NO CAMPS IN MOLLYWOOD?

NO CAMPS IN MOLLYWOOD?

Filmmakers are teaming up with friends to create comfortable work atmosphere

Sanjith Sidhardhan

Younger filmmakers in Mollywood seem to have one thing in common. They tend to team up with their friends for every consequent project that they get involved with.
Directors like Aashiq Abu and Vineeth Sreenivasan have continued to work with their set of friends on every film they have taken up. Vineeth, who frequently collaborates with buddy and music director Shaan Rahman, reiterates that friendship has always been important to him. "The process of making a film becomes fun when you have friends working with you," says Vineeth, whose next film, Thattathin Marayathu, stars Nivin Pauly, Bhagat, Ahmed Siddique and Sunny Wayne – most of who are his friends and have been part of his cast before.
Even some of the seniors have stuck to working with friends over the years. Take for instance actor Mohanlal who has worked in most of director Priyadarshan's Malayalam films. Though, the interesting point here is that one will never find a 'camp' as such that may have been created due to these friendly tie-ups.
Director Saji Surendran, all of whose films have been scripted by Krishna Poojappura and has actors Jayasuriya and Suraaj Venjaramoodu in prominent roles, says, "Working with friends ensures that there are no ego hassles. So being on the sets is almost like being at home, because you have friends around."
Actor Jishnu, who recently made a comeback on screen with his friend Sidharth Bharathan's Nidra, points out, "Because we are more or less the same age, there is a sense of comfort and freedom that compels you to challenge your own limitations as an actor or technician." Kunchacko Boban owes his comeback to friends in the fraternity. "Lal Jose, Shafi and Benny P Nayarambalam helped revive my drive for cinema after my sabbatical some years ago. They were a constant source of support and gave me the confidence to do varied roles," says the actor. That sets an example for those who believe that filmdom is a cut-throat world full of professional enemies.
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FRIENDS MATTER: (from top) Shaan Rahman, Aashiq Abu and Vineeth Sreenivasan