BENGALURU: With FIFA kicking off on June 14 and the whole world engulfed under the football spell, Bengaluru-based Studio Mojo has launched The Mallu Football Anthem in an effort to capture the Malayali passion for football. The anthem was officially launched online by Malayalam superstar Prithviraj recently. The actor says the video is a tribute to all those passionate and die-hard fans of the sport.
Radhakrishnan Ramachandra from Studio Mojo says the video shows the beauty of Kerala. "The video tries to capture the culture and passion for football in Kerala. Though the primary target audience is people between 18 and 30 years of age for any digital content, football is something that every age group loves. We hope it becomes viral in the coming few days," he says. He adds that the video has been receiving positive feedback since its launch and several celebrities, such as Vineeth and Mohammed Rafi, will be sharing it too. The video has already received more than 5,000 views on YouTube.
The video was completed in a week, including its pre-production and editing. "The only challenge we faced was the monsoons. It was pouring heavily in Kerala throughout the day, and was difficult to shoot with the camera. Luckily, for a few days, it did not rain and we could complete the shoot across different parts of Kerala, including Alleppey, Fort Kochi and Malabar," he adds. Finding talent was not a difficult task, as football is one of the most popular sports in the state. "There are many local football teams in Kerala, and many people get hooked on to the game at an early age. There is
no dearth of football talent there," he says.
Radhakrishnan would also like to dedicate the video to all his childhood friends with whom he played the game. "We used to play football in paddy fields and playgrounds. My favourite teams are Spain and Germany," he says.
Singer Anna Katharina Valayil, who received recognition after singing her hit single Appangalembadum for the National award winning Malayalam movie Ustad Hotel, has written the lyrics and lent her voice to the song. She says though she doesn't play the sport, she enjoys being a spectator of the game. "I grew up among football players and sport lovers in Africa till grade five. My father is a football fan too," she says. Writing lyrics for the song, hence, came naturally to her. "I have done a song earlier for the Kerala Blasters. Football has a very special place in my heart. Though I do not have a personal favourite team or player, I do have a soft corner for Kerala Blasters Football," she says, adding that football is not just a sport, but a lifestyle now.