'Premalu' director interview: 'Romantic comedies hold a special place in my heart'

'Premalu' marks director Gireesh A D's third consecutive romantic comedy triumph. Captivating audiences in cinemas, the film features an ensemble cast of up-and-coming young actors. It follows in the footsteps of his previous hits, 'Thanneer Mathan Dinangal' (a coming-of-age drama centered around grade twelve students) and 'Super Sharanya' (featuring college-going young adults, predominantly set in a ladies' hostel).

What's special about 'Premalu'?

Surprisingly, within just three days of the release of 'Premalu', produced by Bhavana Studios under the banner of Fahadh Fasil and friends (including actor-director Dileesh Pothan and award-winning screenwriter Shyam Pushkaran), the film got 40 additional screens. This challenges the belief that only big, spectacular films are successful in theatres.

What makes ‘Premalu’ special, despite the film having an age-old love story as its base is that it injects fresh energy into the screen, seamlessly blending comedy, drama, and romance, striking a perfect balance with its witty humor complementing the romance track.

The out-of-the-box performances by the cast give the film authenticity, as the actors have incredible comedic timing and convey emotional depth flawlessly. Impeccable intervention of the director ensures engagement from start to finish, making ‘Premalu’ a testament to the vibrancy of Malayalam storytelling. Audiences seeking laughter and love will find this film irresistible, a must-watch for its perfect blend of humour and heart.

Super generic plot

The plot of ‘Premalu’ revolves around a super generic and mostly one-sided love story between an underachieving young man and a driven, career-focused woman, both engineering graduates employed in Hyderabad.

The film cleverly draws references from social media, particularly Instagram, and modern Malayalam and Tamil cinema, making it highly relatable for the post-millennial generation. This contemporary touch evokes nostalgia in older viewers, creating a sense of envy for the seamless integration of past and present.

The tongue-in-cheek juxtaposition of stalking and stock markets, along with the utilisation of a voice clip by the Instagram avatar Naga Sairandri, who is widely unpopular for her crass language disguised as spiritual preaching, serves as a distinct connection point between the director and young adults. This is evident from the eruption of laughter from the young audience in theatres, when the infamous Naga Sairandri audio suddenly pops up in a pub scene with a DJ, leaving the non-Instagram generation audience clueless without a context.

Social media influence

Interestingly, most of the cast members hail from the social media creative sphere, known for their popular work. Aside from the lead couple, Naslan K Gafoor, who made his debut in Gireesh’s ‘Thanneer Mathan Dinanagal’ and has been featured in all his movies, and Mamitha Baiju, who plays the lead role, almost every other actor hails from social media backgrounds. Shyam Mohan, who portrayed the antagonist brilliantly, and Akhila Bhargavan, the heroine’s sidekick, boast a huge fan following on social media for their short videos and musicals. This is how Gireesh AD, as a director, effortlessly connects with the iGen, understanding their sensibilities.

Lure of cinema

In a brief conversation with The Federal over phone, Gireesh emphasised the pivotal role of social media in shaping his career. He was grateful to social media, saying that without it, he wouldn't have ventured into filmmaking.

For Gireesh started off as an engineer, having passed out of an engineering college in Mala. "But it was the presence of social media that truly altered my trajectory, I must confess," he said.

For this director, it all began with a Facebook group called Cinema Paradiso Club, where he crossed paths with individuals who would later become his 'film comrades’.

Love for romantic comedies

During the 2010s, Gireesh was employed as a sub-engineer with the Kerala State Electricity Board. He recalled, "It was during this time that my colleagues and I ventured into filmmaking, crafting a short film titled ‘Mookkuthi’ (Nosepin), which gained significant traction on YouTube and various social media platforms. This unexpected success caught the attention of producers, leading to the creation of our debut feature film, ‘Thanneer Mathan Dinangal’ (Days of Watermelon)." This coming-of-age romantic drama released in 2019.

Further, the director explained, "Romantic comedies hold a special place in my heart, and I find myself most at ease when writing stories in this genre. While I harbour an interest in exploring other genres like fantasy, producers have come to associate me primarily with rom-coms which they think is my thing."

Although his first three films unintentionally form a thematic trilogy, he had initially shot another film prior to these projects, which unfortunately faced delays. If it had released before ‘Premalu’ the sequence of the trilogy may have been disrupted, pointed out Gireesh.

Rom-com king

Talking about his success as a director and the use of social media in his films, he said, "Working alongside friends who share a compatible communication style has been instrumental in sustaining our team. Social media plays an integral role in the lives of today's generation, naturally weaving its way into every aspect of their existence. When I conceive a story, the inclusion of social media references feels organic, as it mirrors the reality of contemporary life."

Gireesh's soft-spoken and shy demeanor belie the simplicity and organic humour of his ideas and observations. Despite his reserved nature, his insights effortlessly evoke laughter.

With three back-to-back super hits, which are all rom-coms, Gireesh AD has become a trailblazer in this genre in Malayalam. But, he is keen to now explore other avenues as well.