Jayasurya-starrer Kathanar has commenced pre-production using virtual production technology, the upcoming Malayalam 3D film’s director Rojin Thomas revealed on social media.
The two-part film is about the legendary Christian priest known as Kadamattathu Kathanar or Kadamattachan, who is believed to have had supernatural powers.
In the social media post, filmmaker Rojin said that the pre-production work of Kathanar is aided by sophisticated workflows like Tech-Viz, Stunt-Viz and Post-Viz. These workflows are part of the pre-visualization process which allows the makers to visualise complex scenes, including those which will feature heavy VFX, before commencing the shoot.
Rojin added that they have used 200 DSLR photogrammetry rigs (frames used for mounting multiple cameras around the subject) and Vicon company’s infrared biped motion capture for full-body 3D scans.
Noting that the Hollywood films, Jungle Book and Lion King, were the pioneers in using these techniques before, the filmmaker said, “We are grateful to have an opportunity to bring these technologies used in international cinema to Malayalam cinema through Kathanar.”
“Kathanar will be a global cinema that will integrate the technocrats in our country,” he added.
Rojin also revealed that Kathanar’s pre-production and principal photography will be completed in a year and the film will be released in seven languages.
The film is produced by Gokulam Gopalan under the Sree Gokulam Movies banner. Initially, actor-producer Vijay Babu’s Friday Film House had signed the project. However, the production house backed out citing prior commitments, including its biggest franchise Aadu 3, the Sathyan biopic, and a few other projects. Later, Sree Gokulam Movies house took up the big-budget film.
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Rojin has previously directed Philips and the Monkey Pen (2013), Jo and the Boy (2015), and #Home (2021). His collaborators on those films – music composer Rahul Subrahmanian and cinematographer Neil D’Cunha – are working on Kathanar as well. The film’s virtual production and CGI are headed by Senthil Nathan and Vishnu Raj, respectively.
Meanwhile, Jayasurya, who was recently seen in his 100th film Sunny, has a handful of other projects in the pipeline, including John Luther, Aadu 3, Meri Awaz Suno, and Ramasethu.