Shaji Kailas is no longer the old man. Shaji’s new film ‘Handi’, which won acclaim for featuring heroic heroes, does not have a hero. Bhavana and guest star Ravi are the lead actors. Commissioner, The King, Narasimham, Aaram Tampuran and all of Shaji’s movies, the protagonists had broken the stage. But gradually the audience got tired of this. Shaji’s movie is gone. He had to sit at home without a picture for six years. In the second coming, Shaji did four films consecutively. ‘Tiger’, ‘Kappa’, ‘Elon’, ‘Hunt’. Shaji Kailas says that the adoption of four styles in all four films is deliberate.
Was it an attempt to bring back the old super hero in ‘Katua’?
Some accused that Shaji Kailash has not changed with the new times and is old fashioned. The generation that used to watch my old movies in the theater and applauded them criticized like this. But young people are going to the theater now. They have only seen my films on TV and mobile. When they saw ‘Tiger’ in theaters, they liked it. The film became a hit. ‘Tiger’ was shot as per Prithviraj’s request for a 90s style. That movie needed it. But I decided to take ‘Kappa’ in a special way when I read the script. Thiruvananthapuram is there in all my old political films. This is my country. We tried to show the city that we always see differently. At first even the stars including Prithviraj did not understand that I had changed my style. When the shooting started, Prithviraj often asked if this was enough. I explained that this is a different pattern. There is not a single old-fashioned shot in ‘Kappa’. Prithviraj, who saw the film before its release, said, ‘Dude, it has made a big change.’
What do the audience who saw ‘Kappa’ say?
There are people who criticized that it was not as cool as ‘Tiger’. People will get bored if everything is an old style film. There are many people in Thiruvananthapuram like Prithviraj’s Kotta Madhu in ‘Kappa’. I went to every theater where it was released. My new style has been accepted by everyone including Prithviraj fans. ‘Hunt’ is the film he was going to direct before ‘Tiger’. Anneni and the producer do not have much market. It was certain that if we both made a film together, the business would not work. We decided to win two films and take them. Now its shooting is going on. The story of ‘Hunt’ takes place in the medical college campus. Crime and horror are all in demand. Bhavana and guest act well. There is no hero. Mohanlal starrer ‘Alone’ is a different kind of movie. Mohanlal is the only star in this film, which was shot for an OTT release during the Covid era. It has been 2 years since the film was completed. It will be released in theaters on 26th.
Competing with the younger generation?
I came to the cinema when Joshi and IV Shashi were standing. Noted for making films without imitating them. Times have changed. New directors are very natural film takers. There is no competition with them. We create the film by adding some artificial flavor. That is why I am trying to change myself. Now there are four cameramen in all the four films I have shot. Their views can be seen in the pictures. Also edited by different people. Screenwriters are also changing. All this will give the film a different feel.
Instead of old-fashioned songs, there is now a preference for melodious folk-style songs. I used to avoid singing in action films in the past as it would affect the tension of the film, but now I try to include such songs in every film. Even if you have to sit at home without a picture, there is a compulsion that the films you take now must be different.
No more big picture?
Big pictures will still be done. The script of the new movie starring Mohanlal is being prepared under the banner of Aashirvad Cinema. Mammootty needs a different film with a special pattern. If he gets a suitable topic, he will take it. In the case of two consecutive films with Prithviraj as the lead, there is no more immediately. After at least a year we are thinking regarding getting together. I’m not in the habit of watching a movie following doing my homework. If the requested space is not available for filming, I am the one who adjusts with the available space. Because of that it is easy to change yourself. If not, you will have to stay at home.
