"Vismaya was extremely confident. She approached every shot with the determination to make it better," says director Jude Anthany Joseph as Thudakkam, the debut film of Vismaya Mohanlal as a lead actress, gears up for release.

When Jude Anthany Joseph quit his job at Infosys to pursue his dream of making films, he knew very little about the craft of filmmaking. What he did have was the confidence that hard work could turn his dream into reality. His debut film, Om Shanti Oshana, became a blockbuster, and 2018: Everyone Is a Hero went on to rewrite box-office records.

Now, Jude returns with Thudakkam, featuring Vismaya Mohanlal in the central role. The film marks the acting debut of superstar Vismaya Mohanlal as a lead actress. Produced by Antony Perumbavoor under the Ashirvad Cinemas banner, Thudakkam is set for release.

Speaking ahead of the film's release, Jude Anthany Joseph shares the journey behind the project, Vismaya's performance, and an interesting moment when Mohanlal jokingly asked, "Will there be any small role for me?"

The Beginning of Thudakkam...

This was one of the stories that came to me during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. At the time, I first went on to make Sara's. Around those days, producer Vishakh Subramaniam connected me to Suchitra Mohanlal. She called to say that Vismaya was interested in acting in films and asked if I had any suitable stories for her. I told her I would get back.

Soon after, I got busy with 2018: Everyone Is a Hero. Since it was a large-scale project, it occupied all my time. In between, Suchi chechi would call occasionally to check on the progress. I narrated two stories to her, but she wasn't convinced.

One day, I visited their home in Chennai and pitched another story. She liked it, but felt we could come up with something even better. That's when I narrated one of the ideas I had developed during the pandemic. She immediately said it was an excellent story and that this was the one we should make. After 2018 became a massive success, I completed the screenplay for Thudakkam within a year. I then narrated the entire story to Suchi chechi in Kochi. She asked me to present it to Antony Perumbavoor. He liked it too. A few days later, Antony chettan called and said, 'Lal sir has taken your number. He'll be calling you.' Soon, Mohanlal called me. That was my ultimate fanboy moment. I even told him, 'I've been waiting all these years for this moment.' He said, 'I've heard the story. I really liked it. When can we meet in person?' The very next day, I met him and narrated the entire script. He loved it. Then, with a smile, he asked, 'I'm not in this film, am I? Is there at least some small role for me?' By the very next day, I had worked out an idea. I told it to Lalettan, and he agreed. That's how Thudakkam truly began.

Will Vismaya live up to the hype?

I met Maya (Vismaya Mohanlal) in Chennai and narrated the story. She is a simple, down-to-earth girl. Maya is a huge fan of Om Shanti Oshana. In fact, she had even called Nazriya to ask about me before the meeting. We connected instantly.

We held an acting workshop for a few days, and that is when I realised how confident she was. There was none of the nervousness you would normally expect from someone acting for the first time. Directing her felt like directing my own younger sister. Suchi chechi even remarked the same.

Once shooting began, Maya approached every scene with the determination to make each shot better than the last. The atmosphere on set was always cheerful, with jokes and laughter, and we wrapped up each day's shoot on a happy note.

Jude Anthany Joseph also revealed that another key role in Thudakkam went to Ashish Joe Antony at the suggestion of producer Antony Perumbavoor.

Antony chettan told me that if the role suited him, I should try casting his son. It was his wish that Ashish should also be part of Vismaya's debut film. When I tested Ashish, he performed far better than I had expected. I didn't have to think twice before offering him the role.

The film also features a strong supporting cast, including Saikumar and Manoj K. Jayan.

Journey to Thudakkam

When I was in Class 10, I watched the climax of Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu and found myself in tears. As the credits rolled, I saw the words 'Directed by Kamal.' That was the moment I realised, 'This is something special.' Cinema stopped being just a source of wonder and became my dream. But I didn't really do anything to pursue it for years. Much later, while I was working at Infosys, I learned that my friend and classmate, Alphonse Puthren, had quit his job to make films. That reignited the old dream. I decided to give it a shot, starting out as an assistant director.

I directed Om Shanti Oshana. It became a huge success, and that opened the door for me to direct films one after another. Now, my 5th film is all set for release.

All I ever wanted was to make just one film. But cinema has taken me to heights I never even imagined. I believe I am proof that an ordinary person can succeed through hard work. I didn't have any deep technical knowledge of filmmaking. I simply made films in the best way I knew how, and the audience embraced them.

Next film

Thudakkam is a complete family entertainer. It is unlike any of the films I have made so far. I hope audiences will come to theatres with their families and embrace the film wholeheartedly. I also believe this will be a wonderful beginning for Vismaya's journey in Malayalam cinema. The day we shot Mohanlal sir's scene for this film, I sought his blessings. I told him that I hoped he would one day give me the opportunity to direct him in a full-fledged feature film. I believe that day isn't far away. Right now, I am working on a film with Mohanlal in the lead. The screenplay has already been completed. I'll reveal the rest when the time is right.