Filmmakers Know The Value Of Time Better Than Actors

Kammattam filmmaker Shan Thulasidharan talks about the challenges involved in making the series, which marks ZEE5's first in Malayalam, choosing Sudev Nair and some renowned directors for their respective roles, its thriller genre elements, and more

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Udev Nair plays the lead role of a police officer in pursuit of a killer in director Shan Thulasidharan's Kammattam, the first Malayalam series from ZEE5. The series marks Shan's return to direction after 2023's Dear Vappi, starring Lal, Niranj Maniyanpilla Raju, and Anagha Narayanan.

It also marks Sudev's return to a headliner role (CI Antonio George) after a long time. The actor's most notable appearances after his lead role in 2014's My Life Partner, which earned him the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor, include villain roles in Amal Neerad's Bheeshma Parvam, opposite Mammootty, and Ra-jeev Ravi's Thuramukham, opposite Nivin Pauly.

Casting an actor primarily known for supporting roles could be seen as a risk, but director Shan viewed it as an opportunity. "For this role, we needed the energy that an actor such as Sudev brings. Further, during the project's discussions, ZEE5 told me that it would stream the series in six languages. Sudev has credits in Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada as well. We chose him because audiences elsewhere are also familiar with him," says Shan.

While the title and promotional content hint at the Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank Scam in Thrissur as a possible inspiration, Shan clarifies that the series draws from multiple real-life incidents. "It is a subject set in Kottayam. Crimes that took place in Thrissur and Trivandrum are also part of the overall plot," reveals Shan.