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The Hindu
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Cinematographer-writer Bahul Ramesh on scripting the second season of the web series, ‘Kerala Crime Files'
Bahul Ramesh, who joined the list of cinematographers-cum-scriptwriters in Malayalam cinema with Kishkindha Kaandam, the acclaimed slow-burning thriller by Dinjith Ayyathan, is back again as scenarist with the second season of the web series, Kerala Crime Files: The Search for CPO Ambili Raju. Directed by Ahammed Khabeer, the series is being discussed for its taut screenplay, nuanced character arcs and novel themes. The action is set in the fictitious Kaniyarvila police station limits in Thiruvananthapuram. The officers posted there are being transferred because of their alleged nexus with criminals. When, Ambili Raju (Indrans), one of the cops, goes missing, the newly-appointed officers, Circle Inspector Kurian (Lal) and Sub Inspector Noble (Arjun Radhakrishnan) and their team start the investigation, which eventually leads to shocking revelations about Ambili and his special bond with an ex-convict Ayyappan (Harisree Ashokan). But as the narrative move towards the climax, more truths emerge, eventually leading to apprehending the culprit. In a free-wheeling conversation with MetroPlus, Bahul says that he did not put pressure on himself thinking it was the second season of a successful show. 'Ahammed ikka (Ahammed Khabeer, director of both seasons of KCF) contacted me in September 2023 asking if we could work on the new season. I had just finished Kishkindha Kaandam. He had only a month to pitch the story idea to the streaming platform. It is difficult for me to arrive at a thread just like that, my stories usually develop only once I start writing. I also wanted to give Ahammed enough time to find another story/writer if my idea did not work. However, he was confident and his only request was to include a few characters from the first season so that the viewers are reminded of the franchise,' Bahul says. Bahul became friends with Ahammed at LV Prasad College of Media Studies, Chennai, where he studied cinematography and Ahammed had done an internship. 'Even though he had interned much before I joined, we met through mutual friends. I looked forward to working with him, irrespective of the format or my designation. Jithin Stanislaus, the series' DOP, is also a senior,' he says. The writing for KCF did not involve a lot of research as many would think. 'I have put down the basic things I know, corroborated by what I read in the newspapers, saw on social media, or heard from others. There was no reference for the police characters. Once I finished the script, I fact-checked with experts and consulted a police officer who had helped Ahammed ikka in the first season. It was he who gave us the term passport adichu kitti, a phrase that the police use for transfer orders.' Bahul's expertise, when it comes to character development, is on show in KCF as it was in Kishkindha Kaandam. The way he peels layers of the characters is a mainstay of the story. However, Bahul stresses that it is not deliberate. 'I don't design my characters. The focus is on writing original dialogues and when I do that, the layers show as a byproduct of the process. I don't finalise the story and then write. The narrative develops as I work scene by scene,' he explains. In the context he mentions the scene where Ambili asks his daughter to go to Ayyappan's house and enquire about him. 'Her reluctance to go there hints at tension between the two characters. At the same time, I did not want the daughter's character to be one-dimensional. It was only after establishing this premise that I worked out the relation between Ambili and Ayyappan.' Bahul stresses that he was not concerned about adapting his writing to the web series format, especially arriving at a cliffhanger after each episode. 'I didn't follow that template. I wanted to keep it organic, without gimmicks. It was about pushing the envelope and arriving at a situation naturally, as I travelled with my characters.' In fact, he had 'an interesting way' to fix the duration of each episode. 'Ahammed ikka said that five episodes could be of 30 minutes, and the last one slightly longer. So, once I wrote the 40-page first episode, I gave it to my father to read. It took him 25 minutes and I gauged that it could be the approximate running time of that episode. That is how I got the meter to anchor my syntax. As I wrote each episode, I took it towards a conclusion, keeping that duration in mind, without twists or cliffhangers. Thus, each episode had an organic ending.' Now that deliberations are on about the 'show, don't tell' approach in the series, especially the climax, Bahul avers that he did not want to take the obvious route. 'It does not have an open ending. We have laid to rest all doubts, without stating the obvious. The answers lie in the final scene when Noble smiles, seeing the pack of dogs, thus declaring that his speculations were right.' Interestingly dogs are integral to the storyline and his exploration of the human-animal bond is heart warming. 'Their roles became important as I started working on the script. We had an expert who helped us execute scenes with the dogs. It was, obviously, difficult to make them act on demand. The director and DOP were patient enough to get the right shot.' About featuring a dog with a cognitive disability, Bahul says that he came across a scenario at a friend's house. 'They had a visually impaired dog. It was disturbing. But that's where I got the idea that a dog with a disability would be an interesting material for the series,' he says. Becoming a writer was a dream Bahul chose to keep on the back burner. 'I knew that scripting films was a gamble. Your story could get rejected and if chosen you don't know when it would become a film. So I decided to focus on cinematography, settle in that space, and then start writing scripts.' That opportunity came during during the lockdown, 'since there was nothing else to do. My first script was based on the theme of lockdown which Dinjith Ayyathan was keen to make into a film. That's when I came up with the story of Kishkindha Kaandam and he felt that we should make that first.' Bahul points out that he does not lose sleep over whether people like his scripts or not. 'I follow my instincts, my intuitions. I am open to correcting my mistakes. This attitude comes from parental conditioning. Thanks to my parents who never forced me to study. I have never been under pressure to perform well. They were happy with whatever marks I got. Once, on the eve of my Plus 1 exam, I was so nervous that I thought I would fail. I told my father this and asked if we could go watch a film. He was game and we watched the late evening show of In Ghost House Inn, which was the only movie playing in theatres then!' He is open to criticism as well. 'I want people to express their opinion, be it negative or positive. It is encouraging that they are at least thinking about it. I believe that such observations help in the growth of the content. Sometimes they surprise me with findings that I had never thought of. It is motivating when someone points out that I have tried to do something different. I never wanted to fall back on something that was easy, convenient or formulaic.' Meanwhile, he has finished the shoot for Dinjith's next movie, starring Sandeep Pradeep, due for release later this year.
