Krishnakumar Ramakumar on Oho Enthan Baby: 'Vishnu Vishal handpicked the script and director...'

After making a mark as an actor in films like Five Star, Autograph, and Arinthum Ariyamalum, Krishnakumar Ramakumar is now stepping into the spotlight as a feature film director with Oho Enthan Baby, which is all set to hit theatres soon. In an exclusive conversation with Cinema Express, Krishnakumar opened up about his journey behind the camera, collaborating with Vishnu Vishal and Rudra, and the process of translating a deeply emotional script onto the big screen.

Having begun his career as an assistant to Latha Menon and Rajiv Menon, Krishna has long nurtured a passion for filmmaking. “I’ve always been interested in direction. I even aspired to work as an assistant under Mani Ratnam, but he ended up casting me as an actor instead,” he recalls with a smile. “Since 2010, I’ve been making ad films, so filmmaking as a process wasn’t new to me. But telling a story within a 150-minute runtime, especially for the big screen, came with its own unique challenges.”

Krishna’s segment in Modern Love: Chennai marked his first tryst with long-format storytelling, but he notes that Oho Enthan Baby demanded more. “While Modern Love was a wonderful introduction, the real challenge was Oho Enthan Baby. It’s a full-length theatrical film with an emotional arc that needed careful shaping.”

Talking about how he came on board the project, Krishna shares, “Vishnu Vishal sir had originally chosen this story for himself. But as the script evolved, he felt the role suited Rudra more. He was looking for a director when he watched my Modern Love Chennai segment and felt I would be the right fit. When he first called me and told me the title was Oho Enthan Baby, I mentally said yes. But I still wanted to hear the story. Once he narrated it, I was convinced it had heart, and I knew I could shape it into something meaningful.”

Vishnu Vishal, Krishna asserts, plays a substantial role in the film. “It’s not an extended cameo. It’s a fully fleshed-out character that needed a certain weight and presence. Vishnu sir was magnanimous enough to take it on. You’ll understand why he was the right choice once you see the film.”

Oho Enthan Baby marks the debut of Vishnu Vishal's brother Rudra and the Tamil debut of Mithila Palkar. The film also stars Anju Kurian, Mysskin, Redin Kingsley, Karunakaran, Geetha Kailasam, Balaji Sakthivel, Sujatha Babu, Nirmal Pillai, Nivashini, Arun Kurian, Vijayasarathy, Kasthuri, and Vaibhavi Tandle. Vishnu Vishal has produced the film under his banner, Vishnu Vishal Studioz, along with Romeo Pictures and D Company.

The technical crew of Oho Enthan Baby comprises composer Jen Martin, cinematographer Harish Kannan, and editor RC Kannan. The film is gearing up to hit theatres on July 11.