Exploring Love and Friendship
When a gang of friends are meeting after 14 years, trying to relive their long-lost college days, there is bound to have some fun and firework. And, Bash Mohammed’s Lukka Chuppi is perhaps one film that delves into all flavours and colours of friendship. “It is a feel-good family drama woven around a reunion. ‘Lukka Chuppi’ means a game of hide and seek. When a married couple enter their mid 30s, they are somehow dragged into this dubious game,” says the director.
The film maps the incidents of one night when six college-mates get together after an extended gap. They all come with their spouses and the night has many surprises in store for the wives. They have met the serious and stressed-out family men, but not their jovial, laid-back selves. “The men cherishing and revising their good ol’ days leave the women startled and insecure,” he says.
Lukka Chuppi is not a hero-oriented film and features an interesting potpourri of stars in its cast. Jayasurya plays Raghu Ram, the former creative director of an ad agency. “He was the campus poet, who falls for his college-mate Annie and later marries her. Raghu resigns his high-paying job because he is keen on writing something creative. He says he is tired of whipping up stuff for his clients,” Bash says. Chinnu Kuruvila steps into the role of Annie, a fashion designer.
Murali Gopi is Siddharth, a Dubai-based banker and Revathy, the character of his wife essayed by Remya Nambeesan, is a homemaker. Siddharth used to be a singer during his student days, but his wife has hardly any idea about his interest in music. He is now hooked on market stats and has no time for such indulgences.
“Joju George plays Dr Rafeeq who comes from a modest background, but is married to a rich girl. Muthumani appears on screen as his dominating wife Suhra,” he adds. Benny, Dinesh Nair’s character, was one of the most brilliant students on campus and a former rank-holder. “The once-company-CEO is now an auto driver. Siju Kurup plays Fr Xavier, a priest and the only one without a partner among the six,” he adds.
Asmita Sood who plays Radhika and Indrans who appears as Narayanan are the other key characters.
There are a couple of factors that keep Lukka Chuppi apart as it blends humour, drama and an element of surprise. “It’s not a film built on a hero-heroine format. It unravels all six lives in a very light and pleasant style while maintaining an air of feel-goodness till the last frame. Moreover, dialogue delivery is the most important aspect of the narrative, the very reason we decided to bring Resul Pookutty on board,” he says. The film has its music composed by Bijibal to the lines penned by Rafeeq Ahmed.
Another USP of Lukka Chuppi is that the entire movie has been shot at a single location, a waterside resort. “We spent a lot of money on the set and all the properties you see in the film are imported. It is shown as the holiday home of Murali Gopi’s character. Since the two-hour film is completely canned inside, that too within an evening-to-night time span, we wanted the set to be perfect,” he reasons.
Lukka Chuppi produced by Feel Reel Cinemas will hit the screens this week.