The Hindu
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Musician Job Kurian on his latest release, ‘Nizhal', and his two-decades-long journey in the industry
Job Kurian is a few months away from completing 20 years as a professional musician. Job is among those few reality show stars whose careers did not fizzle out after their initial tryst with fame; he soldiered on in the independent music scene as a singer and composer. The power and vigour of his voice, the energy that he brings to the stage and the soulful songs he has tuned have made him one of Malayalam's most-loved musicians. When MetroPlus caught up with the musician currently touring the US over a Zoom call, he talked at length about his latest work, 'Nizhal' and what each work means to him. 'Nizhal' looks at a scenario where a son leaves his father at an old age home only to bring him back when he realises his mistake. TG Ravi plays the father, a role, which Job had originally planned for the late Nedumudi Venu. 'The idea came in the form of a tune some four years ago and my dream was to cast Venu uncle. He was family to me and he was also happy to do it. But it was not meant to be since he passed away. The project was almost called off until, two years ago, I revived it. We were lucky that TG Ravi sir agreed to do the role,' says Job. The artiste stresses that the song, also featuring Anoop Mohandas and Master Ahaan, is a reminder to those who neglect the elderly community. 'It is a request to the society. There are umpteen examples of elders not being looked after by their families. I am against the concept of old age homes, for, I believe that as they grow old our elders need extra attention in spite of all their shortcomings. Their contribution to our lives is not small.' Like most of his works, 'Nizhal' too has a personal touch, especially in showcasing the grandfather-grandson bond. 'I was extremely close to my grandmother. I see the same love and affection between my parents and my two sons.' Job adds, 'The shoot was special. The entire process was emotional for each member of the team.' Engandiyoor Chandrasekharan, a regular when it comes to Job's compositions, has written 'Nizhal' as well. 'There is an innate simplicity about him and his verses. He understands what I want and has no hassles about making changes, if I suggest any. He encourages the writer in me as well. When I wrote the four lines of 'Bhaavam', he loved it so much that he decided to write the remaining verses around it,' Job says. The musician is also basking in the sudden attention for 'Kannodu', a song that he composed 10 years ago for Music Mojo Season 3 on Kappa TV. The duet, which he sang with Mridula Warrier, was dedicated to his wife, Athira, after the birth of their first child. 'It became viral out of the blue, thanks to social media. I have always put my heart and soul into all my songs. Maybe, this is the result of that effort. I am neither worried or excited about the reception for my songs. But there is a satisfaction when such appreciation comes my way, even if it is after so many years. In fact, it took six years for my first work, 'Thaalam' to get noticed. Hopefully other songs also will also get recognised sometime in the future,' he says. Looking back at his career, Job adds that his music comes from his experiences. The evergreen 'Padayathra', a duet with Harish Sivaramakrishnan, was inspired by his friend's journey to the Himalayas; 'Enthavo' reflected his state of mind at a point of time; 'Mulla' was about his childhood and relationships; 'Kaalam' was a tribute to an elderly family member; 'Bhaavam' was a message to stay humble and know more about Nature. ''Palaayanam' came out of a fear of the scenario when one might have to leave home to settle down elsewhere. I dread that situation where I could be forced to move out of Kerala. In spite of political polarisation and other contentious issues, I love living here. There is something about our people that keeps us together. Maybe, it is the humanity in us.' He adds, 'Performing for our audience is something different, be it at a music festival or temple ground or any other stage. The people are updated and the energy they bring is something else.' Job considers his playback career as a bonus episode of his journey. His recent release was 'Kaavalaayi' in Empuraan. His one-off film project as a composer was Rasam (2015). 'My priority has always been making my own songs and to develop independent music in Kerala. I believe I have contributed a bit towards that.' He has a band, Job Kurian Live, and the members are Balu, Rony George, Shikku Dan Jacob and Ananthu. However, the journey is tough for an indie artiste, he adds. 'People are not willing to invest in music, whereas they would happily do so for a movie. There is always a risk for an indie musician since there is no guarantee that you will make money. Releasing each song has been a struggle for me. But one's passion can overpower any challenge. There has always been a constant drive to keep working. Hard work pays off, eventually. That is when you get surprises like the reception for 'Kannodu'.'
