Filmmaker Girish AD has opened up about one of the films from his career that he finds particularly difficult to revisit, admitting that the 2022 Malayalam movie ‘Super Saranya’ continues to leave him dissatisfied. Despite featuring several comic moments and a story he believed had considerable potential, the director feels the film fell far short of what it could have achieved.

Starring Anaswara Rajan in the titular role alongside Arjun Ashokan and Mamitha Baiju, ‘Super Saranya’ followed a young woman's experiences during her college years, weaving together friendship, romance and the everyday situations that shape her life. While the film found an audience, Girish AD now says he remains unhappy with several aspects of its making.

Why Girish AD finds ‘Super Saranya’ difficult to watch

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Girish AD explained that watching his own films can often be challenging because he tends to identify shortcomings in the writing or execution. However, ‘Super Saranya’ stands apart from his other films for him.

“Super Saranya is something s. I can watch all the other films, but I just can't watch this one. There were a lot of problems with the writing of that film. The script wasn't reviewed. It was a film that was shot hastily amid the difficulties of the Covid period."

According to the filmmaker, the circumstances surrounding the production had a significant impact on the final film. The movie was made during the difficult period of the Covid-19 pandemic, with the production moving ahead under considerable constraints.

"The film has all the problems that came with that. Even though there are a lot of comedy scenes, it is a film that gives me no satisfaction at all.

Despite having a story with a lot of potential, we couldn't even reach half of what it could have been. That is why I always have a great sense of disappointment about it,” Girish AD said.

A story that could have been more

For Girish AD, the disappointment appears to stem less from the film's premise and more from the gap between its potential and the finished product. He believes the story had enough material to become something substantially better, but weaknesses in the screenplay and the rushed nature of the production prevented that vision from fully taking shape.

The director also pointed to the absence of a thorough script review as one of the factors that affected the film. With production taking place during the pandemic, the filmmaking process was shaped by circumstances that made it difficult to develop and execute the project in the way he would have preferred.

As a result, even the film's comedy, which forms a significant part of its appeal, does not make the experience satisfying for its director. Looking back, Girish AD feels that the finished movie represents only a fraction of what the original idea could have become.

Girish AD's favourite ‘Premalu’ moment

While reflecting on his filmography, Girish AD also spoke about a sequence that gives him the opposite feeling, one that he can look back on with satisfaction.

The filmmaker singled out a scene from his 2024 blockbuster ‘Premalu’, particularly the moment in which the female protagonist proposes during a car chase. For Girish AD, the sequence remains one of the most satisfying moments in his body of work.

The contrast between his feelings towards the two films highlights how differently he views the filmmaking process behind them. While ‘Super Saranya’ reminds him of missed opportunities, the ‘Premalu’ sequence represents a moment where he feels the execution successfully matched his vision.

From ‘Super Saranya’ to ‘Bethlehem Kudumba Unit’

Released in 2022, ‘Super Saranya’ was directed by Girish AD and featured Anaswara Rajan, Arjun Ashokan and Mamitha Baiju in prominent roles. The coming-of-age story focused on Saranya's college experiences, relationships and friendships, with humour forming a central part of the narrative.

Girish AD went on to deliver the highly successful ‘Premalu’, further establishing his distinctive approach to youthful romantic comedies.

His latest film is ‘Bethlehem Kudumba Unit’, which stars Nivin Pauly and Mamitha Baiju in the lead roles.