#Home, the upcoming Malayalam film starring Indrans, Sreenath Bhasi and Vijay Babu in the lead roles, will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on August 19, the streaming platform announced on Tuesday.
Produced by Vijay Babu under the Friday Film House banner, #Home is written and directed by Kerala State Award-winning filmmaker Rojin Thomas.
The film also features Manju Pillai, Nalsen, Kainakary Thankaraj, KPAC Lalitha, Srikanth Murali, Johny Antony, Pauly Wilson, Maniyan Pillai Raju, Anoop Menon, Aju Varghese, Kiran Aravindhakshan, Chithra and Priyanka Nair in pivotal roles.
According to the streaming platform, #Home is a light-hearted and thought-provoking family drama about a humble but technologically-challenged old man, Oliver (essayed by Indrans), who constantly strives to remain close with his two sons, who are hooked to social media like any other millennial.
Speaking to Silverscreen India, Rojin says that he got the idea for #Home seven years ago. “At the advent of the digital revolution, my father was a technologically-challenged person. He asked me to teach him to recharge his mobile pack. In those days, we could only do it on desktop. When I taught him the procedure, he took notes in his diary. Later, when he did it all by himself, the joy on his face was something I’ll never forget. That moment was the spark for this story.”
Rojin pitched the idea to producer Vijay Babu in early 2016. “He was excited about the idea and I completed the script within two months. The biggest challenge, however, was casting. We waited for almost five years to get the apt artists for the characters in #Home,” the filmmaker adds.
They considered a lot of options for the cast but none were satisfactory. The makers were also particular about roping in unique artists for these roles and did not want to repeat any combinations. “While we were waiting to find the right artists, especially for Oliver’s character, I also had to simultaneously update the script with the advancements in technology over the years. Finally, we locked Indrans ettan and went on floors in September 2020.”
The filming was completed within 42 days, Rojin reveals. “80% of the film was shot inside a house in Ernakulam.”
While their primary aim was to have a theatrical release for #Home as it is a film for a family audience, the situation with the pandemic forced them to opt for a direct-OTT premiere, says the filmmaker. However, he is glad the film will reach a wider global audience now. “In the recent past, the family audience in theatres has dropped and I wanted them to come back to theatres for a happy film. However, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, theatrical release seemed uncertain. That’s when our producer struck a deal with Amazon Prime Video. It is truly a delight for us to release the film on this streaming platform as we can reach a wider family audience.”
Rojin has previously directed Philips and the Monkey Pen (2013) and Jo and the Boy (2015) and his collaborators on those films, music composer Rahul Subrahmanian and cinematographer Neil D’Cunha, have worked on #Home as well.
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Indrans, a costume designer-turned-actor who has starred in over 400 films, said in a statement, “I am extremely happy to be a part of this project and glad the filmmakers considered me for this role. In my 40-year long career, from old Malayalam cinema to new age Malayalam movies, I have seen it all. The only way to stay relevant in the industry is to adapt to the changes and go with the flow. When it comes to work, I am not rigid, nor do I have any demands from my directors or writers. I enjoy working with the new generation of actors. In fact, there’s so much that I get to learn from these young and budding artists.”
Actor-Producer Vijay Babu said in a statement, “With #Home, our focus was solely to highlight a socially-relevant topic portrayed in such a way that it leaves viewers with food for thought. The beautifully relatable characters have been carefully weaved into the narrative and are presented in a light-hearted way that will make for a perfect family watch.”