Exclusive | Jeethu Joseph on His Stalled Film 'Ram' with Mohanlal: "It's a Constant Worry in the Background'

Six years after production on his Malayalam action film Ram came to an abrupt halt, Jeethu Joseph has shared an update. The 'Drishyam 3' director stated that reports of a new production company stepping in to revive the film came as news to him as well, and that he is unsure of its credibility.

Speaking to THR India, Joseph said he had no prior knowledge of the latest reports suggesting a new company was in talks to take over the film. He added that he subsequently spoke to producer Antony Perumbavoor to follow up and was informed that discussions with one group had taken place, though there has not been any official confirmation from the film’s producers.

"He [Perumbavoor] said they have discussed this project with one group, and they are maybe looking to work this out. I don't know, maybe it's happening. So far, nothing from their side,” Joseph said.

Ram, starring Mohanlal and Trisha Krishnan, was being shot across multiple international locations before production was brought to a halt in the UK after an actress sustained an injury during a fight sequence in a forest. The crew had planned to return to complete the UK schedule in a year to ensure continuity in the seasons. Following other disruptions, production was then shifted to Morocco, with plans of returning to finish the UK portions later. However, financial difficulties subsequently brought the film’s production to a standstill, and production is yet to resume.

Joseph confirmed that most of the film has been shot, with the exception of certain scenes with the two lead actors and a few other characters. "Fortunately, other than Mohanlal and the lead actress, all other characters' scenes are finished," he explained. He also mentioned that a film of such a scale is made with huge financial backing, thereby making a reshoot unlikely.

After six years, Joseph admitted he is also considering whether the script needs to be revisited before production resumes. "I wanted to make some changes in the script if possible," he said, noting that the landscape of Malayalam cinema has changed considerably since Ram was first conceptualised.

"Six years ago, films were completely different compared to now. Even bigger films have been released in Malayalam since, with great visuals." He added that the producers have invested a substantial amount of money in the project, which makes the continued uncertainty around it all the more difficult. "It's a constant worry in the background," he said, "because the producers have invested a lot of money, but there are some challenges that cannot be disclosed.”