Did you think I would fall? (naan veezhven endru ninaithayo..) .. in the movie Petta, when Rajinikanth gets up from a fall with a slight smile delivering the above mentioned dialogue, we unknowingly applaud. Similarly, in 2024, Malayalam audiences applauded Asif Ali’s hit films, embracing his success. In 2023, some critics declared Asif Ali’s career had fallen short due to certain films not achieving the expected success, but his answer to them came in the form of superhits like Thalavan and Kishkindha Kaandam.
Critics who mocked him were silenced as Asif Ali turned 2024 into his golden year with big theatrical successes and experimental performances. Asif Ali’s latest movie, Rekhachithram, is set to release in theaters in the new year. The film is directed by Jofin T. Chacko, who gained recognition for his success with the Mammootty-starrer The Priest in 2021.
Will Rekhachithram continue your winning streak after Kooman, Thalavan, and Kishkindha Kaandam?
Rekhachithram is an investigative thriller, but it leans more into the thriller-drama genre. There’s a freshness to the overall tone of the film, and it tries to present a new mood. It can be described as an ‘alternate history’, where a familiar historical event is presented from a different perspective. For the audience, it will likely feel like a refreshing take.
Does your police character in Rekhachithram share similarities with his previous roles in Thalavan and Kishkindha Kaandam?
In the past, I never had the confidence to portray police officers, as the police characters we saw in Malayalam films usually had a mass appeal. Audiences loved such characters for a long time. My first police character was in Kuttavum Shikshayum, directed by Rajeev Ravi, where the script was written by Sibi Thomas, who was a police officer. The friendship I shared with Sibi sir gave me the confidence to portray such roles. Later, in films like Kooman and Thalavan, I thought it was important for each police character to have a clear identity and distinction. In each of the three films, I tried to portray police characters in unique ways. In Rekhachithram, too, I’ve aimed to make my portrayal distinct and different from my previous roles.
What attracted Asif Ali, the actor, to Rekhachithram?
It was the screenplay that drew me to this project. When we hear a familiar story from a different perspective, it brings a sense of novelty. The screenplay was developed over three years, with extensive research and information gathering. When I first heard it, the screenplay was already more than 80% complete, and I was genuinely excited by it.
The hard work of producers Venu Kunnapilly and Anto Joseph made this film possible. Shooting this film required the cooperation and permission of many people, and Anto ‘chettan’ took the lead in organizing it. Similarly, it was Venu ‘chettan’s’ effort that made this large-scale project come to life.
Have you developed a liking for thriller films recently?
It wasn’t a conscious decision to act in thriller films, but most of the scripts that have come my way recently happen to be thrillers. Both Thalavan and Kishkindha Kaandam were thrillers, but each had its own distinct nature. Our surroundings and the things we see also influence us, and perhaps at this stage in my life, thrillers are more engaging for me. That might be why I’ve ended up in such films consistently.
What do you think about your strong comeback year in 2024?
2024 began with a bang for Malayalam cinema, with films like Manjummel Boys, Premalu, Bhramayugam, and Aavesham all becoming huge hits in the first few months. When Thalavan released, I was really nervous. I had always feared straying from Malayalam cinema’s successful path. But Thalavan gave me a much-desired theater hit, and that success felt very special to me.
Later, Level Cross, a film quite different from typical Malayalam films, received mixed reactions, and I feared it might not get enough attention in theaters. But when it was released on OTT, it received national recognition and praise. This success boosted my confidence to take on such experimental roles in the future. Even though Adios Amigo didn’t do well in theaters, it garnered positive reviews on OTT, with many praising my performance. My greatest success came with Kishkindha Kaandam during Onam, which turned out to be the biggest hit of my career. As a result, 2024 became the best year of my film life.
What are your future projects?
After Kooman, my next project will be with Jeethu Joseph, and an announcement will be made soon. After that, I’ll begin filming Tiki Taka (second schedule) with Rohit V.S., another important project in my career. There’s also a film titled Abhyanthara Kuttavali, directed by Sethunath Pathmakumar, which deals with a very relevant and timely subject. I hope good films are appreciated by all audiences in theaters, and I am committed to continuing the success streak of last year. I truly believe the audience will stay with me on this journey.
Published: 05 Jan 2025, 12:22 pm IST
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