Khalid Rahman: Alappuzha Gymkhana was born out of my own experiences | Exclusive

If there’s one Malayalam director who has managed to surprise and entertain the audience, in equal measure, with each and every one of his films, it’s arguably Khalid Rahman. From Anuraga Karikkin Vellam and Unda to Love and Thallumaala, Khalid seems to know the pulse of the audience, even though he vehemently denies it.

In an exclusive chat with OTTplay, the director talks about his latest film Alappuzha Gymkhana, which stars Naslen, Lukman Avaran, Anagha Ravi and several other youngsters, his personal connection with the movie and what went into creating the April 10 theatrical release.

Watch Naslen's best movies, including Premalu, 18+ and Super Sharanya, on OTTplay Premium [Subscribe Now] 

Usually, after a hugely successful movie like Thallumaala, filmmakers would opt for a film made on a bigger budget and stars. Instead, you have chosen to make a sports comedy with a bunch of young actors that you are also co-producing. Why?

When I pick my next film, I don’t think about whether it’s big or small. I could crack the idea of Alappuzha Gymkhana quickly, and it’s something that I am personally invested in. It’s based on a sport that I love, it’s about teenager,s and so we have younger actors as part of it. That’s also why I decided to produce the movie, which is also written by me. That’s how it organically happened.

Fan of boxing movies? Watch Saala Khadoos, Mukkabaaz and more on OTTplay Premium

As part of the movie, you yourself had dedicated time to learning the ropes for boxing, and then you had to cast a group of young actors who too had to go through that grind. Tell us about that.

It’s a process that I enjoyed. What I thought would be the most interesting part of making this film was that I had to bring in a bunch of youngsters and work with them. It’s not a boxing film that is shouldered by a single hero or a superstar. There is a group of young actors whom I could mould in whichever way I wanted. They would also give the project their time and energy; all of that was the advantage that I saw before I did the film. And it worked out well.

Talking about moulding characters, right from your first film Anuraga Karikkin Vellam, in which you cast the then newcomer Rajisha Vijayan, as a filmmaker, do you prefer casting actors who don’t influence the audience’s expectations before they come into the theatres?

Actually, I haven’t forcefully designed all of that. Whenever I get an idea, I try to develop it and then try and make it better with every draft and the artistes that are available. There aren’t too many options for us in the Malayalam film industry, we have a limited number of actors. So, when we are working with them, we try to get the best output from them.

Thallumaala drew a lot from the world of the youngsters, and Alappuzha Gymkhana too, from what we know of the film through its promo material, would also tap into that. Do you keep a tab on that while writing your scripts?

I think it’s just Thallumaala that had a fresh, youthful energy among the films that I have done. And that was because there was that energy in that film’s title itself, and we were sure that it had to deliver at that pace. When it comes to Alappuzha Gymkhana, because it’s a movie about boxing, the energy is similar as on screen too, you see these boxing matches. But I am not making these films, understanding the ‘pulse of the audience’. Instead, I would want to watch this movie in a theatre, and that’s the reason I am doing it.

How do you go about casting for your films?

From Alappuzha Gymkhana’s cast, there are only two newbies. The others have all acted before. Even though Baby Jean hadn’t acted before, he is an artiste. I have felt that all of them have the calibre to create their own space in the industry.

Plus, apart from a few newcomers, I have worked with all the others in the film. So, I was well aware of their strengths and weaknesses. When it came to picking Naslen, who is someone going from strength to strength with every film, I thought I could use his energy for the character and the film; that’s the reason.

They also had to put in a lot of work, to get in shape and learn the sport.

Yes, when we cast them, we made it clear that they had to spend so much time to physically look the part; only then would we be able to complete the shoot. Else, they would get injured, and the shoot would be delayed. At the end of the day, it’s a sport and even though you are just smartly capturing it, there’s a certain amount of physicality involved. All credit to every one of them for agreeing to dedicate their time to that.

Boxing films have always enamoured our audiences and there are so many cult examples such as the Rocky movies or even Sarpatta Parambarai. Have you taken inspiration from any of those for certain scenes and how have you tried to adapt it?

It’s not a movie that I was inspired to make after watching a Hollywood film. It’s an idea borne out of my experiences as a youngster. A few friends and I, during our higher secondary days, spent time learning boxing – as a hobby and for reasons best known to teenagers. So, I have had an interest in the sport from those days onwards. Those experiences are what urged me to make this film.

Do you think it would kick off a fitness trend in Kerala? Before Vaaranam Aayiram’s release, Suriya had said that the youth, whenever they encounter mental issues, instead of seeking solace in drugs or addictive substances, they should try and spend time working out or indulging in a sport to feel better, long term.

It’s great advice. To work out or find time to take care of your body to feel better is something that has been practiced for a long time and is scientifically proven. It’s something that I am interested in, for my physical and mental well-being. If this movie helps a few youngsters take that path, then let it happen.