Nivin Pauly recently noted that the films we remember from childhood are usually entertainers, especially comedies that live on through pop culture, memes, and jokes. “People keep urging me to do such films because there’s a clear shortage,” he said.
In contemporary Malayalam cinema, there are very few filmmakers like Girish AD who have consistently delivered that kind of entertainers lately. His films have become pop-culture fixtures, making Nivin’s decision to collaborate with him feel especially fitting.
Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, their maiden collaboration, is one of the big-ticket releases this Onam. Ahead of its release, we catch up with Girish, whose conversations are as entertaining as his films.
Excerpts:
All four of your films so far — Thanneer Mathan Dinangal (TMD), Super Sharanya, Premalu, and I Am Kathalan — are quite different, but there is an evident 'Girish AD sensibility' running through them. What do you think it is?
Whenever I conceive a project, I automatically think of slice-of-life dramas. For some reason, they come easier to me. Growing up, I was drawn more towards films with relatable characters and strong drama. They might look simplistic on the surface, but they will have intricate details and layers. Like in Selvaraghavan's works. I try to replicate that with my films, with the lightheartedness only on the surface.
People might say Premalu is just another boy-meets-girl story, but it's also about how Sachin's behaviour, attitude towards life and self-esteem are all shaped by his family background. The reason for him chasing Reenu is rooted in his family chaos and the ensuing trauma. Sachin is abandoned by his family, and such people seek attachment from others, especially with someone who's kind to them. This attachment can get even irritating to the other person. The film communicates all of this in a simplistic visual language that's widely appealing. Had this same subject been treated darkly, it would have resulted in an intense film that people might praise more profusely.
At what point did you realise that this particular kind of storytelling was your strength?
That realisation was crucial because there was a phase when I had no idea about the kind of films I should make. I was very active on social media, where people would discuss and analyse all kinds of films, and I was initially tempted to attempt something pretentious to impress them. It was only after I did a short film called Vishuddha Ambrossey that I realised my true filmmaking style. The applause it earned at a film festival made me realise that connecting emotionally with the audience is more important than pleasing social media critics.
Your protagonists are mostly socially awkward people, who often find themselves in uncomfortable situations. Why does that fascinate you?
We are all awkward in a lot of situations. It is just that we don't always notice. I'm a socially awkward person myself. I could never have imagined myself as a hero in the conventional sense. It's not like I consciously decide that this person should be awkward because that will make the audience laugh. I think there's a lot more fun in seeing the hero bowl a wide on the last ball than seeing him hit a six to help the team win.
There is also a layer of humour that comes from awkwardness rather than from characters deliberately trying to be funny. Like Sachin proposing to Reenu at the internet cafe in Premalu. Is that something you are consciously pursuing?
Yes, absolutely. It might be funny for us, but not from Sachin's perspective. The scene is not presented as a grand romantic moment. It gets a little awkward, and that awkwardness itself creates the humour. It's important to maintain a matter-of-fact approach. The characters should not behave as though they know they are in a comedy. They should simply behave naturally, and the humour should emerge from that.
Humour and romance are Nivin Pauly's two biggest strengths, and you're dabbling with that in Bethlehem Kudumba Unit. How did you find him different from the actors you've worked with so far?
Firstly, he's a much bigger star, and there are some differences when you work with someone at that level, like managing his dates and schedule. But beyond those practical differences, I noticed something interesting. When he is performing, you feel like he is not doing anything particularly special. I was initially slightly worried, but when you see the performance in detail after it is edited, you realise how interesting it is. I've seen that only with him. With some actors, you can clearly see that they are putting in a lot of effort. But Nivin chettan is always calm and relaxed, eventually making his performance look effortless.
You have also seen Mamitha Baiju's evolution closely through your films, from Super Sharanya to Premalu...
She deserves it. It's all because of her potential and not just luck. I’m proud that my films have played a role in that journey. This is our third film together, and there's been a vast improvement in her acting. She was acting in our film and Suriya's film simultaneously, and both these characters are extremely contrasting in terms of appearance, performance and energy. It is difficult to adapt like that, but she has aced it. We don't have many actors who can do that today.
What was the first image, character or idea that eventually became Bethlehem Kudumba Unit?
All of us might have come across this admirable ‘naatile chettan’, who everyone in the town has a good opinion about. What if someone like that falls in love with a girl much younger than him? It's loosely based on some real events. I conceived the idea around 2019 and then started building a world around it. I created a Catholic environment, and gradually added details about the family, their background, where they had moved from, their cousins, daily lives...
Was Nivin always in mind when you were developing the story?
No, the character was developed independently. I had initially pitched the story to Asif (Ali) ikka. At that time, it was meant for a different production, but it didn't work out. It was much later that Bhavana Studios came in. I narrated this idea along with Premalu, and they liked both and decided to do it back-to-back.
A distinctive feature of your films is the music and song lyrics that are quite different from the usual. Even while dealing with serious moments like heartbreak, the songs are fun and quirky. Like 'Ashubha Mangalakari', 'Syama Varna Roopini', 'Deivame'... Where does that sensibility come from?
I generally like quirky music. But when it comes to my films, I feel that only that kind of music will work. It is not about making the music quirky just for the sake of it. It is more about ensuring the music fits the nature of the film. When they understand the film's tone, they naturally bring that quality into the music. Imagine having a song like ‘Kallai Kadavathu’ in place of ‘Jaathikkathottam’!
Do you give the lyricists specific instructions about the kind of words you do not want them to use?
Yes. There are certain words we feel have been overused, and I don't want to use those words simply because they are associated with a particular setting. For this film, I collaborated with Vinayak Sasikumar for the first time. I told him that the film has a Christian background, but I specifically told him not to rely on the usual words and imagery associated with that setting. Like 'Shoshanna Pookal', 'Sharon Theeram', 'Palli Mani', 'Althara', etc. I was particular about avoiding the boring, obvious vocabulary that people automatically associate with it. I don't necessarily say, "This is what I need." Instead, I say, "Don't use this." Once they know what to avoid, they can write freely.
There are also characters in your films who are not exactly villains, but have a slightly negative or irritating quality. They come across as perfectionists, but there’s something about them that makes the audience uncomfortable.
I've always hated these perfect gentleman figures (laughs). Whenever I see a ‘nanma maram’ character in films, I automatically think this guy must be a ‘bhooloka fraud’. I've come across many who try hard to project themselves as heroes, but might be as clumsy as all of us. They can never admit their shortcomings, and that makes for a weird combination. I like working around such characters and exposing them. But interestingly, if we don't call them out explicitly, they are the ideal Malayalam cinema heroes. Like Ravi Padmanabhan in TMD. The audience dislike him only because we show him insulting the boy repeatedly. If you remove that part, Ravi could easily be perceived as a hero.
You have these recurring patterns that we have been talking about: socially awkward protagonists, characters with a false sense of heroism, humour emerging from uncomfortable situations and so on. Have you ever felt that these things could become a form of self-repetition or a signature style that people might eventually get tired of?
Until a film flops or the audience is fed up, I think it's fine (laughs). The tropes you mentioned are true, but all of this is analysed by serious critics. "Is the film good enough?" That's all a commoner wants to know. It's also not like my films are releasing on a trot. There's a considerable gap between each film, during which they consume plenty of other content. Down the line, I'd want to do something different, but only when I'm genuinely motivated and not because others want me to.
Finally, is Premalu 2 happening?
No, that's a closed chapter. My co-writer Kiran Josey and I are currently working on something else.