Malayalam audiences are awaiting quality content on OTT, says director Ahammed Khabeer

Q. We have seen your Madhuram and June, both feel-good films. Why did you shift to crime thriller?

A. I like watching crime thrillers even though I have done feel-good films. Crime thrillers need a good story and it has to happen at the right time.

When I got an opportunity to do one, I thought I will take this opportunity to shift to other genres. Moreover, I  realised that I can do extended stories with web series.

Q. How many episodes are there in the series and how did you weave the story of Kerala Crime Files with scriptwriter Ashiq Aimar?

A. There are six episodes, each with a runtime of 30 minutes.

Ashiq worked with me earlier in Madhuram. I had a thread in my mind (about the plot). I shared it with Ashiq and he wrote the script for the series.

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Q. What is your expectation regarding the reception of the web series among Malayalam audiences?

A. I have good expectations. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Malayali viewers have been watching web series in other languages. But we don’t have a web series of our own language.

I am hopeful that if there is good content, audiences will watch web series in our language, too.

Ahammed Khabeer and Lal during the shoot of ‘Kerala Crime Files’. (Supplied)

Q. How did you reach Disney+ Hotstar for the web series?

A. Disney+ Hotstar was looking for stories in Malayalam. I got an opportunity to pitch the story and I was selected.

Q. The teaser hints at an investigation into the murder of a sex worker. How are women characters portrayed in Kerala Crime Files?

A. Yes, we have women characters in the series and they have been given equal importance.

Q. Actor Aju Varghese is playing the role of a police officer. What can we expect from him since he has fared mostly in comedy roles?

A. You must have seen Aju Varghese as the police officer in the Kerala Crime Files trailer and teaser. He is a normal cop in the series. There aren’t any comic elements for his character. The story revolved around five-six policemen who investigate the case.

Q. Apart from the investigation, what can we expect from the web series?

A. The story happens in Kochi. In this series, we have included the daily life of policemen. Their personal and professional lives also get a mention in the web series.

Ahammed Khabeer and Aju Varghese during the shooting of ‘Kerala Crime Files’. (Supplied)

Q. Did producer Rahul Riji Nair, who is also a director himself, offer you any input during the making?

A. Rahul usually directs and produces his own films, but he came forward to produce the project.

Since we all are creative people, he was also involved in sharing ideas. He was more into the production side of the series.

Q. What can the audience expect from Kerala Crime Files?

A. Kerala Crime Files is a simple crime web series like those in Hindi. Aju Varghese and Lal will appear as the circle inspector and sub-inspector respectively. There will be a team of five-six cops.

After watching the trailers and teasers, we are getting positive feedback about the quality of our work. We have strived hard to give the best.

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Q. Your second movie Madhuram premiered via OTT. How is your association with OTT platforms?

Lal appears as Kurian Avaran in ‘Kerala Crime Files’. (Supplied)

A. During the release of Madhuram, Covid-19 restrictions were in place. I wanted to do a movie after June, though the theatres were shut down. I wanted to move forward with my art and that is how Maduram happened.

OTT was the only option left for me at that point. We always want art to have a platform; it doesn’t matter if it’s OTT or a theatre. Moreover, I wanted to do a web series so I can shift my genre in filmmaking.

Q. Censoring isn’t needed for web series. How have you made use of this possibility?

A. We did use a few cuss words in Kerala Crime Files. But otherwise, it is a clean series.

Q. Do you think the emergence of OTT has affected the theatre business?

A. It’s a fact that people nowadays wait for 40 or more days for films to release on OTT platforms. Even the film fraternity isn’t making frequent theatre visits.

A poster of ‘Kerala Crime Files’. (Supplied)

Audiences are visiting cinema halls only if they believe that a movie is worth watching on big screens. I don’t think films can’t be made as they were made earlier since theatres are witnessing fewer footfalls.

On the other hand, directors can try every genre in the case of OTT platforms and this helps better their filmmaking skills and produce better content.

Q. How to tackle this dramatic shift in film watching?

A. The theatre owners in Kerala are facing serious financial problems as only Romancham (2023) and 2018 (2023) became super hits in the recent past.

At a time when people are not visiting theatres to watch films, filmmakers should seriously think and make movies that demand a theatrical experience.

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