After his offbeat hit, Elsamma Enna Aankutty, that once again proved true his dictum -’The story is what matters the most, not the stars,’ Lal Jose, who is enjoying a long break from films, says he will be packing his bags to Spain in July to shoot for his next movie. “The work on the script is going on,” he says, looking relaxed and happy.
His next movie does raise high hopes, as Lal Jose has delivered some delightful superhits with Dileep like Meesa Madhavan and Chandupottu which were absolute treats with fine storylines, refreshing treatment and melodious songs.
Lal Jose himself admits that he has got high hopes for his next film, the big-budget-Spanish-delight. “It will be the first time a Malayalam movie is shot fully in Spain. It is a love story with a Spanish heroine. The film also stars Kunchako Boban. The script is penned by Benny P Nayarambalam,” he said. The film is tentatively titled Spanish Masala, but Lal Jose says the name is not confirmed yet.
It was the delay of the Mohanlal-Prithviraj multistarrer Cousins scheduled to start shooting in March, that led to the extension of dates. The film which has been in the cards for a few years now has been delayed yet again and is now scheduled to start shooting in December.
His days after this movie are all going to be action packed, first, there is Cousins, and then there is a Mammootty starrer, to be scripted by A Vijesh.
A Prithviraj starrer scripted by Bobby-Sunjay team (who wrote the script of Traffic and Casanova) is also coming up.
Though his special liking for certain actors is wellknown he says the story is more important than everything else. “Once there is a good story and script, casting can be done accordingly.” As for his penchant for new faces, (Kavya, Samvrutha, Tessa, Muktha, Meera Nandhan, Jyotirmayi, Ann Augustine, Kailash, Sivaji Guruvayoor etc were introduced by Lal Jose.) he says “Often it is difficult to get the dates of established stars. As for heroines, once they are established, they will be very busy, often acting in many languages. With new faces, there is no such problem.” During his break from films, he shot for an ad-film for a jewellery brand starring Nafisa Ali and model-turned-actor Aditi at the traditional environment of the Hill Palace.
He is currently anchoring the TV show Cinemakaryangal on Amrita TV and is a judge in Vivel Big Break being aired on Surya TV . “Cinemakaryangal gives a lot of insight into the world of films. I think reality shows do give exposure to youngsters who want to enter the showbiz”, he says. “Whatever negative aspects people point out about them, it does help these youngsters by giving them a stage to perform. There are many good looking and talented people in Kerala, but the lack of training is a problem.
Reality shows solve this problem to an extent. Some of the shows arrange for good training, which is quite important.”
Lal Jose admits that the film field is a very difficult one to get into, especially for someone with no connections. It often takes a lot of talent and much luck to get in and survive here.”
He talks about his own experience, “I became an independent director after working as an assistant for around nine years, under ten directors. Even then I think I was lucky. For someone with no connections in the industry, who did not even have any plans to enter the industry, I should consider myself really fortunate. His parents were both teachers. “After graduation, I went to Chennai to do a course in Manuel Colour Processing. There I stayed with some people who were associated with films, who encouraged me and introduced me to the right people. That is how I got into films.”
Lal Jose says that he prefers to do one movie a year spends the rest of the time with his family at Ottappalam. He thinks he is blessed to have a supporting family.
Leena, his wife, a primary school teacher, and daughters Irene and Catherine are perfectly understanding and supportive, he says. Irene, a degree student at Stella Maris, Chennai, is interested in writing.
She had won a district level script-writing contest some time back, says the proud father. And his younger daughter Catherine who is in the sixth standard also watches his films and comments on them.