Following two successful ventures in the Malayalam industry last year — Ahammed Khabeer’s Kerala Crime Files and Sreejith’s Masterpeace — streaming giant Disney+ Hotstar is back with a new web series titled Perilloor Premier League, designed to tickle the funny bones of viewers.
Comprising seven episodes, each ranging from 30 to 45 minutes, Perilloor Premier League (PPL), helmed by Praveen Chandran, unfolds in a fictional village delving into the lives of the many people residing in the area.
Though the title might initially give the impression that the show revolves around sports events, PPL’s trailer reveals that it is set against the backdrop of an impending panchayat election. In an exclusive interview with The Indian Express, director Praveen Chandran too emphasised the same and shared more about what is truly unfolding in Perilloor.
“The series tells the story of a fictional village and its many supernatural inhabitants. Writer Deepu Pradeep has created some very interesting characters in PPL, much like his work in Kunjiramayanam (2015). While these characters may initially appear innocent, it becomes apparent that they are far from it. The show unfolds from the perspective of a young woman named Malavika (Nikhila Vimal), who arrives at Perilloor to contest a panchayat election and focuses on the people she encounters and the challenges she confronts,” he shares about the comedy series.
Watch Perilloor Premier League trailer here:
The trailer, nevertheless, gives off a feeling that PPL might have incorporated some elements from KG George’s classic political satire Panchavadi Palam, such as the caricaturish nature of the characters and the political scenario, and the use of observational comedy. When asked if the 1984 classic served as an inspiration to PPL in some way, Praveen mentioned that while the KG George movie had a significant impact on him as a film viewer and was one of the films that inspired him to become a filmmaker, PPL’s narrative does not share similarities with Panchavadi Palam.
“Perilloor does not contain as much satire as Panchavadi Palam does; nor does it scrutinise the current political scenario extensively. The show simply explores how Perilloor became what it is and who played a role in this. One factor contributing to the village’s situation is the longstanding political leadership that has been reigning over Perilloor for many years, including the forever panchayat president Peethambaran (Vijayaraghavan), who is Malavika’s uncle. However, PPL is not a complete political satire like Panchavadi Palam,” he observes.
Though PPL marks Praveen Chandran’s first independent directorial venture, he has been a part of the industry for over a decade, collaborating with directors like Madhupal, Alagappan, Jean Paul Lal and Srinath Rajendran in the movies Ozhimuri, Pattam Pole, Driving Licence and Kurup, respectively, in roles as an assistant and associate. Nonetheless, Praveen expresses surprise at making his directorial debut with a web series.
“I was working on a film, intended to be my first directorial, and it was written by PPL’s writer Deepu Pradeep. Unfortunately, the project faced delays for various reasons. It was during this time that I was approached for PPL. Deepu and our production company, E4 Entertainments, pitched the project directly to Hotstar. I wasn’t initially a part of PPL, but once I joined, we commenced filming in approximately 35 days,” he explained.
Watch a glimpse of the world of Perilloor here:
Opening up about his collaboration with Deepu, who gained fame through movies like Kunjiramayanam and Senna Hegde’s Padmini, Praveen recalled living with the writer in Malappuram district for almost a year and a half to develop the narrative of the filmmaker’s delayed movie, titled Vilasini Memorial. “He was the one who suggested me to the producers and Hotstar as the director for PPL,” Praveen says, adding that Deepu’s writings are remarkably humorous.
“Reading his scripts will leave you in stitches. It’s enjoyable as a reader, but as a filmmaker, translating what he has written onto the screen while preserving the humour is extremely challenging. He frequently uses ornate language and words, and unusual similes hilariously. However, converting that into visual language is quite difficult. Nevertheless, we didn’t immediately resort to typical techniques like voiceovers. Instead, we endeavoured to recreate the humour by interpreting and improvising the story, instances and characters in our ways,” he mentions.
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Besides Nikhila and Vijayaraghavan, PPL features a talented cast, including Aju Varghese, Ashokan, Sajin Cherukayil, Sarath Sabha, and Sunny Wayne, who have consistently showcased their comedic prowess. Describing his approach to capturing comedic scenes, Praveen emphasises the importance of understanding each character and their traits as a director. He explains, “Once I comprehend the characters, I can allow the actors the freedom to improvise and deliver their roles based on their understanding since I know precisely when to draw the line to ensure they stay within bounds.”
“In comedy, timing is crucial for actors. Regardless of how amusing a moment may appear in writing, if the actors’ timing isn’t spot-on, it won’t translate well on screen. Therefore, casting holds significant importance in comedy productions. In PPL, some characters deliver up to 125 dialogues, prompting us to carefully select the best actors. We also conducted auditions in various locations, including Wayanad, where the series was shot, discovering several talented newcomers. They have all performed admirably. With a clear understanding of the characters, I, as a director, could seamlessly allow improvisation, lending the performances a natural flow,” he concludes.
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