PremiumExclusive | Each of the 125 characters in Perilloor Premier League has a quirky trait, says director Praveen Chandran
Perilloor Premier League is set to stream on Disney+ Hotstar on January 5.
Praveen Chandran, Poster of Perilloor Premier League | Photo: Instagram/ praveeen_chandran
Last Updated: 08.49 PM, Dec 31, 2023
Director Praveen Chandran is ecstatic about his new project, Perilloor Premier League, which is set to stream on Disney+ Hotstar on January 5. With this web series, Praveen Chandran, who has assisted in several Malayalam films including Kurup, Ozhimuri, Luca, Tiyaan, and Ithihasa, makes his directorial debut.
Praveen talks about Perilloor village and its people in an exclusive interview with OTTplay. He also discusses the growing prospects for regional content on OTT platforms.
How would you describe Perilloor and the characters in it?
Perilloor Premier League takes place in the fictitious village of Perilloor. The plot centres on the small village and a number of hilarious events that occur during a panchayat election. This web series has up to 125 characters, 80 of whom are theatrical artists making their film or OTT platform debut with Perilloor Premier League.
Nikhila Vimal plays Malavika, a young lady who unexpectedly enters the panchayat election upon her arrival in Perilloor. She did a fantastic job portraying a naive woman who is compelled to assume a more responsible role. In the meantime, Vijayaraghavan's persona possesses sufficient intelligence to persuade others with his words. We felt that this role would only suit an experienced actor like Vijayaraghavan.
Conversely, Peethambharan, a character portrayed by Ashokan, is known for his self-confidence. Despite the fact that Peethambharan consistently runs for office and ultimately loses, he does not take failure personally.
In the same way, every character in this web series has unique and quirky personality traits that will certainly entertain viewers.
How was the production process of Perilloor Premier League?
Although the web series appears to be set in idyllic rural areas of Palakkad, it was actually shot in Wayanad over the course of 65 days. We made the most of the 30 days we had allotted for pre-production, using them to choose the cast and get ready for the shoot. Every department put forth a lot of effort, despite the fact that the web series had too many characters, which made the task challenging.
Since we knew exactly who the characters were and could communicate that to the artists, the filming went more smoothly than we had anticipated. Additionally, the actors did a good job of taking on their roles, adding just the appropriate amount of improvisation.
It is tricky to maintain humour throughout a web series. How did the crew and you overcome this challenge?
The credit goes to our writer, Deepu Pradeep, who has penned the screenplay for Kunjiramayanam and Padmini. He has this knack of infusing his characters with impromptu humour. Deepu was able to infuse the script with his distinct vision. Humour must be timely in order to impress the audience.
Our artists were able to effectively retain a spontaneous sense of humour throughout Perilloor Premier League. The high point of this web series is their performance.
What are the challenges of working in the digital space?
Regional content has recently been given opportunities by OTT platforms. Our producer, E4 Entertainment, and Deepu first pitched the story. After the web series was approved, the latter suggested my name, and I joined the project.
When it comes to working together on a web series, there are some differences, particularly in the screenplay, duration, and production work. The film budget and schedule are assigned by these platforms. It is our duty to complete the work within the allocated spending limit and time frame.
You initially wanted to film the web series in Palakkad, but later changed it to Wayanad. Is there a specific reason behind it?
Any movie or series benefits greatly, in my opinion, from its setting since it lends the piece authenticity. If the Perilloor Premier League is created in a set, viewers will not be convinced.
Despite the fact that Palakkad is renowned for its picturesque landscapes and rural areas, the filming was planned for February and March of this year—the hottest months in the district. We did not want our artists to be exhausted or to work in an uncomfortable environment. We selected Wayanad for this reason, as it also boasts some striking rural areas.
What are your upcoming projects?
Deepu and I are collaborating on another project. Further details cannot be disclosed right now.