We Shouldn't Avoid Writing Politically Incorrect Characters

Construction director Vishnu G Raghav shares his journey of building his maiden web series from scratch

- VIGNESH MADHU

At an age when there's an increasing demand on screen for violence, bloodshed, and anything adrenaline-rushing, comes the JioHotstar series Love Under Construction (LUC) with a much-needed balmy effect.

Headlined by Neeraj Madhav, Gouri Kishan, and Aju Varghese, LUC is primarily the story of a youngster's unwavering pursuit of building his dream house and the troubles in his love life. This six-part series is apt for a breezy, laidback watch, where the rise in stakes doesn't necessarily boil your blood or induce anxiety. It's also one of the prime reasons why director Vishnu G Raghav wasn't confident of making it as a feature film.

"A couple of years back when I was conceiving it, I wasn't sure of the response for a rom-com. Even while turning it into a series, I was concerned if people would sit through six episodes. I had minimal expectations, but the response has been truly encouraging."

LUC, according to Vishnu, is a blend of several things he has seen around him. In fact, how the lead couple in the show meet and get to know each other is inspired by an incident from his own life.

"One of my friends was trying to send me a phone from abroad. I got him in touch with another friend, who both eventually fell in love. Even the confusions in the climax at the register office were borrowed from their real life. Similarly, there was another friend who lost his job while he was building his long-cherished home. I connected these two stories and spiced it with some fiction," says Vishnu, who had been toying around with this idea even before the shoot of his debut film Vaashi (2022).

"It took time to flesh out the writing. Since it's not entirely a fresh story, I wanted to make it as relatable as possible."

Armed with real-life experiences, Vishnu penned an elaborate screenplay for a feature film, which later proved to be a blessing.