Director Ranjith Sankar says that the Covid-19 lockdown, which brought the industry to a standstill last year, worked in his favour as it gave him the opportunity to work on his latest Malayalam movie Sunny.
"The Covid-19 lockdown is the reason it materialised. The idea came to me the night the Prime Minister announced the first lockdown in March. I felt that there cannot be a better story than this on solitude as everyone was and is still going through it," he told DH.
Sunny features Jayasurya in the lead and is the 100th film of his career. The movie revolves around the life of a failed musician and highlights what happens when he checks into a hotel for institutional quarantine after arriving in Kerala from Dubai in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Unlike CU Soon, which too was shot during the 'new normal, this one's a human drama rather than a thriller.
Sunny continues Ranjith Sankar's professional association with Jayasurya, The two previously collaborated for films such as Pretham, Pretham 2, and Njan Marykutty. Their strong rapport is what encouraged him to approach 'Jaya' for the challenging project.
"I felt that it would be difficult to work on this project with someone I was working with for the first time. Everything needed to be perfect. I thought of him as we share a rapport. I met Jayasurya and he was in the right shape for the part. He really looked like Sunny " he added.
Sunny released on Amazon Prime Video on Thursday, receiving positive reviews from critics. The consensus is that it consolidates the Malayalam film industry's standing as the 'go to' place for realistic cinema. So, will the response to Sunny pave the way for a sequel?
"It is less likely but let's keep our fingers crossed. I made Pretham 2 even though I did not intend to. So, I really don't know (at this stage)," said the Varsham helmer.
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