About human emotions
Kumaran : Akashagopuram is made against the contemporary setting in London. It is about the character’s search for fame and fortune in an alien land. Based on the Kerala-Christian background it has Abraham, played by Mohanlal, as an architect. He is a perfectionist, very ambitious and wants to get to the top, come what may. His endless fear is that the younger generation will overtake him in his career and topple him. This makes him psychic. In the bargain, it affects his married life also. The film deals with the upheavals in a human being’s life when he gets insecure.
Mohanlal : It is a very unconventional subject and I am very fortunate to play Abraham Samson. It is a great achievement for me since there are a lot of complexities to the character. My last film with Kumaran was 21 years back. It was Neram Pularumbol that also had Mammootty in the lead along with me. Kumaran had this subject on his mind since the last 15 years and it became his passion to make this film. We are all happy that it has finally materialised.
Memorable incidents
Kumaran : This was Bharat Gopi’s last film before his death so more than memorable, it is sad that he is not here to see the film.
Mohanlal : I would say everything about this film was memorable for me because it was an experience to do this classic. Also the fact that Akashagopuram was shot in King Richard’s palace which is shown as my house in the film was an experience of a lifetime.
Supporting cast
Kumaran : Mohanlal, as always, is in his elements. Nithya, the new girl, as Hilda transforms entirely on screen. Geetu Mohandas plays Catherine. There is Manoj K Jayan who plays Bharat Gopi’s son. Srinivas is in the role of a family friend and a doctor.
Mohanlal : I must say that it is a performance-oriented film and everyone has given their best shot. Shweta Menon plays my wife Alice and Geetu, my secretary. Nitya represents youth that is like a threat to Abraham and she has done a good job considering this is her first film.
Making of the film
Kumaran : While the shooting was completed in 40 days, the post-production took a long time since we had to depend on our international counterparts for the technical aspects. So entirety it took a whole year which is very rare for Malayalam films.
First international project
Kumaran : With this film we are making an inroads to international projects. The film’s music has been scored by BAFTA and multiple Emmy award winner John Altman of Golden Eye, Titanic, Bhaji On The Beach, Shall We Dance fame. While the sound design has been done by Nigel Holland popular for his work in Batman Begins, Braveheart, Resident Evil, rerecording mixers have been done by Robert Farr who is known for films like Star Wars: Episode II&III, Gangs of New York and Matthew Gough of Harry Potter Prisoner of Azkaban, Cold Mountain fame. The visual effects have been done by John Harvey and Jonathan Trussler who lent their expertise in Kingdom of Heaven.
Mohanlal : The film has been produced by Manu S. Kumaran and is released by Medient Corporation PLC, a multinational film production company, that operates in all key film markets across the globe.
Expectations
Kumaran : I only hope that the film is enjoyed by all since it has a universal appeal. It is scheduled to release in 40 centers in Kerala alone on August 22, while Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore are the other places where it will hit the theatres as well. Since Mohanlal is the hero, there is an adequate amount of curiosity surrounding the film.
Upcoming projects
Kumaran : Attempting a classic was a great thing for me. And I am still to come out of the experience.
Mohanlal : Madambi is still running in the theatres. After Akashagopuram, Kurukshetra will release in October. I am also doing another international film based on the life and times of Nair-San, an Indian who lived mostly in Japan and from where he was actively involved in the freedom struggle against imperialistic Great Britain. It will be shot extensively in Japan, Inner Mongolia and India.