I’m an overrated filmmaker: Dileesh Pothan

Last year, Dileesh Pothan, without any hype, made heads turn with his debut directorial Maheshinte Prathikaram. Dileesh was a noted actor before he made his first film. Not many knew were aware of his calibre as a filmmaker and he showed it with his very first film itself. The movie went on to win several awards at the State and National level.

Now, the Maheshinte Prathikaram team of Dileesh Pothan and Fahadh Faasil are awaiting the release of their next outing, Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum. As they are teaming up once again, expectations are massive for the movie among the audience.

Dileesh Pothan was widely appreciated for his directorial skills in Maheshinte Prathikaram. His meticulously detailed filmmaking and visual storytelling style was popularly termed as “Pothettan’s brilliance” by the Malayali cine buffs in social medias.

However, the humble Dileesh Pothan feels that he is overrated as a filmmaker. He said it in a recent interview to The Hindu, while talking about all the praise he received for his first film. The director explains that all he is trying to do is communicate a story that he visualise in his head, into something better for the audience. The attention to detail, that he is famous for, is something he feels is very necessary in visual storytelling.

He is quoted saying, “If there is a curtain or a prop that communicates the story, the character(s), his or her situation, then I retain it. If it takes the flow out of the visuals and proves to be a distraction, I take it out.”

Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum stars Fahadh Faasil, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Alencier Ley Lopez and debutante Nimisha Sajayan in major roles. It is written by former journalist Sajeev Pazhoor and is produced under the banner of Urvashi Theatres. Rajeev Ravi has cranked the camera and Bijibal has handled the music department. The movie is slated to hit screens on June 29.