It was more than two decades back Joshiy first marched to the snow-capped mountains to can a film. Nair Saab, set against the breathtaking backdrop of Kashmir, broke all box office records and is still considered a landmark film in the career its lead actor - Mammootty. After a long interval, the filmmaker returns to his favourite location, this time in the company of Jayaram and Suresh Gopi. Salaam Kashmir, which has its script penned by Sethu, promises to be everything one would expect from the veteran hitmaker.
The film, which has an intriguing storyline, revolves around two men - Sreekumar and Tomy. Jayaram plays Sreekumar, a character who does all the domestic work expected from a wife in normal course. “He is a perfect homemaker who does all the routine chores including taking care of the kid. He stays at home while his wife goes out to work,” says Sethu. Into this peaceful world enters Tomy Eppan Devassy (Suresh Gopi) disrupting the domestic bliss and bringing out an unexpected twist. With his arrival everything goes haywire in Sreekumar’s life and he reaches a position where he can no longer be with his family. “The film unravels the mysterious past of both the characters finding the cause behind their unusual demeanor,” says the scenarist.
A film helmed by Joshiy, starring Suresh Gopi in the lead - does it belong to the league of out-and-out action thrillers? “Not really, Salaam Kashmir is more of a family drama. The film has its share of heavy-duty action, but humour also gets an equal reel space,” says Sethu. As the title suggests, a major portion of the film has been shot in the picturesque locales of Kashmir. “Kashmir is more like a character in the film, all the critical incidents happen there,” says Sethu.
The film marks the comeback of Suresh Gopi who has been keeping a low profile for a while now. “He plays an achayan from Kanjirappalli, a character with a tinge of mystery. Not all actors can handle such a strong character without overplaying it, but Suresh Gopi fits the bill perfectly.”
The film also banks on the onscreen chemistry of its lead actors whose joint outings like Innale and Summer in Bethlehem had struck gold in the past. “Jayaram-Suresh Gopi combo is another highlight of the film. The actors share a delightful camaraderie,” he adds.
Salaam Kashmir also boasts of a song crooned by one of its lead actors. “Jayaram has sung a duet with Shweta Mohan for the film. The song Kanaadi puzhayille... has its music composed by M Jayachandran. It’s the first time the actor is singing for a film,” he says.
Joshiy, who is known for his penchant for action, will be focusing more on family audience this time as the storyline promises to be a balanced blend of comedy, action, sentiments and suspense.
“He is returning to this genre after a break and this will be his first family drama post Mambazhakkalam. At the same time the film has everything one expects from the director.”
Along with the duo Mia plays the female lead as Jayaram’s wife. Lalu Alex appears in a key role in the film while Krishna Kumar, Vijayaraghavan and Ponnamma Babu are also part of the cast. The film produced by Maha Subair under the banner of Varnachithra Release is expected to hit the screens very soon.