Panichayam in Perumbavoor sparked his imagination. “I got the idea from that incident, but the story itself isn’t real,” he clarifies. “It’s purely fiction, though that incident was my initial hook for developing the story.” Though Dheeran includes elements of a road trip, as suggested by the trailer, Devadath feels it resists easy categorisation. “There aren’t a lot of travel scenes, but yes, you could say it’s a road trip film in a way,” he concedes. “I don't know how to define it now.”
Securing backing for a debut feature is often a nerve-racking process, but Devadath found confidence early on thanks to his producers at Cheers Entertainments. “ They backed a film like Jan.E.Man,” he recalls. “When that film was being made, Basil Joseph wasn’t the star he is today, and the same goes for the other lead actors in it. That film eventually became a blockbuster. Just as they trusted the content of the films they’ve produced so far, they also placed their trust in my story. They’re a production house that prioritises content and believes that’s what ultimately matters.” While some might see the absence of marquee star power as a gamble, Devadath and his team never let that deter them. “People around you might say there’s no one with star value in this film, but for me and my producers, we never had those anxieties or any confusion,” he says firmly.
Reflecting on the experience of leading a film set for the first time, Devadath is candid about the demands of the job. “It requires a lot of hard work, patience, maturity and responsibility,” he says. “The director has to coordinate with every department, so there are challenges at every stage. If you have a good team around you, you can pull it off. The team I had on Dheeran was excellent.”
Comedy, he admits, can be a particularly unpredictable area to navigate. Yet he remained guided by his own instincts. “I only included the kind of comedy that genuinely made me laugh,” he says. “Later, when we narrated the script, the producers and the actors laughed as well. That’s what gave us the confidence to go ahead with the shoot.”
Over time, however, the emotional texture of certain scenes shifted in unexpected ways. “For example, even if it was just two or three lines, the dialogues that made us laugh during the script stage or on set sometimes ended up feeling quite emotional instead,” he observes. “But I really welcome that. I think that’s the beauty of the profession of cinema. Everything is beyond our judgement. Once it is in the theatre, you can't predict whether the audience will laugh or feel moved.” Test screenings have so far offered promising signs. “After the shoot, when I showed the film to people in my circle, they did laugh at the moments we expected them to,” he says. “But we cannot predict how the theatre crowd will react. I am very much looking forward to seeing that.”
Devadath is no stranger to high-profile projects. He previously served as a co-writer on Bheeshma Parvam, Amal Neerad’s acclaimed gangster drama starring Mammootty. “Bheeshma Parvam was a big hit, so when I write or direct a film after that, at least a few people will have certain expectations because of it,” he acknowledges. Yet he is clear about his priorities as a filmmaker. “Dheeran is an entirely different film,” he says. “Whether it is any film that I write or direct, all I can do is make sure I have done my part with conviction, and I believe I have done that with Dheeran as well.”
Devadath’s journey into cinema began while he was still an engineering student, directing short films during every semester break and eventually catching the attention of Dileesh Pothan. After assisting on Kumbalangi Nights, he worked with Amal Neerad during the early development of Bilal, the much-anticipated second instalment of Mammootty's Big B. When the pandemic delayed that project, he turned his focus to writing and co-wrote Bheeshma Parvam.
Dheeran is a film Devadath hopes marries the sensibilities of the classics he admired with his own contemporary voice. As the film arrives on screens, he is content to let audiences decide what the film means to them. “The rest is for the audience to decide,” he says with a quiet certainty, echoing his belief that a story, once told, belongs to everyone who sees it.
