Kalamkaval director Jithin K Jose: Mammootty brought something entirely new to this complex role | Exclusive

A Mammootty film these days is a treat, even for die-hard fans who’ve grown up rewatching his movies. Every role he’s taken on post-pandemic has offered something new, something fearless. His upcoming film Kalamkaval promises to be an extension of that remarkable journey.

The superstar has once again teamed up with a debutant filmmaker, Jithin K Jose, for the November 27 theatrical release that also has Vinayakan in an equally important role. Jithin, who previously wrote the story of Kurup, talks about what Mammootty brought to the table, his writing process and more, in this exclusive interview with OTTplay.

Tell us about your journey from a writer in Dulquer Salmaan’s Kurup to the director of Mammootty’s Kalamkaval in a space of less than a decade.

I was always interested in writing and that’s how I met Kurup’s director Srinath Rajendran. During that journey, I also discovered my passion for directing. Initially, I thought I would explore it later, but eventually decided to dive right in. That’s how I ended up assisting on several films including Mamangam and Kurup.

I have always been confident about writing. Like most writers, I just keep at it and at no point has my confidence wavered, so that helped. With Kalamkaval, as it also deals with real-life incidents, there are many angles to approach the story from. We chose the one that felt the most exciting to explore.

What was Mammootty’s reaction when you first pitched the script of Kalamkaval to him?

I pitched the script at his house. A few people close to him had recommended that he hear it, as they thought it was good. So, he already had an idea of what I was going to narrate, which made me a bit more confident. We didn’t approach him with just a storyline, we had the entire script ready and thankfully, he gave us the time and space to narrate it in full. I was nervous at first, but once he started asking questions and clearing his doubts, I got into the flow. When I realised that he was genuinely engaged with the story, everything became easier.

But did you and Jishnu Sreekumar have him in mind right from the start of the scripting? Because you had also pitched the film to Prithviraj Sukumaran.

We thought of approaching Mammukka after completing a phase of writing. From then on, we began shaping the character with him in mind. The first person we pitched the film to, though, was Prithviraj. We had tried through several channels to reach Mammukka, but we couldn’t get through, while we managed to get access to Prithviraj earlier. We went to him with the idea of how the film would turn out if he had played one of the two characters. We didn’t mention Mammukka’s name during the narration, but interestingly, he himself suggested it to us.

Also read: Kalamkaval plot revealed! Mammootty-starrer will uncover unsolved mysteries of Kottayikonam 

Even before the shoot of Kalamkaval had begun, there were several rumours that the film has Mammootty playing a serial killer and the character is inspired by Cyanide Mohan. Is any of that true?

All of those are speculations. His character is not your typical protagonist or antagonist; he’s somewhere in between. There are different shades to his character. Kalamkaval is a film that has drawn inspiration from more than one true incident as well as fictional situations. When you watch the film, it could remind one of people that they are familiar with and events that happened in real life; but it’s not based on a particular incident or person.

When you cast a superstar like Mammukka, there’s always a risk that the focus would be on him. For a dual-hero subject like Kalamkaval, how did you tackle this?

We have tried to make the characters as engaging as possible, and when you cast familiar actors, their roles naturally evolve. That’s exactly what happened with this film. We didn’t consciously try to balance the two characters while writing; we simply followed the screenplay that excited us from the start. It eventually shaped itself into a story with two heroes.

As a debutant director, did it make your job extremely easy with a great script and exceptional performers?

Yes, absolutely. When Mammukka came on board, our excitement for the film grew manifold. We knew he has the ability to add an entirely new dimension to whatever inputs we gave him as a performer. He’s someone who constantly breaks the mould, and that gave us the confidence that he would bring something unique to the role, which he did. His performance not only reinforced that belief but he also added nuances that truly elevated the entire film.

Is there anything specific that you can tell us?

Not before the film’s release. Because those would be spoilers.

He’s been keen on taking up roles that offer him a chance to do something new, especially since the pandemic. How different is his character in Kalamkaval from anything he has done previously?

A lot of A-listers both in our industry and elsewhere, tend to pursue roles that reinforce their stardom. But Mammukka has taken a different path despite being a superstar. One of the main reasons for that is his willingness to step away from purely virtuous characters. This role too is an extension of that journey; it’s layered with shades that give him space to explore.

FAQs:

Q. Is Kalamkaval based on a true story?

A. The director of Kalamkaval clarified that the movie has drawn inspiration from several real-life incidents, but is ultimately a fictional movie.

Q. When is Mammootty's Kalamkaval releasing?

A. Kalamkaval will hit theatres on November 27, 2025.

Q. Is Prithviraj Sukumaran part of Kalamkaval?

A. No. Prithviraj Sukumaran is not part of Kalamkaval. The actor was initially approached to play a role in the movie, but had to opt out due to scheduling conflicts with L2: Empuraan.