Paradise Circus, the upcoming Malayalam film starring Shine Tom Chacko, will give the audience a glimpse into the life of circus artists, says director Khais Millen.
Co-produced by Millen and Jijo Anthony under the Middle March Studios banner in association with Mania Movie Magix International, Paradise Circus is written and directed by Millen.
Speaking to Silverscreen India, the filmmaker says, “I read about the circus a while back and found a lot of interesting elements. Since then, I wanted to write a story revolving around the circus. In the last quarter of 2021, I got the idea for a story thread with a circus backdrop and developed it into Paradise Circus.”
Millen notes that what goes into the preparation of the artists and the circus overall is not known to the outside world. “It takes a lot of physical and mental effort to become circus artists and this film aims to give a sneak peek into their lives.”
The team wanted someone with acrobatic skill to play the female lead role and they finally selected actor and dancer Ishita Singh after much searching, says the director. Apart from Shine and Ishita, more than 100 real circus artists from across the country have been roped in for the film. “We did a lot of research and met with many of these circus artists to know about their journeys. These artists speak in their native languages in the film,” Millen adds.
The filming of Paradise Circus began on December 18, 2021 and the title poster was released in early January. The team is planning to begin the next schedule in the first week of February 2022 and wrap up the shoot by the end of the month. The film is being shot by cinematographer Pappinu in Jaisalmer and nearby localities in Rajasthan.
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“There are many stories around us, but only a few of them that can be told in an entertaining way. Also, I believe that apart from entertaining, a film should create room for discussion and be socially responsible. Hence, I chose to tell this story of the circus,” says Millen, who has previously directed films like Akashvani (2016) and the yet-to-be-released Thala.
He has also written the script for the upcoming film, Adithattu, directed by Jijo Anthony.