Director Arun Chandu: ‘Gaganachari’s win at Kerala State Film Award is a ray of hope’ | Exclusive

Malayalam latest film, Gaganachari, won the Special Jury Award (film) category in the Kerala State Films Awards 2024, which was announced yesterday (August 16). The movie's director, Arun Chandu, expressed his joy at receiving this accolade in a conversation with OTTplay.

The young director said that to say he is excited would be an understatement at this point in time. "We were sceptical from the start of this film's production because Malayalam cinema rarely explores this particular genre. Nevertheless, we made every effort to approach the story in a novel way," he added. Arun also mentioned the team's concerns about the movie's viability from a business standpoint and the audience's reaction to it in theatres. "But the theatre response was better than we anticipated," he continued.

Also Read: Gaganachari Review – Anarkali Marikar's film is a fun ride into the dystopian era of a different Kerala 

The director continued by saying that this award, along with the fact that the movie was given a vote of approval by the jury, represents a glimmer of hope for filmmakers who wish to try showcasing something new to the audience. According to him, it also allows aspiring directors to experiment with offbeat themes or genres in Malayalam cinema. Arun also dedicated this recognition to the entire team of Gaganachari for their efforts.

Gaganachari OTT release

Prior to Onam, Arun revealed that the movie will be released digitally shortly. "I am excited to hear more viewer feedback after its OTT release, as the producers have assured me of." the man stated. On June 21, the film, which features Anarkali Marikar, Ganesh Kumar, Gokul Suresh, and Aju Varghese in the key roles, debuted on big screens. The digital release of this film has been highly anticipated by those who were unable to see it in theatres.

All about Anarkali Marikar-starrer Gaganachari

The movie's script was co-written by Arun and Siva Sai. Though it might not be to everyone's taste, the film is worth seeing on a big screen because of its deft handling and portrayal of the subject matter. The writers focused on finding the perfect balance between fictional and other elements that appeal more to the Malayali audience, and the audience responded favourably to this strategy.

Also Read: Gaganachari director Arun Chandu explains why the dystopian sci-fi film should be watched on the big screen| Exclusive