“Those who walk in the plains seldom meet with accidents. But it is a routine affair for those who love trekking. I want each film to be different and love taking risks. And that might involve encounter with mishaps,” director Lal Jose analysed his career as a director, made up of both hits and misses alike.
Commercial success played hide and seek with him, like when ‘Achanurangatha Veedu’ was sandwiched between mega hits ‘Chandu Pottu’ and ‘Class mates’ or a dud ‘Spanish Masala’ between ‘Diamond Necklace’ and ‘Elsamma Enna Aankutty’, both hits. The man who entered the tinsel world by assisting director Kamal in ‘Pradesika Varthakal’ debuted with ‘Oru Maravathoor Kanavu’. It presented Mammooty in an unusual role and became a big hit in 1998.
Though the next film ‘Chandranudikkunna Dikkil’ couldn’t repeat a similar success, it attracted crowds. But his third film ‘Randam Bhaavam’, one of his personal favourites, sank without a trace.
He had a dream-like come back with ‘Meesamadhavan’ but again bit the dust in the next two films.
“I think it is a big mistake to brand the films portraying metro life as new generation films. ‘Chaandupottu’ and ‘Classmates’ had new themes and narrative style. But none cared to include them in the genre of new gen. It is a tragedy that only those films with violent and negative themes are termed as new gen films. I don’t agree to this and believe virtue should win over vice in all ages. I don’t claim that I am a new generation film maker but let me be called a bridge between the films of old generation and new generation,”says the director from the ‘Kamal school’ which carries the legacy of legendary film maker KS Sethumadhavan.
Music of the soul
“I love music and so my films will have good songs.I don’t act as a master to my music team. Freedom opens the sky of creativity. So I don’t mind giving freedom to my team, hence they will bring out the best in them. I don’t like pressurizing them”, Lal Jose reveals the secret behind the musical side of his movies. The songs in his movies never failed to strike a chord with the viewers, whether the tunes were scored by Vidyasagar, Bijibal or Alex Paul.
Made in Dubai
Though he experimented as an actor, TV presenter and scriptwriter, ‘Diamond Necklace’ was his first film as a producer. “It was a cool affair as Dubai is a comfort zone for me”, says Lal Jose who had tasted success twice with Dubai based stories, ‘Arabikkatha’ and ‘Diamond Necklace’ both scripted by Iqbal Kuttippuram. “I have a lot of friends there who will do anything for me and my project. It helped me in filming there and as a producer I could take more freedom which eventually resulted in the better quality of the film. There was no extra tension as the producer”, he clarifies.
Casting comes natural
“I follow my intuition rather than screen test while casting, “ he says. “I met Anusree in a television show where I was a judge. I selected her for a movie which I was planning in Tamil, but it did not happen. So I chose her as Kalamandalam Rajasree in ‘Diamond Necklace’. I heard somebody telling I am crazy when she was introduced as my heroine. But watch how she performed in the movie,” he justifies his eye for talent, which earlier dared to present Salim Kumar, branded as a mere comedian, in the poignant role of Samuel in ‘Achanurangatha Veedu’.
He is yet to team up with Mohanlal, though in the filmdom for nearly quarter a century. There was an ambitious project called ‘Cousins’, but it was dropped. “It can happen anytime if a character needs to be enacted by Mohanlal. But at present there is no such plan” , he says.
After 16 films which will be marked for their content and craft, Lal Jose says he is in the second phase of his career. His next film with Prithviraj and Kunchakko in the lead will begin in July. The film, yet to be titled, is scripted by Bobby and Sanjay and produced by their father Prem Prakash. His another project titled ‘Emmanuel’ will have Mammootty as the hero and the producer.