Exclusive! Jayasurya’s Meri Awas Suno is about moving ahead even after suffering a setback: G Prajesh Sen

Apart from Jayasurya, an aspect that has been common in G Prajesh Sen’s directorials – Captain and Vellam – is how the filmmaker manages to infuse inspiration to the audience via its characters. The filmmaker tells OTTplay that he promises more of that through Meri Awas Suno, which is set to hit theatres on May 13.

Also starring Manju Warrier and Sshivada in pivotal roles, the movie marks his third collaboration with Jayasurya, who will be seen essaying the role of a radio jockey. In a quick chat with us, Prajesh, who has also scripted the film, tells us about the movie, how he shaped its characters and the importance of music in Meri Awas Suno.

You had worked in a radio station before. How much did that experience help in the making of Meri Awas Suno, in which the protagonist is a radio jockey?

Jayasurya was the one who actually brought me the subject. I heard the story and that’s how we bought the rights for it. My 10 years of media experience helped at various junctures in the film. Jayasurya plays a character named RJ Shankar and to shape that character, I had taken the reference of another RJ based in Thiruvananthapuram. I have used several phases of his life for the movie.

You can’t say that Meri Awas Suno is based on a real-life person, but at the same time it’s more relatable to write about people that we see everyday. It also makes it easier to convey their emotions and difficulties to the audience. In that sense, the RJ’s life has lent authenticity to the movie’s story.

In a nutshell, what can you tell us about the film’s story?

It’s about a problem that RJ Shankar encounters in his life and how he survives that. That’s all I want to reveal before the release of the movie.

In your previous two movies – Captain and Vellam, Jayasurya has had to push himself, physically and emotionally, to play the characters. In that regard, what were the challenges for him in this movie?

He is someone who does in-depth research from his side before doing any character. As an actor, he has visited several radio stations as part of his film’s promotions and he has keenly observed the atmosphere and the people. So, those experiences came in handy as it wasn’t an altogether unfamiliar setting for him.

RJ Shankar is also entirely different from Vellam’s Murali and Captain’s Sathyan. Shankar is more refined because the story is set in a city. He is a journalist in a sense; he interacts with a lot of people and so he has that magnetism about him.

A quality of a good RJ is to also be a good listener and reply based on what the other person is speaking. How much did Jayasurya’s real-life persona seep into the character of RJ Shankar, especially because he had also worked as a TV anchor before his break in films?

He was very much involved in the movie, and I’d like to believe his dedication is one of the highlights of Meri Awas Suno. This is also a movie that ends on a positive note. All of us have our own worries and disappointments, and the reason we watch movies sometimes is for relief and to find some motivation. Even when we face a setback, we shouldn’t just lay down; we need to get up and move ahead, people will be there to support us – that’s what we are trying to say with this movie.

The film also has two female protagonists – Sshivada and Manju Warrier. What can you tell us about their roles?

Manju plays Dr Reshmi Padath, who is a social worker, while Sshivada essays the role of Shankar’s wife, who is a news reader. Both of them are brilliant performers and go toe-to-toe with each other. Manju’s character is vibrant, active and a huge supporter of RJ Shankar. I believe it’s a gratifying character and she has done it very well. Sshivada has also put on one of her strongest performances in the film.

The songs of the movie are beautiful. Is it also because sound is very important to this movie?

That’s one factor, yes. But I am also someone who loves music. If you look at my previous movies too, I have ensured that I am deeply involved in how the songs come out. In this particular film, it also demands we have such tracks.

Also read: Exclusive! Sshivada: The expectations are high while working in a Jeethu Joseph-Mohanlal film such as 12th Man