I Was Surprised With Remake Offers For Rekhachithram

Director Jofin T Chacko talks about his seven-year-long journey with the film, from its inception to execution, and how it eventually shaped up as a tribute to 80s Malayalam cinema

- VIGNESH MADHU

we later fleshed out and included in our script as well.

With Mammootty's presence being imperative in the storyline, the makers faced a challenge on how to present him in the film. Jofin, a fanboy who debuted by directing his idol in The Priest (2021), had multiple plans laid out. "I primarily wanted to ensure Mammookka's presence was not a gimmick but had a purpose. We initially thought of employing a few tried-and-tested techniques, but over the years, new technologies developed and that's how we decided to seek the assistance of AI."

Mammootty is perhaps among the first mainstream stars in Indian cinema—or even internationally—to approve using his AI-generated replica. It's a revolutionary call, considering that film industries across the world are still debating about cloning actors. But Jofin says it didn't take a lot of convincing. "Mammookka is always open to fresh experiments. He's also far more technically advanced than us and knew exactly what he signed up for. He was genuinely interested in the film and constantly enquired about its progress."