Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal director Sharan Venugopal on getting a dream cast for his debut, National Award-winning short film and more | Exclusive

Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal director Sharan Venugopal had quite a different path to the cinema. Unlike most other filmmakers, Sharan Venugopal was not exposed to a lot of films, growing up in northern Kerala. However, he realized his passion for cinema during his engineering years and ventured into filmmaking. His short film Oru Paathiraa Swapnam Pole, a student project while he was studying at Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute, went on to win a National Award. Sharan is now gearing up for his feature film debut Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal, which releases on February 7, 2025, and stars Joju George, Suraj Venjaramoodu, and Alencier Ley Lopez in the lead roles. In an exclusive interview with OTTplay, Sharan talks about getting a dream cast for his debut feature film, National Award-winning short film, and more. Read on

Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal director Sharan Venugopal interview

Your debut feature film Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal is releasing on February 7, 2025. Could you tell us more about the project and expectations?

Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal is a family drama, it is a heavily emotional story. I cannot say anything more, better to watch the film in cinemas. But yes, I feel very positive about the project

How did the project materialise? And the three main actors Joju George, Suraj Venjaramoodu, and Alencier Ley Lopez come on board?

I wrote a one-line about this project way back in 2018. Then I was a student at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute. The writing process happened over several stages and had breaks. In between, Covid also happened. I completed the first draft in 2021. During the writing process, their names came to my mind. First I spoke to Joju chettan about the script. He said he liked it, and very relatable. Then I felt more confident, and approached Suraj chettan and also got a positive response. Then eventually Alencier chettan also came on board.

How was your experience of working with Joju Goerge, who is also a director now, and Suraj Venjaramoodu, particularly?

It was a really good experience. Joju chettan had not directed Pani then. After this film, he got involved with the shoot of Pani. They were all good to work with. Especially for a debut director, this is a dream cast. I was very excited to work with them and I also got to learn a lot. I did not have much prior experience within the industry even though I have done projects in the institute. But when you enter the industry it is a totally different game, so they all helped to adapt. Not just the three, but the other cast members too.

Also read - Pani movie review: Joju George aces directorial test with a relentless, thrilling revenge drama 

The film was earlier announced to release on January 16, 2025, but is releasing in February now. Why was it postponed?

The pre-production of the film started in 2022, we started shooting in 2023. And in between the producer changed and Joby George Thadathil of Goodwill Entertainments came on board. After he took over, we completed the film. It was announced first for January release but we had to take care of some more factors and we felt February 7 was a better date.

Before Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal you directed a short film Oru Paathiraa Swapnam Pole which went on to win the National Award for Best Film on family values. Your feature debut is also about family drama. Any reason why you choose this genre for both of your projects?

There is no particular reason. Oru Paathiraa Swapnam Pole was not written as a family-based project. It is about the journey of the female protagonist (Nadiya Moidu) but family values also came into the picture. Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal is completely different from that. The film is set in Koyilandy in Kozhikode. What I had in mind was the space, and the story was formed with the characters and their interactions. It was an organic writing process. Rather than family, what mostly excites me is the interpersonal relationships. In the short film, it is about mother-daughter relationships.

You have written and directed your projects. Is that your filmmaking process?

That’s what I prefer. Writing is something that excites me a lot. But I would like to direct a movie which is written by others.

Even your debut short film featured Nadiya Moidu in the lead role. How did the veteran actress come on board the project when you were a student at the institute?

Even when I was writing the short film, I had Nadiya Madam in my mind. I was not sure of approaching such a big actor for a student project. But my team was very confident and I messaged her. She asked me to send her script and she was very happy about it. We have a lot of limitations while doing such a project. It was a big gesture on her part to say yes to a student project because, at the time, I just had the tag of being a student.

Did winning a National Award help you in making your feature film debut?

There is no easy way to enter films. It is a difficult process that everyone has to go through. Maybe the time taken would be different. But when you approach an actor, I can say that I did this short film which won a National Award. It is like having an address. But that apart, I am not sure if it helped. I don't know if I can say that.

Your short film had woman protagonists, while the feature debut has three male actors. About writing male and female characters?

Before Oru Paathiraa Swapnam Pole, I had done short films at the institute that also had female protagonists. Writing female characters as a male writer has its own set of challenges. You are too careful not to have that male gaze. But also found it very interesting, understanding their psychology. About Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal, it is not just about the three sons. There are several other male and female characters in the film. It is comparatively easier to write about male characters, and how they react to certain incidents or better understand their psyche.

You said you would like to explore interpersonal relationships through films. What are the other topics/genres you would like to consider?

In filmmaking, I would like to do films in varied genres. I consume all types of films, be it comedy, or action. I would like to explore everything, even a mass, masala, commercial entertainer.

You studied at Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute after completing BTech. How did you venture into films, especially since you said you did not watch many films growing up?

We naturally feel a fascination for things that are not easily accessible to us. However, I felt like pursuing filmmaking seriously during my engineering years in Thiruvananthapuram after I moved there from Kozhikode. Thiruvananthapuram city has a very vibrant film culture with a lot of film festivals and it is there, I got exposed to this kind of cinema. When I did some short films, I had a feeling that the language of cinema is something that I can communicate through more than any other art form. Then I joined Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute.

Who would be your favourite filmmakers and writers from Malayalam?

Adoor Gopalakrishnan is one of my favorites and his movies like Anantharam, and Elippathayam. Aravindan's Kummatty is also among the films that I like a lot. Among contemporary filmmakers, I like Dileesh Pothan's films. I like Girish AD’s films too like Premalu that are very entertaining. Among writers, Syam Pushkaran definitely. Then Christo Tomy who made Ullozhukku. He is also a senior from the institute and we communicate on and off about projects.

Your upcoming projects?

Currently, I am working on a film project which is being written by two of my friends and I will be directing it. But it is too early to say anything about it. The script is completed but we haven’t started pre-production. The film will be more like a comedy/ thriller genre. Comedy is one genre that is well-liked and I also laughed a lot when I read the script.