Malayalam director Akhil Sathyan: ‘Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum will have a recall value, like my father’s films’

Malayalam filmmaker Akhil Sathyan

Akhil Sathyan insists that it is a record of sorts — twin brothers coming out with back-to-back commercially and critically viable films in the same industry. They are also taking over a legacy reinforced by their legendary filmmaker father, Sathyan Anthikad. Another startling reality is in how their films are so alike in temperament, mood, and composition. If Sathyan Anthikad thrived in relatable, simplistic milieus that spawned realistic characters who spoke the language of familial bonding and relationships with a touch of the feel-good, the sons stuck to a similar template but updated it with the evolving cinematic grammar and relationship dynamics. You can witness it in Anoop Sathyan’s rom-com Varane Avashyamund (2020) as well as Akhil Sathyan’s recently released dramedy, Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum. We had a quick chat with Akhil after the screening of the film about his directorial debut, assisting his father, and working with fresh faces. Edited excerpts:

When did you grow a fondness for cinema?

Our childhood was spent at Anthikad, with no exposure to cinema. But after Plus-2 (Class XII), my brother and I felt drawn towards cinema by watching Mani Ratnam films. That’s when we thought about studying cinema seriously but were discouraged by my father as he felt it was an uncertain profession. During graduation, we started seeing a lot of films and even planned to do MSC Visual Media. But then Dad suggested we pursue MSC in computer science. We got placements at Wipro. But when Anoop got into NID (National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad), Dad felt he could no longer discourage us from pursuing our passion.

And then you did over 30-plus ads?

My cousins were doing premium ads in Mumbai, and I joined them and was able to work with some fine technicians. That’s where I learnt to become a good assistant director (AD). But after one ad, I joined my father’s set. That plan backfired as I felt I was being taunted indirectly for being a nepo kid. I developed clinical depression and had to take six months of treatment. But post that I gained a lot of energy and started working in advertisements. I loved working with DOPs. Then Dad called me for Snehaveedu (2011), and it helped me a lot. I could understand that I could be a good AD.

Who is a good AD?

An AD has to coordinate everything on the sets. A single mistake can cost you a lot. The role of an AD is severely underestimated. I think I was able to pull off Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum because of my experience as an assistant director. It’s a difficult film to shoot for a newcomer.

 When did you feel you were ready to make your debut?

I worked as an associate director in my dad’s Oru Indian Pranayakadha (2013). That was even more challenging as I needed to be on the same page as the director. Though I was part of Jomonte Suvisheshangal (2017), I wasn’t allowed to be involved in the script. But that changed in Njan Prakashan (2018). Not just that, I was able to introduce a character at a crucial juncture in the film. I also did all the casting. I am always keen on roping in new faces as they add more authenticity to a character. It was Njan Prakashan that led to Pachu… After 10 years, we felt we were ready to go it alone. It was Nivin Pauly who called and suggested that we should plan something.

Then how did you end up with Fahadh Faasil? What does FaFa, the actor, bring to the table?

Nivin had date clashes due to Thuramukham. Then one day, when Nivin wasn’t picking up the call, I got a random call from Fahadh. When I narrated the story, Fahadh wondered if he could do it. I was in a dilemma as Nivin was instrumental in starting the project. But Nivin agreed.

It’s really sad that Fahadh is always slotted in heavy complex psycho roles. Very few people have explored his humorous side. Fahadh is like a sponge. This is, perhaps, his laziest effort. He usually only wants the first narration to be clear. Look how he was able to reproduce the same quality even after three years.

Why are you so averse to your film being termed feel-good?

That’s a lazy way to describe a film. If there is a soft moment on screen, they automatically call it feel-good. I would then call Bheeshma Parvam (2022) and Varathan (2018) as feel-good as I felt good after watching these films. I can’t do a film without these soft moments, so I think I will always be slotted as a feel-good director. Since this film didn’t have fake cinematic action, it became feel-good.

Why did you locate the film in Mumbai and Goa?

I wanted to change the localised flavour that’s usually attached to my father’s films. Mumbai and Goa don’t get the usual depiction either. We have not shown the shacks and beaches of Goa, for instance. I have mostly shot at places that I have personally visited.  I still recall the visual of a rusty ship and slum when I went to Goa. That sort of stuck with me when I made this film.

The casting is very interesting and unexpected.

For the role of the Muslim grandmother, we were looking for a new face who looked like Nafisa Ali and spoke English and Hindi fluently. Our Bengaluru-based casting director recalled seeing a woman wearing lots of bangles and the search led to Viji Venkatesh, who heads a busy NGO. Though reluctant at first, she agreed after hearing the story.

And the character Hamsadhwani? It was refreshing to see a heroine who didn’t cater to the conventional beauty standards. The scene in which she talks about loss and grief is so profound.

I kept improvising the screenplay and it was during such a process that Hamsadhwani (essayed by Anjana Jayaprakash) crept into the plot. I loved the three-dimensional angle Fahadh has with the three women in the film. Hamsadhwani was forcefully made for this film, but she ended up being my favourite character. We auditioned over 30 actors, but none was getting the talking part of a scene right. Anjana nailed it. But there was a lot of opposition to her casting.

We were impressed by how she performed the scene in which she talks about her brother. When other actors cried while enacting the scene, Anjana had a slow smile while saying the dialogue. I wanted a fresh face when the door is opened. It’s a stunningly curated shot.

For me, Innocent Uncle’s death was painful, but we don’t let it go. We continue to have good memories through his death. Whenever I see that scene with Hamsadhwani in it, I keep thinking of my Innocent uncle.

Both Varane Avashyamund and, now, Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum have fascinatingly original female characters.

You know, I was shocked by Romancham (2023). There are no women at all and is being sold as a fun film for boys. Vikram is a blockbuster but has no strong female presence. And Pushpa contains deeply problematic female characters. Anoop’s female friends are an important part of his life. I think Dad had a lot of good female characters, but we reversed certain things our dad did.

Compassion for a stranger is a recurrent theme in your father’s films. That’s the core of Pachuvum…

Yes. The truth is that I have seen such strange bonds in real life in families in Chennai. After I wrote the story, they said the same story and I was flummoxed.

The long running time, 2 hours 51 minutes, somehow seemed right.

This script demanded the running time. In fact, a new story starts after the second half. Look at Bangalore Days (2014) and Premam (2015). I can easily cut short Premam into 2 hours but it won’t be the same. I took the length to add the emotions. Two important scenes were there for four minutes, and I felt it was cruel to leave that out. I would rather be accused of length than let people say that it is a bad film.

Why did it take so long to make though?

FaFa (Fahadh Faasil) became busy with the OTT boom and Vikram (2022) and Pushpa: The Rise — Part 1 (2021), and, therefore, was uncertain if the film would be finished. But somehow I trusted this film. I felt this film will have a recall value, like my father’s films.

Why do you think your father’s film has so much recall value?

I think the beauty of his films was in the lighter moments which were easily relatable. Pachu... will have that re-watch quality. In this film, I think I have managed to break the stereotype of women rescuing men that was there in my father’s films. Here Pachu reforms the heroine.