Sudev Nair plays the lead role of a police officer in pursuit of a killer in director Shan Thulasidharan's Kammattam, the first Malayalam series from ZEE5. The series marks Shan’s return to direction after 2023’s Dear Vappi, starring Lal, Niranj Maniyanpilla Raju, and Anagha Narayanan. It also marks Sudev’s return to a headliner role (CI Antonio George) after a long time. The actor’s most notable appearances after his lead role in 2014’s My Life Partner, which earned him the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor, include villain roles in Amal Neerad’s Bheeshma Parvam, opposite Mammootty, and Rajeev Ravi’s Thuramukham, opposite Nivin Pauly. Casting an actor primarily known for supporting roles could be seen as a risk, but director Shan viewed it as an opportunity. “For this role, we needed the energy that an actor such as Sudev brings. Further, during the project’s discussions, ZEE5 told me that it would stream the series in six languages. Sudev has credits in Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada as well. We chose him because audiences elsewhere are also familiar with him,” says Shan.
While the title and promotional content hint at the Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank Scam in Thrissur as a possible inspiration, Shan clarifies that the series draws from multiple real-life incidents. “It is a subject set in Kottayam. Crimes that took place in Thrissur and Trivandrum are also part of the overall plot,” reveals Shan.
The filmmaker shot the series across multiple locations in just 11 days due to financial constraints. However, he assures that no compromises have been made on the writing or filmmaking aspect. “When we had to find a way of filming with a set budget, our focus was entirely on how to give the best quality output with it. It was like waging a war for 11 days. We had it all planned to a tee. We shot in three or four locations per day,” says Shan, adding, “We believe that we have added all the elements necessary for a story such as this. After all, how you write for a project depends on its subject at the end of the day.”
Despite the series’ significance for ZEE5, the filmmaker shares that it never posed any added pressure on him. “It was not an adventurous endeavour that I undertook singlehandedly. From the camera team to the editor to the post-production crew, everyone concentrated their efforts and energy into wrapping the project within 11 days. Prakash Velayudhan is our DOP, and 4 Musics, who worked on Oppam, created the background score. I believe that we have the best technicians across the board, and their contributions will reflect well on the final output.”
Kammattam’s cast includes directors such as Jeo Baby and Ajay Vaasudev, as well as producer Arun Vishwa. Explaining the decision to cast them, Shan says, “Filmmakers know the value of time better than actors. I chose them for their respective parts because I knew that they would be actively involved from start to finish, and they were.”
The makers describe the plot as “a chilling web of deceit, silence, and secrets buried far beneath the surface.” However, the series does not rely heavily on a single twist and has the qualities of a police procedural. As Shan explains, “The highlight of the show is the officer's journey to reach the killer.” He asserts that the urgency in the making influenced the treatment of the story. “Antonio operates at a breakneck speed and pursues possible suspects, hellbent on finding the truth. When he questions someone, he thoroughly understands their background, making it impossible for them to lie and get away with it. He also travels from one place to another with an eye on catching the perpetrator. His speed is the same as the series’ pace.”
Kammattam also stars real police officers as part of the team working under the protagonist, Antonio. Shan discloses that their casting played a part in not only ensuring an authentic portrayal of the roles but also speeding up the filmmaking process.
Interestingly, the makers announced the series only after the completion of its production—an unusual decision in an era where even song releases have extensive promotional campaigns. “It was a deliberate decision to announce the series a month after production. That way, it will feel fresh. If we announced the series first, then shot it, completed post-production, and then started marketing it, the whole thing might have felt dated. We did not want that for Kammattam.”
Backed by 23 Feet Productions, Kammattam also features actors such as Jins, Akhil Kavalayoor, Sreerekha, Jordy Poonjaa, and Arun Sol. The series is set to start streaming on ZEE5 from September 5. Shan, meanwhile, plans to collaborate with ZEE5 again on another series, which he shares will belong to the action genre. “The script work is going on, and we are pursuing a lead actor for it,” the filmmaker signs off.
