PremiumExclusive! Mohanlal’s Monster will work in theatres and on OTTs due to the strength of its content: Vysakh
The filmmaker had previously worked with the superstar in Pulimurugan, which went on to set a new record at the Kerala box office
Last Updated: 09.23 AM, Mar 08, 2022
The biggest highlight of Mohanlal’s Monster is that the superstar has reunited with the team of director Vysakh and scriptwriter Udaykrishna, who had collaborated with him in one of his biggest hits – Pulimurugan. For Monster, however, Vysakh tells OTTplay that the trio have chosen a different path, while maintaining the entertainment quotient.
In an exclusive interview with us, the filmmaker, who is set for the release of Night Drive , talked in detail about his Mohanlal-starrer, which completed shooting earlier this year.
Ask him how different the movie is from Pulimurugan and he says, “There are situations that arose because of the pandemic. I am someone who likes to think of the positives in any circumstance. Right now, it is difficult to execute a project on a large scale. When Udayettan and I got a chance to do a film under these circumstances where we couldn’t utilise the elements that we frequently embed in our entertainers, we thought about the possibility of doing a movie that focused on the craft – by using the strength of the content.”
The director lauds Mohanlal and producer Antony Perumbavoor’s decision to back a film, which was different from the usual style of films that Vysakh and Udaykrishna are part of. “They understood its merit from the point of view of artistes and stood by it. They could have rejected it and asked us to do a pure ‘mass’ film, which we are experts at. Instead, they gave us full licence to go ahead with our vision and that’s why we have a lot of hopes pinned on this,” he says, about the movie that also has Sudev Nair, Lakshmi Manchu and Honey Rose as part of the cast.
On the film’s genre, Vysakh says, “Every twist in the film presents a mode of entertainment. So, it wouldn’t be fair to break it down before the movie releases. On a broader perspective, it belongs to a thriller genre. Also, Monster is a movie that’s made for entertainment. We have also tried to address aspects that many are hesitant about.”
Though Mohanlal’s films such as Drishyam 2, Bro Daddy and 12th Man – all produced by Antony Perumbavoor – opted for direct-to-OTT releases, Vysakh says the makers are yet to take a call on the platform of release of Monster.
“I am not aware of the release platform or the date of the film. I believe Monster will work both in theatres as well as OTTs because of the strength of its content. I am sure the audience will enjoy it wherever they see the film. My priority now is to complete the film and after that the producer can take a call on the release platform,” the director says, adding that he is fine with whichever route the producer chooses.