Shane Nigam is an unmatchable performer: Ullasam director Jeevan Jojo

The recent Shane Nigam controversy had everyone wondering about the status of the actor's upcoming releases. We have learned that work on one of them, Ullasam, is progressing smoothly. Director Jeevan Jojo, who is making his debut with Ullasam, updates that Shane has completed the dubbing work and the team is currently working on the re-recording process. However, a release date is yet to be fixed.

The film, scripted by Praveen Balakrishnan, is said to be a music-driven love story. Jeevan describes Shane's character as a "carefree, fun-loving youngster".

Newcomer Pavithra Lakshman plays the female lead, and the film also features Renji Panicker, Deepak Parambol, Aju Varghese, Basil Joseph, Ambika, and Nayana. 

Ullasam has been shot partly in Ooty and Kochi. "The first half is centred on two days in the couple's lives and then jumps forward 400 days to another two-day episode with them," says Jeevan, who has worked under directors such as Jeethu Joseph, Ranjith Sankar, and Deepu Karunakaran.

He describes his shooting experience with Shane as an enjoyable one, adding there were no differences of opinion between him and Shane. "He is an exceptional actor. After he finished the dubbing, everyone was happy. The dubbing has made the film wholesome. Shane is one of those rare actors who can brilliantly improvise scenes."

On directing the actor, Jeevan says Shane is 100 per cent dedicated to his craft. "He comes to the set fully prepared and knows the entire script by heart. He even remembers the other actors' lines and doesn't require a prompt. He works in his own style. If the first take is fine, he is open to doing another one; if that turns out good, he is okay with replacing the previous one. He is an unmatchable performer. There is no one out there to compete with him."

Ullasam is bankrolled by Joe Kaithamattom and Christi Kaithamatton under the banner of Kaithamattom Brothers. The film has cinematography by Swaroop Philip, editing by John Kutty, and music by Shaan Rahman.