Riding on the back of a hattrick of hits—Kunjiramayanam, Godha, and Minnal Murali—it didn’t take long for Basil Joseph to establish himself as one of the most promising new-age directors from Malayalam cinema. Minnal Murali’s phenomenal success is also said to have earned him a call from Bollywood to direct Ranveer Singh, about which he is still tight-lipped.
But the last couple of years have been about Basil, the actor. Akin to his successful filmmaking journey, Basil has had an exceptional run as an actor so far. After starting with minor, supporting roles, he is now a bankable star with a string of critically and commercially acclaimed films under his belt. As he gears up for the release of his new film Sookshmadarshini, co-starring Nazriya Nazim, we catch up for a detailed chat on his career and aspirations.
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Sookshmadarshini is your seventh release this year, including a cameo in Vaazha. Do you feel overwhelmed by the workload?
Yes, it is overwhelming and that’s why I’ve decided to slow down. I worked continuously because I had a deadline for a film that I was supposed to direct. I’ve been co-writing its script with a couple of others for the last one year, but we’re now facing some delay in starting it. Two years back, I didn’t expect to be a lead actor, so when these projects came on a trot, I didn’t know how to handle them all. But I’ve now managed to finish everything and they’ll be releasing back-to-back till April. After that, there will be a long break.
While choosing your acting projects, does the director in you ever influence your choices?
My priority as an actor is to be part of successful films. Once you’re successful and establish yourself as bankable, the chances of getting interesting offers increase. You can do roles beyond your comfort zone, and get to work on big-scale projects with good technicians. Cinema is never about one person; an efficient technical team can enhance a performance. Being relevant and bankable will organically lead us to promising projects. You should just have the sensibility to choose the right script and team. It’s a long-term process.
You mentioned ‘comfort zone’. What is yours?
I think it’s the fun, boy-next-door roles, like the one in Guruvayoorambala Nadayil. It’s a thorough comedy with not much depth for the character. The sole aim is to entertain the audience through the comedy of errors and visual humour, which is a thin line. It demands a director like Vipin (Das) chettan with good clarity to ensure our performance doesn’t get dismissed as overacting. Films like Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey (JJJJH), Kadina Kadoramee Andakadaham, Falimy, and even Sookshmadarshini are not my usual zone. Though these characters are also expected to do humour, they have more depth and other layers. Nunakkuzhi was also tricky as it demanded a loud performance with a lot of humour conveyed through body language. Thankfully, the writing was supportive enough.
Sookshmadarshini’s trailer was intriguing, starting off like a pleasant comedy before suddenly shifting gears to something thrilling...
That’s exactly what it is—an edge-of-the-seat thriller with the look and feel of a Sathyan Anthikad film. It explores voyeurism from a female perspective, with a lot more surprises packaged in it. I was majorly attracted by its brilliant writing. I’ve known this script from Minnal Murali days and it’s an idea that excited me as a filmmaker. It was only 2-3 years later that I was offered the project as an actor. Nazriya’s casting also interested me as it’s not a role usually associated with her. Both of us are unusual casting choices for the film.
What impresses you about Nazriya, with whom you wanted to direct a film earlier?
She’s a very likeable actor and that’s her USP. She is genuinely full of energy and enthusiasm, which is reflected on screen as well. A film like Ohm Shanthi Oshana, told from a girl’s perspective, was enjoyed by all sections of the audience because she has that screen presence and appeal. I was also trying to direct a film told from her POV. I was excited to show a different side of Nazriya, but somehow, it didn’t take off. The project might still happen, but I’m not part of it anymore.
Your films like Jan E Man, JJJJH, and Falimy addressed profound themes in a light-hearted tone. Is that something you take a special liking to?
So what happens is, even if it’s a serious film, the tone gets lightened when I become a part of it. Films like JJJJH, Falimy, and Sookshamadarshini were not originally planned for me, but once they reached me, the makers themselves took such calls. I also believe in not going too dark and serious. Humour will ensure the idea gets easily translated to a larger audience, which in turn makes it commercially appealing. Even while performing, I try to add humour, but without losing the character’s main traits. Kadina Kadoramee Andakadaham was the only film where we didn’t opt for such a treatment as the subject was too emotionally heavy.
Do you think this has resulted in criticisms about your performances being repetitive?
I’m aware of the criticisms. When Guruvayoorambala Nadayil and Nunakkuzhi are released successively, people are bound to feel the repetitiveness because both films have me operating in a similar space. But I know that’s not the case with Guruvayoorambala Nadayil and Falimy. A film like Guruvayoorambala Nadayil is essential for me as an actor and for the audience to just relax and have a few laughs. I’m now trying to attain a balance between all kinds of films. In that sense, Sookshamadarshini will be the start of a new phase in my career. My next after that is Pravinkoodu Shappu, an investigative thriller with a touch of dark comedy. Then there’s Ponman, a very rooted, original idea with an unusual story and characters. Marana Mass, which I just finished, is again a comedy, but with a proper South Indian commercial flavour.
You’ve come a long way from doing sidekick roles to headlining meaty projects. As responsibilities increase, do you consciously work on bettering your process?
I always have the fire in me to better myself, both as an actor and director. As a director, I’m constantly trying to upgrade my skills and learn new techniques. I entered the industry at a young age with an inferiority complex that I didn’t know as much as my peers. These insecurities were scary, but I was determined to learn everything. I rigorously worked on it like how a padippist goes about with his academics. But since acting isn’t too technical like filmmaking, the scope to learn and equip yourself is limited. It’s more instinctive. I still put my best efforts into differentiating myself from my previous films. I know I’ve improved, but there’s still a long way to go. With a lot riding on my shoulders now, I’ve decided not to balance acting and direction; it’s impossible. Acting needs complete focus, for which I’m now working on my fitness. I’m mostly cast in roles in the 25-35 age group, but physical flexibility could help me experiment with different roles, looks, and even costumes. It would help me evade stereotyping.
You’re generally a fun, jovial person. Do people take advantage of that?
I’ve always been a people pleaser; maybe it’s part of my upbringing. It’s very hard for me to say no because my immediate thoughts would be about the other person’s feelings. I’ve been part of many films like that, but I’m now trying to work on it.
Are you the same cool and easy-going person as a filmmaker as well?
While working on Kunjiramayanam, I was extremely cool with the attitude that everything was manageable. But with each film, the scale increased, and with that, the expectations. I manage the pressure of expectations by doing extensive pre-production. I approach it like revisions before attending an exam.
No matter how big the exam is, if you’re thorough with the revision, you can easily excel. So however big the film is, I’m cool and confident about my craft. But there are some other factors like rain, managing artist dates, budget, etc, which can break you. Despite all your planning and backups, you will lose your cool. It has also got to do with my aspirations. I wanted to ensure Godha and Minnal Murali looked at least five times their budget. It’s like Jesus feeding 5000 people with five loaves of bread. If you give me 500 crores, I won’t be making a film that looks like a 200 crore one, it will be like a 1200 crore film. This aspiration drives me forward and it’s not always possible to maintain your composure during this crazy ride. But I still wish I could function like how I did Kunjiramayanam when I had nothing to lose.
So is it safe to say that you enjoy filmmaking over acting?
100 per cent. As an actor, I’m travelling with a film only briefly. But as a director, it’s like giving birth to a baby. The films I watch, the books I read, the music I listen to, the food I eat, and my sleep duration will all influence my film. I can’t take it out of my life. My family grows along with the film. Work and life become inseparable and that’s the high of it.