The world cannot seem to get enough of director Girish AD's Bethlehem Kudumba Unit (BKU), as proven by its record-breaking box office run, making the comedy-drama the highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time. Even on the day before its streaming premiere (its 40th day in theatres), BKU has earned approximately ₹29 lakhs today, as of this morning.
Dileesh Pothan, one of the visionaries (along with Fahadh Faasil and Syam Pushkaran) behind Bhavana Studios, the film's production banner, is clear about what the film's success means for the industry and what conclusions one might draw from it.
In conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, Pothan opened up about producing a film while thinking as an audience member, why a film's genre has no say on its theatrical success, and why he believes the industry should resist the instinct to follow exactly what BKU did.
Working on Chevittorma and Bethlehem Kudumba Unit side by side — two films that starkly contrast in their themes, was that a jarring experience for you?
We have different kinds of audiences who like different genres of films. I'm not much of a genre-locked person; I might have limitations to my acting range, but as a viewer, in terms of viewing pleasure, I'm not bound by genre. I enjoy all kinds of cinema, from commercial films to more serious cinema.
As a director or filmmaker, I might not be able to make all kinds of films. But when I hear a story for a film, or if I'm producing one, I like to enjoy it from the point of view of an audience member and think, "Would this be a film I'd like to see?"
From a production house standpoint, I'm not alone. There's Fahadh (Faasil) and Syam Pushkaran with me. We have to think as a production house and create quality content. This is also an investment process, so our aim is always to create films with depth that can become commercial successes. That's our vision as producers.
Did you and the team behind BKU expect the film to succeed because of its genre?
Genre has never struck me as a factor in whether a film succeeds. By the time we watched BKU's final preview, we knew it was a good film and that it would do well — but exactly how well, there was no way to predict. That holds true across genres.
But did the film's success come as a surprise, given that recent box-office hits like Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra and L2: Empuraan were very different kinds of films?
Malayalam cinema has a history of this — films like Killukam (1991) have had some of the industry's most landmark theatrical runs. Now, Bethlehem Kudumba Unit joins that list, and some time back, Vaazha, a grounded story with a good dose of humour, did very well too. The idea that only a certain genre can work in theatres simply isn't true.
Yes, the humour genre does do well in Malayalam cinema.
The idea that a theatrical experience is only needed for big-budget films is an assumption I don't believe in. Films like Bethlehem Kudumba Unit or Vaazha are also meant to be experienced in the theatre. The humour in films like these isn't something I'd want to experience alone; the real satisfaction comes from watching them with others, from that shared sense of togetherness.
That feeling of enjoying a film as a group is why audiences are returning to theatres. Otherwise, people will wait to watch it a few weeks later on streaming. The feel of watching a film with friends is unmatched. That's the feeling I had watching Vaazha in theatres as well, which I don't believe I could have had watching it at home.
I still believe films of all genres and budgets can attract large audiences. Humorous, light-hearted films that connect with audiences have a large scope to work among Malayalam audiences, because it has happened before, and I believe will continue always.
After the success of BKU, do you think the demand for similar films will increase, or that a trend will begin where filmmakers will follow what BKU did?
When a film does well commercially, there's certainly a trend in the industry where similar films immediately follow. If you observe historically, a trend sometimes forms around one film of a genre doing well, and for the next five years, similar films get released.
But that is incorrect. The next hit film after BKU could be in a starkly opposite genre; we should actually be going against the trend.
Was there ever a discussion about you joining the cast or crew of BKU during its production?
No, not really, and even I never had a wish like that.
I've worked with Girish AD before, and would love to collaborate with him again. But ultimately, it comes down to the director having a vision where you fit into the idea of a character they've created for the film. From a production angle, we come on board because we trust the vision the director holds. As an actor, a director, or a producer, I find that the trust must always be held in the filmmaker.