The Hindu
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Gnatak theatre group to stage Athol Fugard's play, ‘The Train Driver', in Thiruvananthapuram
In 1979, a group of young people in Bengaluru — undergraduate students, doctors, engineers, and scientists — came together to form Gnatak, a theatre collective staging English plays that highlighted the lives of those on the margins. The group remained active for nearly eight years before going dormant, only to be revived in the early 2000s with a series of productions inspired by the works of leading international playwrights. On May 10, Gnatak will stage The Train Driver in Thiruvananthapuram. The 70-minute play, written by recently deceased South African playwright Athol Fugard, is directed by Anikh Ghosh — an independent filmmaker and writer who also directed Gnatak's inaugural production, The Island (also by Fugard), in 1979. MetroPlus caught up with the Gnatak team currently in the city: actors Abraham Karimpanal and Rohit Dave, and members of the technical crew, Michael Joseph (lighting) and Sutosom Chakraborthy (sound). Abraham and Michael, both 65, have been with Gnatak since its inception. Abraham, also a director and lighting designer, has worked with stalwarts such as Kavalam Narayana Panikkar, Gracias Devaraj, and Prakash Aswani. Michael, a filmmaker and educator known for his pioneering work with various institutions, is director at the Datsi School for Storytellers in Thiruvananthapuram, a collaboration between Zebu Animation Studios and Additional Skill Acquisition Programme (ASAP) Kerala. Rohit, 53, was formerly with Rafiki Theatre and has also worked extensively as a voice artist. Sutosom, in his late 20s, is a CG lighting artist and mentor at Datsi; this production marks his first collaboration with Gnatak. Reality on stage The Train Driver is based on a harrowing real-life event — a mother who died by suicide on a railway track with her three young children. In the play, Roelf Visagie, an Afrikaner train driver, is haunted after his train runs over a Black woman and her baby, still strapped to her back. Wracked with guilt, he turns up at a graveyard and meets Simon, the Black gravedigger tasked with burying the nameless dead. As their conversation unfolds, Roelf slowly begins to make sense of his inner turmoil and the world around him. Abraham and Rohit have been portraying Simon and Roelf respectively since the play's first staging in 2014. 'One of the reasons we chose this piece is its logistical ease — it has only two actors and can be performed in any space,' says Rohit. 'But more than that, although it was written in post-apartheid South Africa, the theme still resonates. It's about two people — from very different backgrounds — trying to understand one another.' Abraham adds, 'It's an emotional work and a challenge for any actor. It suits our style.' Michael expands on this. 'We've been influenced by the likes of Jerzy Grotowski, Peter Brook, and Eugenio Barba — pioneers who moved away towards 'physical theatre which celebrated the body and dislodged the centrality of the spoken word'. Our productions have always focused on those pushed to the margins. What's interesting is how much energy each actor brings — it feeds into the other's performance. For us, it's always been about intense collaboration.' As for lighting, Michael says it evolves with each performance. 'Fugard plays with time while remaining in the same physical setting. A scene may begin at dusk and slip into night — so I have to make subtle changes.' Sutosom sees this experience as a growth opportunity. 'It's a chance to push myself and contribute a different dimension to the production,' he says. Abraham notes that The Train Driver will offer audiences in Kerala a different kind of theatre. 'This isn't conventional professional theatre, nor is it the stylised, experimental kind. It is about ordinary people and raw emotion. We don't use masks or exaggerated movements to hide the narrative.' The team sees the production as a tribute to Fugard and his body of work. 'It's been remarkable to see him mature into a masterly playwright. The craft he developed as a writer was so exquisite and nuanced,' Michael says. The Train Driver, produced by Datsi School for Storytellers and Zebu Animation Studios, will be staged at Ganesham, Thycaud, on May 10. For tickets, contact 9447112918.
