Exclusive! Madhu Warier talks about working with sister Manju Warrier in Lalitham Sundaram

True to its title, the first look poster of Manju Warrier and Biju Menon’s upcoming movie Lalitham Sundaram promises to be a simple, feel-good movie that has all elements to keep the audience entertained.

The movie marks the directorial debut of Manju’s brother Madhu Warier, who tells OTTplay, “We wanted the first look poster to be an eye-catching one, but ultimately it’s just an exaggerated version of a scene in the film, which is a feel-good family entertainer. ”

For Madhu, the wait has been long to see his directorial debut release and the lockdowns in Kerala have only delayed it further. “I have been working since 2012 for my first directorial. Initially, I thought of a project but that didn’t work out. I first presented the idea of Lalitham Sundaram to Bijuettan at the sets of Lakshyam almost four years ago. But because we took so much time, we could improvise and refine it to make it a good script,” he says.

Lalitham Sundaram is also produced by Manju. On the experience of directing his sister, Madhu says, “Manju wasn’t the initial producer, but after reading the final script, she wanted to back the film and that’s how she came on board as a producer. It was fun and easy directing her. I had already given her the references and she came prepared for the role.”

The entire film was shot in picturesque locations in Vandiperiyar, Wagamon and Kumily in Kerala and the team were a tightly-knit bunch by the end of the shoot. “I have known Bijuettan for years now and we have been close. So, it was fun shooting with him. It was the same with Saiju Kurup, Deepti Sati and Anu Mohan,” he explains.

Talking about the movie’s current status, Madhu, who has also acted in films such as Detective and Hallo, says they are in the final stages of completing the film’s post production. “We finished the shoot in March. The entire work of the movie will be over in the next 2-3 weeks. As for the release, we are still discussing the best option for release. All options are on the table right now – a theatrical release as well as OTTs.”

The filmmaker is also hopeful that Lalitham Sundaram will work with the audience. “If you look at movies like #Home or Sara’s, it was a breath of fresh air. I think people want to see a feel-good movie once in a while. So, I believe the viewers will watch our movie and leave with a smile on their faces.”