The duo grew up on the banks of Bharathapuzha but they happened to meet only on the sets of a filmmaker they consider their ‘guru’. Later, they became thick friends and went on make some successful movies, which had in them something more than commercial flavours.
As director Lal Jose and writer Iqbal Kuttipuram celebrate the 100th day of their latest money-minter ‘Vikramadithyan’, their friendship has only grown beyond the brackets of arclight and frame.
“There are people who ask what was the need for us to make a film like ‘Vikramadithyan’. But, there are three things that we found interesting; the respect which two rivals keep between themselves, the relationship of two male and a female, not in the typical mould. It also had a freshness. Otherwise, the audience would have rejected it,” says Iqbal.
Dubai, the arena of their last two films ‘Arabikkatha’ and ‘Diamond Necklace’, and where the writer presently practices as a homeopathic physician had a great role to play in their relationship.
“When I was an assistant with Kamal sir, Iqbal used to attend the film discussions and the our first project ‘Arabikkatha’ came via Sreeniyettan,” said Lal.
“I had the script, though with slight difference, even before reaching Dubai. All, Lal, Sreeniyettan and myself are leftist at hearts and hence we were sad at the transformation of the party. So, the film reflected it in a honest manner,” said Iqbal.
When ‘Diamond Necklace’ happened after an aborted project ‘Cousins’, Lal was already familiar with Dubai and its life where Iqbal lived a silent life eschewing the non-resident Keralaite crowd and their craving for meetings and parties.
Lal Jose has a reason for the bonding. “He is the one who changed my life,” Lal Jose acknowledged. “I am not sure how a film, ‘Arabikkatha’ is important in the history of films and politics. But, I am sure it was Iqbal who influenced and changed my life post ‘Arabikkatha’. If it was my father who influenced me till the age of 22, it was my guru Kamal sir and Iqbal who entered my life as light,” said Lal. “There are chances that I may go wrong, but I am sure Iqbal won’t,” he says.
“We consider films as secondary to our friendship. Hence it doesn’t matter we make or not make films, but we will continue to be friends,” he added.
The same is echoed by Iqbal. “As human beings, failures may upset us, but the success never hit us not our heads. I do not aspire to be a director and so I am not a competition to Lalu. There is a freedom in our relation. More than us, our families are closer.
Though one live in Dubai and other in Kerala, both make it a point to meet on regular intervals. “Though we don’ plan the meetings, on most occasions, it will be Dubai as Iqbal will invite me. There we get more time to discuss everything under the sun,” said Lal Jose.
