Two people who grew up in two different countries and two different life situations came together through cinema, and for the past 43 years, they have been journeying side by side. In that time, 19 films that astonished Malayalees were made. The beauty of the Mohanlal–Sathyan Anthikad combo is something every Malayalee knows by heart. From T.P. Balagopalan M.A., Gandhinagar Second Street, Nadodikkattu, Varavelpu, Pattanapravesham, Rasathanthram, every single film that came from that loving home has always remained deeply cherished by Malayalees.

“To this day, Mohanlal is an actor I have not had enough of directing,” is what Sathyan Anthikad always says about him. For the filmmaker, Mohanlal is the most powerful chess piece on his cinematic chessboard. After a decade, the duo has reunited this Onam season with their 20th film, Hridayapoorvam. Along with Sathyan Anthikad are his sons, Akhil and Anoop, both directors themselves, assisting him. Many young talents are also part of the team, both in front and behind the camera. Produced by Antony Perumbavoor under the banner of Aashirvad Cinemas, Hridayapoorvam is a true meeting of two generations.

Why is Hridayapoorvam so close to your heart?

There are many reasons why Hridayapoorvam is dear to me, but the most important is Mohanlal’s presence. When he is with me, filmmaking is not work, but joy for me. From my first film Kurukkante Kalyanam, our bond began, and even after 43 years, our closeness has only deepened. Mohanlal is still an actor who amazes me every single time he stands in front of the camera. My son Akhil had earlier worked on Mohanlal’s films, but for Anoop, it was the first experience. Before shooting began, I told Anoop and all the other youngsters on the team, “this is a rare fortune you are receiving, a unique opportunity to work alongside one of Indian cinema’s finest actors.” After the shoot ended, they all came to me with just one request, that their next film too should be with Lal sir, because they had not had their fill of watching his effortless acting.

Characters born from your collaborations, like TP Balagopalan, Gopalakrishna Panicker, Dasan, and Premachandran, have all become evergreen

In Hridayapoorvam, the character Sandeep Balakrishnan stands apart. That is the role played by Mohanlal in the film. Unlike TP Balagopalan or Gopalakrishna Panicker, Sandeep is very different. His life situations are not like those earlier characters. He faces neither financial hardships nor family burdens. Instead, Sandeep goes through experiences far more intense. The charm of the film lies in the way Mohanlal presents this with such ease, that is the “Lal magic.”

This was also Mohanlal’s first sync-sound film. By then, cinema had advanced a great deal technically. Recording sound live while acting gives a much better result than dubbing later in the studio. It enhances the naturalness of Mohanlal’s performance. We can even hear the subtle breaths that escape as he acts. The sync-sound for Hridayapoorvam was handled by Anil Radhakrishnan, one of the finest sound recordists in Indian cinema.

A large part of your cinema family is no longer with us. Do you miss them when you write new films?

Definitely, I miss Innocent, Oduvil Unnikrishnan, Lalitha Chechi, Mamukoya, and many others deeply. They were part of my cinema family. Now the biggest challenge when shaping a script is that the images of many characters no longer come alive in my mind. In the past, when I began writing, I could easily imagine: this is Lalitha chechi, this is Innocent, this is Oduvil. From that very moment, I would see them as the characters themselves. Since Hridayapoorvam wasn't set in a village background, it wasn’t much of a problem. Most of the shooting happened in Pune. Siddique, Lalu Alex, and Janardanan were with us, along with many brilliant new-generation actors.

About the new team

Yes, Hridayapoorvam definitely has a new-gen touch. The idea for this film first came from my son Akhil, and I found it very appealing. It was a story that could use Mohanlal’s acting brilliance beautifully. When I narrated it to producer Antony Perumbavoor, he too was interested. Akhil and Anoop were both busy with their own films at the time, but then I remembered Sonu T.P., who had made the short film Night Call. Sonu and I sat down together, discussed, and developed the script. Without me even realising it, the younger generation had become deeply involved in this project. Anoop put aside his own work to join as Associate Director. Anu Moothedath came in as cinematographer. Among young music directors, Justin Prabhakaran, one of the finest, composed the score, with lyrics by Manu Manjith. New talents like Sangeeth Prathap and Malavika Mohanan also came on board. In truth, Hridayapoorvam became a blend of two generations.

Without Sreenivasan, the Mohanlal–Sathyan Anthikad partnership feels incomplete. Did you miss him in this film?

 

 

Yes, the absence I feel most when me and Mohanlal working together is Sreenivasan. Our collaboration began with T.P. Balagopalan M.A. He is the one who helped me understand my own path in cinema. Films like Nadodikkattu, Sandesam, Varavelpu are still remembered and discussed. Many of Sreeni’s dialogues have become proverbs among Malayalees,"Ellathinum athintethaya samayam undu daasa…”, “Polandine patti oraksharam mindaruth.” During the shoot of Hridayapoorvam at Mulanthuruthy, Sreenivasan visited the set one day. It was a very emotional moment. Mohanlal hugged both of us, and all our films together flashed through my mind. I even saw Lal’s eyes well up. Without Sreenivasan, both as a friend and as a writer, I would never have been able to make so many good films. The lessons I learned sitting with him during script discussions have helped me not only in the films we made together, but also in the ones I wrote myself or directed from other writers’ scripts.

 

Now that Hridayapoorvam has been released during Onam, what would you like to say to the audience?

Onam is a time when families come together in theaters, free of other worries. I feel very happy that I could bring to them a Mohanlal film that the whole family can watch and enjoy. Sangeetha, who became Malayalees’ beloved actress through Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala, plays a crucial role in Hridayapoorvam. She shares many wonderful scenes with Mohanlal and Malavika. I have tried to tell a heartfelt story wrapped in humor. No matter how serious a subject may be, when told with humor, it becomes more enjoyable. I can assure audiences that Hridayapoorvam will never disappoint the family audience.

Sathyan Anthikad has once again returned with a Mohanlal film. Despite the changing times, despite the absence of many of our dear departed actors, despite the challenges of a new era, this film has been made with love and joy still at its heart.