‘Something I pitched to Irrfan Khan’: Krishand says Mohanlal film is a detective comedy, equates working with him to Robert De Niro

Filmmaker Krishand is currently basking in the success of his series The Chronicles of the 4.5 Gang – Sambhava Vivaranam Nalarasangham, which features an ensemble cast including Santhy Balachandran, Sanju Sivram, Jagadish, Niranj Maniyanpilla Raju, Hakkim Shah and Darshana Rajendran.

The director–screenwriter, who has won laurels including the National Award for his film Aavasavyuham in the category Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation, spoke at length about his approach to filmmaking and his passion for the craft in an extended conversation with The New Indian Express — Express Dialogues.

Talking about his early days, his views on Priyadarshan’s and Mohanlal’s films, and life in Thiruvananthapuram, the interview proved to be a “walk-and-talk” through the director’s cinematic journey, offering insights into his upcoming projects and ambitions.

One question that has trended online concerns his much-anticipated project with Mohanlal. When it came up in the interview, Krishand acknowledged it but revealed little.

“See, in my head, working with Mohanlal is improbable — it is like working with Robert De Niro. The same applies to Mammukka; these are people in inaccessible spaces. But I’m glad it is happening,” Krishand said.

In the conversation, Krishand credited Niranj Maniyanpilla Raju, who plays Althaf n Nalarasangham, as an extremely hardworking young actor committed to his craft. Niranj, the son of acclaimed Mollywood actor–producer Maniyanpilla Raju, Krishand said, helped open the possibility of working with Mohanlal.

Talking further about the project, he said: “The core idea is something I even pitched in Bollywood in the past — to someone like Irrfan Khan. Now, having received a go-ahead from Lalettan, I reworked the screenplay after his feedback, and I believe it has come out really well; I have put all my experience into the material,” he reflected.

Not revealing much, he teased a hint about the genre — a detective comedy rooted in realism, featuring Mohanlal and a sidekick.

Despite this being only the “tip” of what is to come, Krishand’s revelation has excited the actor’s legion of fans, and the film world is eagerly awaiting what could be one of the most-watched collaborations in recent times.