Exclusive! Tovino Thomas’ Vazhakku is an extension of the ‘quest for life’ theme of my films: Sanal Kumar Sasidharan

Director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan’s Vazhakku, which was shot in 2020, is finally gearing up to be showcased in theatres, first at the International Film Festival of Kerala next month. The movie’s trailer, which was released on Tuesday, promises another gripping drama-thriller from the mind of the filmmaker, who helmed movies such as Chola, Ozhivudivasathe Kali and Sexy Durga.

In an exclusive chat with OTTPlay, the acclaimed filmmaker talks to us about his latest venture Vazhakku, which has Tovino Thomas, Kani Kusruti and Sudev Nair in lead roles. “Vazhakku is an extension of my previous films. Quest for life is the central theme in all my movies. At its core, the film analyses how the small friction within our families spreads to the society,” he says, adding that the movie states that quarrel in the movie is not just between the people but also within them.

The movie has Tovino essaying the role of a lawyer named Sidharthan. “It’s about a day, more like one and half hours, that he experiences in a particular stage of his life. Vazhakku also has a mix of mystery and reality, like in my previous movies which have used the concept of Maya, where what you see isn’t necessarily what’s real,” explains the director.

On roping in the Minnal Murali star for the movie during the pandemic, Sanal says, “He is interested in being part of such films. He had approached me earlier, saying we should do a movie together. We had discussed a few projects and then when I sent him this script, he agreed to be part of it and also produce it.”

Sanal’s pattern of filmmaking requires his actors to improvise and draw on their experiences to essay their characters. Ask him if getting acting powerhouses such as Tovino, Kani and Sudev made the job easier for him and he says, “It did. All three of them have deep insights about life. More than performers, they are brilliant artistes, who have clarity on things. It wasn’t a process where you spoon feed the artistes and capture the reflection. Based on our discussions, they expressed themselves in the films and we only captured that on the camera for the screen. This natural process also gives life to the characters.”