Exclusive! Aashiq Abu: As an artiste, where you stand in your art matters more than your political affiliation

Though Malayalam cinema has been heralded for its novel themes and experimental content the past few years, director Aashiq Abu was among the filmmakers who spearheaded the so-called new-generation cinema in the industry a decade ago. What’s truly impressive is that he has not only sustained that momentum with films such as Mayaanadhi and Virus, he has evolved as a filmmaker, who potentially surprises the audiences with the type of movies that he and team come out with every single time.

Up next, the filmmaker is teaming up with scriptwriter Unni R and actor Tovino Thomas and Anna Ben for Naaradhan, which is set in the world of news media. In an exclusive interview with OTTplay, Aashiq talks to us about his film, which will release on March 3 worldwide, his take on superstars and if art and the filmmaker’s politics should be viewed separately.

From the trailer, Naaradhan seems to be a relevant film, showcasing the current state of the media industry. Was that also what appealed you to take up the script?

I initially had plans to do a few other films but the pandemic reshuffled these a bit and it gave us time to think more about the movies. Every filmmaker is curious about certain areas, and I am someone who keenly follows news on TV and reads newspapers. I also have friends within the news industry, the other day I was interviewed by someone who had played cricket with me growing up. So, the starting point was my curiosity to explore the life of a news anchor. That’s how I called Unni R; we had been in talks for several other projects including an anthology. Unni too found this subject interesting. I also don’t know if there is any other scriptwriter in Malayalam who could handle it as well as him because he was part of Kerala's first batch of TV journalists.

His prior experience would have lent a lot while creating the world of media this film is set in.

Exactly. I am someone who watches TV news, but he has experience working in the industry. So, his contribution was to truly analyse and present the life of journalists in the film.

Is Naaradhan a critique of today’s media that is driven by business and ratings, often superceding its purpose of informing people of what’s really happening?

I think it’s a pressure that exists globally. In the time of live news coverage, how many journalists are able to follow the basic rules of sources and authenticity that they learnt in their journalism classes? The chief reason for this is the pressure they are under to perform.

You mean to bring up the ratings?

Not just the ratings, but in every aspect; even if you take individual success, it’s measured in terms of how well you perform. In that respect, I have observed a lot of my friends go through emotional struggles as part of their careers. The space where media persons work is not a peaceful or stable space; journalists function in our society’s most turbulent areas. So, all of that impacts their personal lives too because at the end of their day, they are human.

The trailer of Naaradhan too revealed different types of journalists. What can you tell us about the protagonist, Chandraprakash as essayed by Tovino ?

He is the face of a leading news channel, who stands out in terms of experience and performance. How he handles his life, colleagues, friends and personal relationships is what the story is about.

Tovino has always credited you as one of the few filmmakers who have pushed his range as a performer. Having worked with him in Mayaanadhi, Virus and Naaradhan, how do you see his growth as an actor?

With each film, he has evolved. The Tovino who acted in Mayaanadhi wasn’t the one who turned up for Virus. He became a more popular star then. At the time of joining Naaradhan, the popularity soared higher. He has tried to do different roles over the years and has been going from strength to strength. While working in Naaradhan, which began after the first lockdown, I could observe that he has evolved more as a person and has become more mature. In the past, I have seen him become worried, frustrated and upset when people used to say something about him; he was a normal youngster from Irinjalakuda. All of us had told him that there was no need to worry about things like that but it affected him to a level. During Naaradhan, I could see someone who was more focused, dedicated and studious, and this reflected in his performance as well.

During the pandemic, there is this discussion among some people within Malayalam cinema who claim that it’s the big-budget, superstar-driven films that has always driven the industry. What is your take on that, especially considering you have produced and directed films that aren’t made on such massive budgets and yet have brought massive recognition to Malayalam cinema?

I have said this before too, cinema is what makes stars. A star like Tovino is not made overnight; he has gained that stature based on the movies that he has chosen and done. This has always been the case. No one plans this. If a good performer enters cinema, his or her fanbase would grow quickly and he or she would be a big star. Their market value will be decided on the audience that turn up to watch movies with them in the lead. That’s how I see stardom. Cinema is a powerful medium and so its impact too is huge. If a character seeps into the minds of people, we involuntarily begin to like him or her. That’s the influence cinema has. That said, all types of films have become popular with the audience over time and that’s why there will always be movies with stars and without them. And there will also be interesting films in both these categories.

When you have a star, the movie driven by him can reach a bigger audience initially. For instance, when I did my first film Daddy Cool, I needed the dates of a big star like Mammukka to pull it off. I wouldn’t have been able to do it with a newcomer. If he didn’t give me the dates, I would have had to drop the project.

So, I don’t think anyone can create stars; there might be propaganda for it but it’s more of a democratic than an engineered decision. In Malayalam cinema, we had Kalabhavan Mani, who was made a star by the people.

Do you believe a movie should be viewed as a separate art, free from the filmmaker’s political stance?

It again is a personal decision. As an artiste, what matters is not what political affiliation you have, but where you stand in the art. That’s the politics in cinema. There are people who differ from my political stance, but enjoy my movie. That’s not because they support me, it’s because of their love for cinema. This artform is something that its exponents have made to evolve over a century. I also believe that people who oppose my standpoints do take it personally, but I won’t blame them either.

There was also another project titled Haagar that was announced in 2020.

Initially, we had decided to do a few small films because we thought there wouldn’t be any lockdowns after the first one. We thought the second wave would be more controlled, and that’s why we started Naaradhan. But after the shoot was over, there was the second lockdown. And by the time it was set to release, we had another one. All this has also affected the schedules of the projects that we have planned. All of these films are happening, but right now, after Naaradhan, I will be starting work on Neelavelicham, which has Tovino, Asif Ali , Soubin (Shahir) and Rima (Leena Rajan). We are planning to begin the shoot by mid April.