Kunchacko Boban at Locarno International Film Festival: ‘Don’t be ok with being pan-Indian, go global’

August has just begun but Kunchacko Boban seems to be having the time of his life already. The actor, who has been receiving a lot of love for his dance moves in the Devadoothar Paadi remix from Nna Thaan Case Kodu, has much to look forward to. After all, he is currently in Switzerland attending the 75th Locarno International Film Festival with his film Ariyippu.

The actor took to his social media page on Wednesday to share that he is at the Swiss city with the film’s director Mahesh Narayanan and also revealed why it’s special for him. The movie will be screened today as part of the competition section of the festival.

“After 25 years in the industry, it’s going to be my first ever experience attending a film festival anywhere,” he said, adding where better to start than Locarno. The actor said it’s a “blessing and honour” to be part of the festival and hoped that the movie could go on to achieve greater things. The actor also added that people shouldn’t be “ok with being pan-Indian… Go global”.

Ariyippu revolves around a couple from Kerala, who work in a medical gloves factory in Delhi. However, after an old video reemerges, it threatens the personal and professional lives of its protagonists played by Kunchacko and Divya Prabha.

In an interview with Variety, Kunchacko had said that to screen their film at Locarno has served as a “launchpad” with the makers being invited to several other film festivals across the world. Mahesh, who recently scripted Fahadh Faasil’s Malayankunju, had added that it was always a dream to showcase one of his films in a revered film festival before its release and with Ariyippu, set to premiere on August 4, it has finally happened.

Ariyippu, which marks Kunchacko's second collaboration with Mahesh after Take Off, is also co-produced by the actor.