KOCHI: He is the undisputed master of soaps. K K Rajeev, the telly director who could easily convert Malayalis to TV junkies, is now all set to take silver screen by storm. His 70 mm debut ‘Njanum Ente Familiyum’ is expected to hit screens on February 3.
Rajeev says his film is a dissection of the concept of family and deals with a theme slightly different from what we normally consider ‘ideal’. The story of ‘Njanum Ente Familiyum’ is centred on a medico couple played by Jayaram and Mamta Mohandas. “It’s about a doctor family and how there erupts a clash of professional and personal ethics forms the crux of the film,” he elaborates.
Rajeev says though Jayaram’s Dr Dinanathan has an amiable and dignified demeanor in the film, his character is essentially multi-layered. “Though there is no drastic switch from what the audience normally expect from the actor, you will find an unanticipated angle.” He also ensures that the film will be a reinventing affair for the actor, who is a favourite with the family audience. “Mamta’s role is equally strong and both the lead actors have come out with a brilliant performance,” he says. Mythili, who is cast opposite Manoj K Jayan in the film, also handles a crucial role.
K K Rajeev, who is known for delivering an array of small-screen hits like ‘Peythozhiyathe’, ‘Swapnam’, ‘Avicharitham’, ‘Amma Manassu’, ‘Orma’, ‘Mazhayariyathe’, and ‘Vadakaku Oru Hridayam’, says the audience wants poignant family tales from him. If heavy-duty drama had been the hallmark of his serials, his first adventure with big screen is slightly different in terms of treatment. “For television the target audience is always the women folk, but films have a larger canvas and are meant for all the segments,” he says.
Rajeev also adds that films require extreme attention in all aspects as there is no scope for improving. “Unlike serials films are conceived in totality. The script has to be crisp and you cannot afford to dilute the story to make it ‘mega’. In serials if one episode is weak you can make up in the next. You can come up with abrupt twists to skyrocket the TRPs. None of this is possible in films,” he says.
Rajeev says though he had planned his big screen entry earlier too, he feels now is the right time and right project. The cast of the film also includes Nedumudy Venu, Jagathy and Mallika Sukumaran.