PremiumMadanolsavam is a political satire that can be placed anywhere there’s a democracy: Sudheesh Gopinath | Exclusive
Madanolsavam, which is helmed by debutant Sudheesh Gopinath, has Suraj Venjaramoodu in the lead
Last Updated: 06.30 PM, Apr 12, 2023
The past few years, director Ratheesh Balakrishnan Poduval has managed to surprise the audience with each of his movies – be it Android Kunjappan Ver. 5.25 or Nna, Thaan Case Kodu. The filmmaker’s latest script Madanolsavam, which is helmed by debutant Sudheesh Gopinath, promises to keep that streak intact, with the team coming with a political satire that is reflective of today’s times.
In an exclusive interview with OTTplay, Sudheesh tells us the reason he decided to choose the movie to make his debut. “Even though Madanolsavam is placed in a limited setting, the core subject is universal; it can be placed anywhere in the world where there’s a democracy. So, the subject was what first hooked me to it and then, obviously Ratheeshettan was writing the script,” he says.
Ratheesh’s script is based on a short story that E Santosh Kumar had written a decade ago. “That story is still relevant in terms of what’s happening in Indian as well as Kerala politics. I believe the audience will relate to that; they will know that this has happened here. That’s why I think it was easier to make the movie,” says Sudheesh.
Also read: Madanolsavam release date: When and where to watch Suraj Venjaramoodu’s comedy entertainer
The movie has Suraj Venjaramoodu essaying the central character of Madanan, who earns a living out of colouring and selling chicken. “It’s a series of incidents that happen in his life,” says the director. “He is a layman who gets caught up in a political issue and his journey to get himself disentangled, form the plot of the movie. A lot of events happen in that journey and all of them unfold in a fast-paced manner.”
Madanolsavam also marks Suraj’s return to comedy as a central character. “He is a flexible actor; you can place him in a serious film as well as get him to do physical comedy convincingly,” says the director. “So, when we cast him in the movie, we wanted to also include physical comedy traits in his acting that the audience has been missing for long. But we wanted to ensure that it fit today’s cinema because we can’t make a Dasamoolam Damu work now. That’s why we have added realistic elements while moulding his character for Madanolsavam.”
The film also has Babu Antony in a role that will evoke laughter among the audience. “He doesn’t do comedy in the film, but it will appear hilarious to the audience. His character does what he does in all its seriousness, but for the viewers, he will appear a bit crazy and how they react to his actions is what results in the fun,” says Sudheesh.
While there are a lot of appealing factors about the movie, Madanolsavam also finds itself in the midst of a deluge of releases during Vishu and Eid next week. Sudheesh, however, says he is confident about the movie’s cotent.
“We have ensured that the characterisations are fresh in this movie and this is not just limited to Suraj’s, Babu Antony’s or Rajesh Madhavan’s characters. It’s a performance-packed movie and I am also hoping that because the content is strong, people would understand the film better,” he concludes.
Madanolsavam will hit theatres in Kerala on April 14.