Krishand’s Masthishka Maranam (A Frankenbiting of Simon’s Memories), starring Rajisha Vijayan in the lead, has been acquired by Netflix for streaming. The makers announced the development on Tuesday, though an exact premiere date has not been disclosed. The science fiction comedy, which was released in theatres on February 27, opened to positive reviews from critics, praising its dark humour and Rajisha’s performance.
Produced by Ajith Vinayaka Films in association with Krishand Films, Masthishka Maranam is set in a near-future, cyberpunk Kochi where human memories can be extracted, traded and consumed through virtual platforms. The story centres on a grieving father Bimal Raj (Niranj Maniyanpilla Raju), who turns to a virtual reality memory console to reconnect with his deceased child, drawing him into a wider network of traded memories tied to the life and image of superstar Frida Soman (Rajisha). The ensemble cast also includes Divya Prabha, Vishnu Agasthya, Suresh Krishna, Jagadish, Rahul Rajagopal, Ann Saleem, Nandu and Santhy Balachandran, among others.
An excerpt from the CE review of the film reads, “The film is consistently funny, and it relies on comedy to carry the heavier load. Krishand's basic premise appears to be that human nature, with its pettiness, its appetite, and its ability to deceive itself, has retained its form regardless of the technology that surrounds it.”
Krishand, a National Award-winner, is best known for helming critically acclaimed films like Aavasavyuham and Purusha Pretham. Up next, he is set to collaborate with Tovino Thomas and Darshana Rajendran for a new film, which the filmmaker describes as a “magical love story”.