Thuramukham on OTT: ‘Don’t understand how you can spend Rs 100 Cr on a film when people go hungry,’ says Rajeev Ravi

Through his movies Annayum Rasoolum, Kammattipaadam and Njan Steve Lopez, director Rajeev Ravi had proved that he can make hard-hitting content in a relatively controlled budget. His latest release, Thuramukham, was probably his biggest film till date, but even the film, starring Nivin Pauly, Indrajith Sukumaran and Poornima Indrajith, was wrapped within a reasonable budget for a period movie of that scale.

In an exclusive chat with OTTplay, Rajiv says that he is still ignorant about the business aspects of cinema and if Malayalam does require a big budget, pan-Indian films like KGF, Vikram and RRR to provide a much-need push to the industry.

Also read: Nivin Pauly: Thuramukham is an evenly-paced social drama with a moving culmination | Exclusive 

“I enjoy filmmaking; I love the process of making films irrespective of the kind of movies I do,” he says. “But I am not an expert on the business aspect of films. Obviously, we should consider that this is an ‘industry’ also and that it has to progress. When big movies come, a lot of money is invested and that is good for the industry. I am yet to figure out the Rs 100Cr-Rs 200Cr budgets; I don’t know how people can spend so much money on making films when there are people out there hungry. I am not talking about Malayalam films here.”

Thuramukham will be available to stream on OTTplay Premium | Subscribe now 

The filmmaker however admits that Malayalam cinema is going through a good phase now and that has got to do with the writers. “We are bringing out a lot of interesting content. Some of my contemporaries who are writers such as Ajay Mangad, Benoy are doing really well. So, we have a lot of good writers. A lot of youngsters are coming out with great stories, short stories and even novels. In the past two decades, few people wrote novels. So, that also reflects in the kind of movies that are being made right now,” says the filmmaker, who had also cranked the camera for Bollywood movies such as Gangs of Wasseypur, Bell Bottom and Udta Punjab.

Also read: Thuramukham serves as a reminder of the proletariat's power and Mattancherry’s history: Rajeev Ravi | Exclusive 

Thuramukham, which is set to drop on Sony LIV on April 28, is based on the play of the same name. The movie will also be available to stream on OTTplay Premium.