PremiumJourney of Love 18+ on OTT: It’s not easy to impress Naslen and Mathew Thomas with scripts, says Arun D Jose
Director Arun D Jose talks about working with Naslen Gafoor and Mathew Thomas in his movies Jo & Jo and Journey of Love 18+
Mathew Thomas and Naslen in a still from Neymar
Last Updated: 09.43 AM, Sep 13, 2023
Malayalam filmmaker Arun D Jose is currently waiting for the OTT release of his second consecutive film with Naslen Gafoor and Mathew Thomas – Journey of Love 18+. The movie, which also belongs to the young-adult genre that has managed to create an audience in the past few years, once again has helped solidify the duo’s status as dependable actors.
In an exclusive chat with OTTplay, Arun says that though he has a good camaraderie with the young duo, they don’t sign his movies out of friendship. “Both Naslen and Mathew have been approached for a lot of films and they are very choosy about what they sign. So, it’s a task itself to impress them. They aren’t actors who sign everything that comes their way. They have a serious approach towards cinema and so, when they are excited about a film, that also gives us confidence in the subject,” he says.
In Journey of Love 18+, Naslen and Mathew played different characters from what they have essayed so far in their collaborations such as Thaneer Mathan Dinangal, Jo & Jo and Neymar. Arun explains that this was done “deliberately” as he didn’t want their roles to seem redundant.
Naslen and Mathew, being part of the young-adult genre in Malayalam, has also benefited these films, says the filmmaker. “Because I have a rapport with them, it’s easier for me to communicate what I want from them. They are also involved. When you are doing a film based on characters in their age group, their inputs make it easier for the audience to connect too,” he says.
What makes them a safe bet for producers is that their films have an audience too. “It’s not easy to get their dates, because they have committed a lot of films now. That reflects that their films are financially viable for the producers. Be it Neymar or 18+ , the producers have made money and consequently, the actors have gained value in the industry too,” Arun says.
Journey of Love 18+, which also has Meenakshi, Saafboi, Binu Pappu and Nikhila Vimal, is set to begin streaming on Sony LIV from September 15 onwards.