As Prithviraj Sukumaran prepares for the release of ‘Daayra’ with Kareena Kapoor Khan, the actor has been reflecting on what makes Malayalam cinema different from the more corporate filmmaking culture he has experienced elsewhere.

For Prithviraj, the answer lies with the writers. In a recent conversation with SCREEN, the actor and producer said that Malayalam cinema continues to give writers considerable influence over the filmmaking process, something he hopes the industry never loses.

“I produce a lot of the films that I work in. Most of the films I act in, I don't take a salary. I have a stake. The best quality about Malayalam cinema, even today, is that the writer holds the power. It usually isn't the director or the production house or a manager dealing with the actor or the star. I hope we never lose that.”

‘The writers hold the power’

Prithviraj explained that the relationship between writers, directors and actors in Malayalam cinema is often much more direct and informal. According to him, writers can approach actors themselves with a script instead of having to navigate several layers of management.

“One thing about Malayalam cinema that I love the most is that the writers hold the power. The writers are in touch with the actor and they say, 'I have written something, would you like to listen to it?' They have a very informal way of making cinema, which I think lends a tangible, humane element to the films we create. It could be something as simple as, say, if Kareena was an actor in the Malayalam industry and I wanted to make a film with her. As a director, I would just call her and say, 'Hi, how are you? I'd like to make a film, I'd like to come and narrate a subject.' And she might say, 'This month I'm travelling, let's do next month,'” added Prithviraj Sukumaran.

He said the process would then be as simple as meeting over coffee, discussing the script and deciding whether to take the project forward.

Using Kareena as an example, Prithviraj contrasted this informal process with the way he has experienced actor negotiations in the Hindi film industry.

“We will meet over coffee and discuss a subject, and she would either say yes or no. Here, I've learnt you speak to the agency, the agency speaks to the manager handling her. The manager then convinces the actor to meet you. Then the production and agency start working with each other. Obviously, the agency will quote a fee, the production will quote half of that. Then the negotiations begin - it is very corporate. But I guess it works. I just feel there's an easier way to do this,” concluded the actor.

Prithviraj has previously spoken about the importance of writing in Malayalam cinema, describing writers as central to the filmmaking process. His latest comments once again put the focus on the industry's comparatively direct approach to developing films.

Prithviraj and Kareena are currently gearing up for ‘Daayra’, directed by Meghna Gulzar. The film marks their first collaboration and sees the two actors play police officers whose understanding of justice puts them on opposing sides of a case.

The investigative thriller goes beyond simply solving a crime, exploring the clash between different ideas of justice, morality and punishment.

The film is scheduled to release in theatres on September 18 in Hindi and Malayalam.