Ever since actor Jayaram announced his latest venture, his second Malayalam film in the past five years since 2019, cinemagoers have been thrilled, especially since its first look featured the thespian in a never-seen-before avatar. What further fuelled anticipation for Abraham Ozler was the director’s name — Midhun Manuel Thomas, making a comeback as a helmer after a four-year hiatus following the tremendous success of Anjaam Pathiraa.
Since 2020, Midhun has significantly enhanced his reputation as a screenwriter and two films he penned — Garudan and Phoenix — hit the screens in November 2023, achieving success and garnering positive responses. Notably, neither of these movies bore any resemblances to Anjaam Pathiraa, despite being thrillers, heightening expectations for Ozler, penned by Randheer Krishnan.
But, who is Ozler? What is Abraham Ozler all about? How did Midhun Manuel emerge as one of the most bankable storytellers in Malayalam? And how does he consistently create captivating films? In an exclusive conversation with The Indian Express, the filmmaker addresses these questions and more.
Who is Abraham Ozler?
“Our Ozler is named after the renowned Canadian physician William Osler, often regarded as the ‘Father of Modern Medicine’. Initially, we had included a backstory, explaining that Abraham Ozler’s father, a doctor himself, named his son after his favourite physician with the hope that young Abraham would follow in the footsteps of becoming a doctor when he grew up,” Midhun says.
Abraham Ozler is named after the renowned Canadian physician William Osler. (Image: Midhun Manuel Thomas/Facebook)
When asked if he consciously avoids certain clichés in character development or ensures specific elements when embarking on writing thrillers, Midhun mentions that since his scripts are plot-driven and not character-driven, he never needs to make conscious efforts to avoid clichés. “Since I begin with the story, characterisation and other such elements happen only much later. In the latter phase, like any other writer, I too aim to steer clear of clichés. However, I believe it’s challenging to craft entirely unique characters as if starting from scratch; people inevitably share similarities, don’t they?”
After Garudan and Phoenix, another movie, Vysakh’s Turbo, penned by Midhun is currently in the making. When asked if the process of writing back-to-back is becoming overwhelming, Midhun notes, “After Covid, I worked on a feel-good comedy entertainer with Aju Varghese. However, it hasn’t been released yet due to various reasons. Honestly, post Covid, I sat idle for a year or two, doing nothing but reading and watching movies. During this time, I found the opportunity to brainstorm new story ideas. However, it was certainly not my intention to work on all these films together.”
Malayalam actor Jayaram on the sets of Abraham Ozler. (Image: Midhun Manuel Thomas/Facebook)
“Consider this: Many talented writers and filmmakers before us used to make seven to eight movies annually and they all became superhits. I’m committed to my work, and on certain days, I’ll need to put in extra effort. It’s a creative job that necessitates the use of the mind more; so, yes, it is bound to get hectic occasionally. However, I have no complaints because I genuinely relish the creative process,” Midhun adds.
Midhun Manuel Thomas’ heroes
Opening up about his thriller heroes, who are never portrayed as superhuman beings but rather as people with vulnerabilities, so that their victories at the end feel very personal, Midhun explains, “Dr Anwar Hussain (Kunchacko Boban) in Anjaam Pathiraa is a family man. He does not have any character blemishes. However, he is a common man with vulnerabilities. This is why, when he becomes involved in a significant investigation and ultimately unravels it, even at the risk of sacrificing his own life, viewers resonate strongly because he represents one of them.”
“As for Abraham Ozler, he is an intense investigator with a hinted history of personal tragedies, in contrast to Anwar Hussain. This deliberate distinction ensures that my two investigators do not come across as similar characters.”
“On the other hand, though Harish Madhav (Suresh Gopi) in Garudan is both a good human being and a cop, his minor missteps have significant consequences, leading him to become a ‘fallen hero’ at a certain point. As viewers, we appreciate this trope because their comebacks carry a more impactful resonance. Advocate John Williams (Aju Varghese) in Phoenix is probably the only grey-shaded hero in my thrillers. He is neither a good father nor a competent lawyer.”
“Consequently, all central characters in my four thrillers exhibit distinct differences from each other. This intentional approach aims to prevent them from appearing identical, especially when compared to each other,” Midhun remarks, humorously adding, “While I aspire to create a character as unique as Sherlock Holmes, I don’t believe I possess that level of skill (laughs).”
Writing or directing?
When asked to choose between writing and directing, Midhun promptly chose writing without hesitation. “A writer is someone who crafts a new narrative world and a set of characters from scratch. The story itself is the most unique element of a film. A director observes the story from a different perspective; actors bring the story to life, and technicians contribute to enhancing the narrative. Thus, the most authentic process in filmmaking is undoubtedly the act of writing,” he observes.
Director Midhun Manuel Thomas with actors Jayaram and Senthil Krishna on the sets of Abraham Ozler. (Image: Midhun Manuel Thomas/Facebook)
“Malayalam cinema once boasted highly skilled writers like MT Vasudevan Nair, P Padmarajan, Dennis Joseph, Kaloor Dennis, T Damodaran, Renji Panicker, AK Lohithadas and Renjith. The industry also had a rich tradition of adapting literary works into films. Regrettably, the current scenario is marked by a noticeable shortage of talented writers. In my view, the only challenge facing Malayalam cinema at present is the scarcity of proficient writers,” Midhun asserts.
Favourite Malayalam investigation movies
When asked about his favourite Malayalam investigation movies, Midhun took a moment and began by mentioning Joshiy’s Ee Thanutha Veluppan Kalathu (1990), starring Mammootty and penned by Padmarajan. He recalled that it was the first Malayalam movie in the genre that truly fascinated and scared him. “It was likely one of the first thrillers I ever watched, considering that viewing films was a rare occurrence for me growing up. If we were fortunate, and if Doordarshan National (DD1) was generous, we could catch a film on the neighbour’s TV once a week.”
Midhun Manuel Thomas’ Jayaram-starrer Abraham Ozler will hit the screens on January 11. (Image: Midhun Manuel Thomas/Facebook)
He also named KG George’s Yavanika (1982), K Madhu’s CBI franchise and Moonnam Mura (1988) and Mohan’s Mukham (1990) as some of his other favourite Malayalam investigation movies.
‘The stronger the villain…’
Returning to his process of writing thrillers, Midhun emphasises the importance of crafting formidable and powerful villains. “The stronger the villain, the more robust the hero becomes. Therefore, I consistently dedicate special attention to developing the backstory and characterisation of the antagonists. I believe that even viewers want a strong villain when watching thrillers. The success of films like Sujoy Ghosh’s Kahaani (2012), Neeraj Pandey’s A Wednesday! (2008), etc, highlights that Indian audiences appreciate movies featuring distinctive villains,” he concludes.
Also starring Anaswara Rajan, Arjun Ashokan, Anoop Menon, Siddique, Jagadish and Dileesh Pothan, among others, Abraham Ozler will hit the screens on January 11.
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