Filmmaker Rahul Sadasivan says he wrote the lead role in the latest horror sensation from Malayalam, Dies Irae, with Pranav Mohanlal in mind, describing the young actor as “already a great actor” who brought unexpected depth to the character. The film, which was released on October 31 on the occasion of Halloween, has been running to packed houses across Kerala and beyond, marking Rahul’s third consecutive success in the genre after Shane Nigam-Revathy's Bhoothakaalam and the Mammootty-starrer Bramayugam.
“Pranav is already a great actor. I wanted to write a character that suited him,” Rahul said in a conversation with Manorama Online, reflecting on the casting choice for Dies Irae. “I had seen his earlier performances and could see my character reflected in him. When I told him about the role, he said he had been waiting to play something with a negative shade. It was perfect timing for both of us, and that’s how it happened.”
Rahul added that his writing process is deeply intuitive, rooted in character and emotion rather than genre labels. “I’m just an ordinary person,” he said. “When I’m writing, I don’t watch other films. I plan everything carefully, from the release date to the promotion. I’m not someone who only thinks about dark or horror themes. I enjoy all kinds of films, even comedies. But when an idea excites me, I go deep into it and do the research.”
Reflecting on his collaboration with Mammootty in Bramayugam and Shane Nigam in Bhoothakaalam, Rahul said that bringing out the best in actors is a creative blessing. “I try to portray the characters I imagine truthfully, and sometimes it feels like magic,” he said. “When they deliver something unexpected, it’s pure joy. As a creator, that’s the dream, to see your imagination come alive.”
Rahul’s career began with the 2012 film Red Rain, one of the rare Malayalam films to explore the alien invasion theme. Although it went largely unnoticed at release, it has since been rediscovered following the success of his later films. “It feels great,” he said. “Red Rain was my first film, made right after college. Of course, there were flaws, but it taught me a lot about filmmaking, the audience and emotion. Looking back, it was a valuable experience.”
Between Red Rain and Bhoothakaalam, Rahul spent nearly a decade trying to make his next film. “The gap happened because my first film didn’t do well commercially,” he recalled. “It took years to get another opportunity. I met almost every actor and producer in Malayalam cinema. Eventually, Shane Nigam heard my story and took it to Anwar Rasheed. That’s how Bhoothakaalam finally happened, nearly ten years later. I was always trying, but I couldn’t prove myself back then. Today, I feel that effort has finally been recognised.”
