Following his father Vinayan’s footsteps, actor Vishnu Vinay is turning a filmmaker with Anand Sreebala, an investigative thriller that hits screens today. Vishnu, who calls himself an “accidental actor,” tried his hand at acting with films like History of Joy (2017), Aakasha Ganga 2 (2019), and Pathonpatham Noottandu (2022) before finding his true calling as a filmmaker.
An aerospace engineer from the US, Vishnu returned home in 2014 when his father was going through a tough phase, exacerbated by an unofficial ‘ban’ from Malayalam cinema. “Though achan never really showed it, his struggles took an emotional toll on me. It was not about any financial crunch or him not being able to do films, but seeing a whole industry opposing him was distressing.
So I wanted to come back and be with him. I was also tired of the US life and wanted to be part of cinema,” recalls Vishnu. Since then, he has been part of all his father’s films, either as an actor or in the production or direction department. Exactly ten years after his return, Vishnu is finally living his long-cherished dream of being a filmmaker.
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When did you identify direction as your primary interest?
I always used to discuss ideas with my father, one of which he developed as Hareendran Oru Nishkalankan (2007). I joined him a few years later during the ban when he had to produce and distribute his own films. Our constant discussions during this period somewhere piqued my interest in filmmaking. In fact, while acting in History of Joy, my focus was on direction, while its director Vishnu Govind was trying to become an actor.
How did you arrive at Anand Sreebala as your directorial debut?
Anto (Joseph) chettan has been a good friend and I used to request him for acting opportunities. However, since he was aware of my actual interest, he offered me a project to direct. That’s how I got in touch with Abhilash (Pillai), who also used to discuss scripts with my father. Abhilash pitched a couple of ideas, among which Anand Sreebala was the most exciting. It had a strong story and I was confident of exhibiting my directorial skills with it.
From the promos, Anand Sreebala looks like an investigative thriller about a woman’s mysterious death. Is there something more to it that excites you?
Yes, it’s a crime investigative thriller, but a character-driven one. The protagonist Anand Sreebala is an ordinary man who parallely investigates the case along with the cops. This element was particularly exciting.
The film is rumoured to be based on the 2017 Mishel Shaji case, contradictory versions of which are still claimed by the police and the victim’s family...
Some events from the Mishel Shaji case have indeed inspired us, but this is not her life story. We were aware of the repercussions and ethical issues that might come with it, so we never intended to find out about her life or what might have happened. After discussing and gathering information from many police officers, forensic surgeons, politicians, and victim families, we clubbed together several such real cases to develop the script.
Could you tell us about your casting choices?
Both Abhilash and I like Arjun’s work, and we discussed a few ideas with him. We thought Anand Sreebala was tailor-made for him and felt the character had more depth than his usual outings. Sangeetha ma’am plays another significant role as Anand’s mother, who is a cop. She was our primary choice as it had been a while since she did a full-fledged role. We wanted to tap in on that freshness.
Did you have any inspirations while crafting Anand Sreebala?
When it comes to thrillers, be it of any kind, David Fincher is the first inspiration. But this being my first film, I was not firm on experimenting with the substance and its structure. My focus was to ensure that the given content was executed effectively and with the right emotions. Along with composer Ranjin Raj, I worked extensively on communicating emotions through sound. We knew our film demanded a local music flavour, but we also drew inspiration from various international scores. MR Rajakrishnan, who did the sound mix, also helped us with that. It took us around 3-4 months to crack the background score.
After wrapping up working on your maiden film, what do you think is the best part of the direction?
I think it’s scripting. Though Abhilash is the primary author, I believe a director should also be an author. Initially, he only had a rough draft, which was written a while back. He then got me along to develop the script with him and his associate. Abhilash basically headed the team, as we had constant discussions and reworking. I find the process of fine-tuning the original material exciting.
With his years of experience, both bitter and better, your father Vinayan has seen it all in the industry. How has he influenced you as a filmmaker?
I’ve always enjoyed our creative discussions. I also admire the efficiency with which he handles the sets without problems. He often tells me that this is a high-pressure job where you’re expected to make multiple important decisions in a single day. I also observed and learnt how to maintain composure even during the toughest times. He also taught me how to be grounded while interacting with others.
Could you name some of your favourites from your father’s works?
My favourites keep changing, but Sipayi Lahala (1995) and Kalyana Sougandhikam (1996) would always remain constants. I’m never bored of these films. I also love what he did with Athbhutha Dweepu (2005), which was a crazy idea. I think his best commercial entertainer to date is Karumadikkuttan (2001).
Its protagonist was a mentally challenged person, played by Kalabhavan Mani, who was not a superstar. But it was still a huge commercial hit. Though achan’s films have been successful before, that’s still my earliest memory of a thunderous theatre experience. It was like watching a Mohanlal or Mammootty’s film. It remains a core memory, maybe that’s why I don’t consider it as a dated film.
Your father recently confirmed Athbhutha Dweepu’s sequel. Are you also a part of it?
I’m involved in the discussions, but things are still in the early stages. Abhilash is developing its script based on achan’s story. We are yet to finalise the production as it demands a huge budget.