Adhil Maimunath Ashraf was confident that he did not want his debut directorial venture to be a rehash of stereotypical characters and storytelling. As a result, the director’s Nathikakkakoru Premondaran (Mere Bhai Ko Pyaar Tha), scripted by him as well, is a love story with engaging characters and a fresh storyline.
The casting of Adil was giving prominence to the coup d’état sentiment. Popular actress returning to Malayalam cinema after more than five years Nathikakkakoru Premondaran, She plays the heroine of Sharafuddin’s Jimmy.
Adil Maimunath Ashraf, Director Nathikakkakoru Premondaran, with feeling. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Adil, an editor, was planning to turn director with a big budget film. However, when he found it difficult to find producers for the project, he remembered a story and decided to revive it. “We approached the first actor to play Jimmy,” Adil tells Chalakudy over the phone. “I wanted a well-known actor who was not active on the big screen to play the heroine. The story is about two people meeting after many years. I felt that the heroine returning to cinema after a gap would go with the flow of the story.
That’s when Bhavna’s name came to the fore. Adil wondered if she would be interested in the film and contacted her through Renish Abdulkhader, one of the film’s producers along with Rajesh Krishna. After listening to the story and reading the script, Bhavna agreed.
Aadil’s directorial skills come to the fore in shaping the key characters, be it Nitya (Bhavna), Jimmy (Sharraf), his parents and relatives, his doting younger sister, Maryam (Sania Rafi), or others who are involved in the story. . “We have met all these people in real life. However, when it comes to the screen, a lot of the characters turn out to be crooked. I wanted to make it as real as possible. I depended on my friends and relatives to mold the characters.
Hence, Jimmy is a far cry from the alpha males usually seen in Malayalam cinema. Jimmy, quite the people pleaser, tends to be teary-eyed, hesitant to take a stand when it comes to big decisions, and doesn’t like to hurt his parents or loved ones.
The director explains that it took time for the actor to adapt to his character as it was a role that he had not played before. “He wanted a reference for Jimmy, which I didn’t have. I gave him a detailed sketch of the role and that helped him bring Jimmy to life on screen.
Bhavna’s character is that of a mother in the midst of a divorce. However, her character is not a victim, but a confident, independent woman with a mind of her own.
Aadil says the time has come for us to “normalise” such characters on screen. “There are too many happy single mothers in our society and it is time we stop projecting them as victims all the time. There is a tendency to judge a divorcee as someone who may have had a relationship before she was married. Therefore, many women underestimate or deny it. Why should he? I was determined not to follow all those templates and make it the focus of my film, which is about two childhood sweethearts and friends who meet after many ups and downs in their lives.
Adil Maimunath Ashraf, Director Nathikakkakoru PremondaranWith Sharafuddin | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Shot in various locations in Kodungallur, Nathikakkakoru Premondaran Some comment on issues that could have taken the story in a different direction. The navigation is so deftly done to keep the plot from becoming a minefield of issues that the focus always remains on Jimmy and Nitya’s romance as they try to make up for lost time. Without mentioning different religions or Nitya’s abusive marriage, Aadil makes sure the story stays on track. While invoking toxic marriages, the film doesn’t deviate much from the original story.
“I am from Chalakudy, where we have many inter-religious marriages that we take for granted. I wanted my film to reflect that reality.
Fidaa, helmed by Anarkali Nazar, had all the potential to turn the narrative into a predictable tale where the protagonist is torn between two women. Adil portrays the character of Fida gracefully without any tragedy-queen overtones.
It’s Jimmy’s sister Mary, who tells the story of Nathikakkakoru Premondaran. Aadhil had decided to hold auditions to select a child actor when he met Sania Rafi through a friend. As soon as he auditioned, he knew he had met his soulmate.
Veteran actor Ashokan, always a brilliant actor, appears as Jimmy’s domineering, sports-obsessed father, who tries to live his dream through Jimmy. Adhil agrees that Ashokan is a professional who focuses on his role and hence had no problem graying his hair and appearing as Jimmy’s father.
Aadil is hopeful that the audience will watch the film in theaters and can’t wait for it to reach streaming platforms.