The breakout success of Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Mammootty-starrer “Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam” at the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) 2022 set high expectations for the next edition. Surprisingly, the scriptwriter duo Adarsh Sukumaran and Paulson Skaria found themselves in the limelight again, this time for their movie “Kaathal – The Core,” a Mammootty-Jyothika starrer directed by Jeo Baby.
Reflecting on their experience, Adarsh and Paulson expressed their disbelief at the warm reception, especially considering that “Kaathal…” was still running in cinemas. The duo had attended the previous IFFK, witnessing the enthusiastic crowd for “Nanpakal…” and harboring a dream of bringing their film to the festival. Adarsh shared the joy of seeing that dream fulfilled, with all shows of “Kaathal…” drawing packed audiences.
“Kaathal – The Core” revolves around Mathew Devassy (Mammootty), a retired bank manager gearing up for a local panchayat election. However, his life takes an unexpected turn when his wife of two decades, Omana (Jyothika), files for divorce, claiming Mathew is in a relationship with Thankan (Sudhi Kozhikode), who runs a driving school. The story unfolds as Mathew, a father to a teenager, grapples with denial but eventually comes to terms with his reality.
Adarsh and Paulson, aged 29 and 27 respectively, made their mark with the surprise hit “Neymar,” a lighthearted tale centered around an indie dog. Adarsh also co-wrote the blockbuster “RDX” with Shabas Rasheed. In a conversation with MetroPlus, the duo discussed their journey in Malayalam cinema, the success of “Kaathal…,” and more.
Their collaboration was rooted in a shared love for cinema, cultivated over their ten-year friendship. Despite different academic backgrounds (Paulson an engineer, Adarsh a postgraduate in television journalism), their friendship grew through short film projects with a common friend, Devadath Shaji. Eventually, they decided to join forces, and “Kaathal…” became their first joint script.
Initially planning a story about two thugs and their friendship, their focus shifted to exploring family dynamics, inspired by societal discussions around the revocation of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. They approached Jeo Baby, breaking his tradition of directing his own scripts, and the project gained momentum. Mammootty’s involvement and the casting of Jyothika were crucial decisions that fell into place, shaping the film’s narrative.
As they delved into the subject matter, Adarsh and Paulson undertook extensive research, reading books, meeting individuals from the LGBTQ+ community, and engaging in debates around the topic. Their collaboration with Jeo Baby became a valuable learning experience, as his insights and perspective influenced their understanding of the subject. The directors’ involvement in every aspect of the film, including poster and title design, added to their comprehensive learning journey.
Now, as “Kaathal – The Core” continues to garner attention and applause, Adarsh and Paulson credit their director for the film’s success, acknowledging the impact of Jeo Baby’s directorial choices, particularly in celebrating the power of silences in the narrative.
Discussions aplenty
The film has sparked extensive discussions on the topic of homosexuality, and the writers are genuinely enthusiastic about it. “The comments and observations flooding social media have been overwhelming. Real-life stories are coming to light because of this film, and we’re delighted that it has resonated with families. Interestingly, we didn’t intentionally target a family audience, but the film has managed to connect with them,” Paulson remarks. They express happiness over their own families embracing the movie.
According to the writers, the film stands as further evidence of Mammootty’s ongoing transformation as an actor. They believe he is ahead of them by about a decade, a testament to his experience, extensive reading, and interactions with others. Adarsh notes, “He provided several crucial suggestions that enhanced certain scenes,” while Paulson adds, “Mammootty incorporated subtle nuances in his performance, which became evident to most of us in the crew upon rewatching the movie.”
When asked about their favorite scenes, Paulson highlights Mathew’s interaction with his daughter in college, while Adarsh points to the multi-shot sequence depicting Mathew’s emotional interaction with his father, Omana’s reaction from the other room, and the subsequent scene with Mathew.
Hits in their kitty
Their debut release was “Neymar,” directed by Sudhi Madisson. “The opportunity came our way through our friend Justin Mathew (co-writer of Minnal Murali). We didn’t face much struggle since there was already a director and production house in place. Our task was to craft a script that broke away from clichés surrounding the theme of the human-animal bond,” Paulson explains.
Adarsh’s successful streak persisted with “RDX,” the action-packed family drama. “Nahas (Nahas Hidhayath, director of RDX) presented me with a real-life story, and Shabas and I had to develop a script based on that,” he explains.
Facing the camera
Kaathal…” marked Adarsh’s 12th film as an actor, while it served as Paulson’s debut in front of the camera. Adarsh portrayed a politician, whereas Paulson took on the role of the pragmatic priest, Fr. Jomon. Reflecting on his acting journey, Adarsh shared, “I made my debut in Amal Neerad’s Varathan and am currently working with Mammookka in Turbo. I find it enjoyable. In addition to acting, I have a background as a mimicry artist and have performed on Malayalam channels.” Paulson, on the other hand, expressed, “I discovered that acting is relatively easy when you’re also the writer!”
Looking ahead, Paulson is already working on a project for Basil Joseph, while Adarsh has completed a script in collaboration with another friend, Able Baby.
