Photographer KR how his story became a script for Mohanlal-Starr ‘Thudram’

KR Sunil with Mohanlal and Tharoon idol | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

KR Sunil of Photographer has always been a captivating storyteller. And he finds his stories in the most places – The Streatside, a temple festival, a random conversation with a stranger, a police station. This was a story that caused Mohanlal-Tharun Murthy to Super-Hit Revenge Drama, Thudram.

Twelve years ago, in his hometown Kodungangalur, Sunil saw an elderly man worryingly on the police station wall. Intressed, he started inspecting it and it seemed that the man’s gaze was fixed on the vehicles parked inside the police station premises. Sunil says that the man’s face is a strange mix of expression, anxiety and determination, provoking a series of ideas in his mind.

“If he was looking at his vehicle, which was interrupted by the police and wondering how to recover it? What if that vehicle was occupied by him?

The story, who revolves around Mohanlal’s character Shanmugham (a taxi driver, is known as Benz, which remixes reality with his vintage ambassador car), with film twist and turn.

For a photographer, whose shocking honest frame has pushed us to consider consistently considering human experience, it was new to write for a film. “Although I did not have experience in scripting, I have nurtured some friendship in the industry, especially with stalwarts like Kamal and Lal Jose. I have also assisted Rajiv Ravi on camera in two films (((Citation And RasikanThis helped me shape my cinematic language, “he says. Even during his early days, Sunil used to be a regular in the Film Society Screening, as a student at Fine Arts College, Thrissur; he would also watch commercial films.

KR Sunil with Mohanlal | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Fuel with the energy of his fresh script, Sunil read it to producer Rajput Ranjith, who had capacity in it. “He can easily be related to a character who was so obsessed with his car, he will go to any length to take care of it.” Ranjith eventually spoke to Mohanlal and producer Antony Permbavur, who was equally influenced by the story. Sunil says, “He had to see and go to people like Benz who were suffering from their cars.”

But cinema, with its uncertainties and vagina, took his time. It was in 2022 when Sunil happened to see Saudi VelkakaWritten and directed by the Tharu Murthy, that things took a turn. Sunil recalls, “The film had a simple story that was so clearly told that the scene was with me. He hit a raga,” Sunil remembers. When Tharun heard the story, he also knew that it contains all the production of a good film.

KR Sunil with Thruun Murthy | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Thruun in 2023, met Sunil in Mattanchari, where he was performing his work. Sunil says that they decided to work together on the script and what was a joyful creative exchange was a joy with creative exchange. “It was easy to communicate with Tharu and he made a lot of suggestions, which I felt that were suitable for the story, and we started work on a new script.”

Sunil, who was present at most shooting places, states that it was an inexplicable experience that emits Mohanlal’s characters. “We know Mohanlal as an actor. But as a person, he is extremely down-to-back. People come from different places, just to get a glimpse of him.” Sunil remembered how an elderly woman who was running a restaurant near the shooting place in Thodupuzha brought a day’s meal for Mohanlal, who happily recalled it.

Sunil admits that he is a bit overwhelmed by the film’s response. “The film has echoed with people in generations and the response is actually charming,” they say. Sunil has a lot of stories in his head, but for now, he is focusing on his upcoming photography shows in Goa and Mumbai.