‘Romancham’ is based on a real-life incident that I experienced: Malayalam director Jithu Madhavan says

Seven friends and their tryst with the ‘supernatural’ in the Malayalam film Romancham has had audiences in splits since its release. Billed as a horror-comedy, the movie elicits more laughs than shivers. That the film is inspired by real-life incidents comes as a surprise as the end credits roll when we see a photograph of the seven ‘ Romancham originals’.

Turns out that the film’s director Jithu Madhavan was one of the seven who shared a house in Bengaluru. “Yes, it is based on my experience. It was scary then, but now after all these years it is funny,” says the debutant director who also wrote the script. 

Jithu is basking in the film’s success, it is one of big hits so far. Did he expect this? “All films are made with the expectation that they will do well! Likewise, we too. Those who saw it prior to the release liked it. But the final test is the audience’s response.” Romancham is running to full houses, even the morning shows being fully booked on working days.     

Romancham pivots around the happenings that follow the arrival of an ouija board in the house where the seven men live. Pulling off situational comedy, and consistently eliciting laughs is not easy but Romanacham effortlessly scores. The film is reminiscent of the 90s hit capers such as In Harihar Nagar and Ramji Rao Speaking.

“I did not ‘work’ for the laughs. The story is inspired by incidents that happened, and each time I narrated the story, people burst out laughing. There is humour even in the silences,” says the 34-year-old. 

The casting is apt, with each actor living their role. Headlined by Soubin Shahir, the other actors are Arjun Ashokan, Sajin Gopu, Siju Sunny, Afzal PH, Abin Bino, Anantharaman Ajay, and Jagadeesh Kumar. Chemban Vinod Jose appears in a cameo. 

“Most of the actors are not mainstream film actors but they are hugely popular for their work in other media such as TikTok, for their Reels and web series. They were picked without auditions; I am a huge fan of their work. I had not chosen them for their resemblance to the original people but for how well-suited they were for the roles,” he says over the phone. The popularity of the actors too would have been a factor in the film’s success. 

The aeronautical engineer from Veliyannoor, Kottayam, quit his job to give films a go in 2014. He was an assistant director for films such as Utopiyile Rajavu, Guppy, Maradona and Ambili before striking out solo. He would have made his directorial debut sooner had it not been for the pandemic, and perhaps with another story. 

It was a call to Johnpaul, who he assisted on Guppy and Ambili, and whom he considers a mentor, that led to the director producing the film. “I called Johnpaul to ask him whom to approach [to narrate the story]. That is when he asked to listen to it, and when I was done, he said he would produce it.” He credits the entire team for the film’s success, especially editor Kiran Das and music director Sushin Shyam. 

Costume designer Mashar Hamsa comes in for special praise, especially for Siju Sunny’s Mukesh’s ‘costume’. The character is always seen in a lungi and a fur-collared leather jacket. “We looked around everywhere for it but could not find the exact kind, then Mashar sourced two jackets and fashioned the one Siju wears in the film. Yes, my roommate Mukesh would always be in a lungi, over which he would wear that jacket if he had to step out.”   

Soubin was the first actor to come on board as Jibin Madhavan. We see the actor in a comic role after a long time. Arjun Ashokan, the last to join the film, is impressive as Sinu Solomon. 

Who among the seven friends is him? “I am Jiby. I can only tell what happened from my point of view [Soubin is the narrator]. I have not changed any of the names of my roommates from then, except mine. They complained in jest that while I retained all their names, I changed mine. It was just that I would have felt strange referring to my name during the filming — that is the only reason I changed it.”   

Jithu has started work on his next project, which he does not want to talk about now. Contrary to feeling pressured by the massive success of his first film, he feels responsible and thrilled in equal parts when he thinks about the expectations from his second film. “People liked my first film, the onus is now on me to deliver with my next film too.” 

As the film ends it hints at, what many think, a second part. Jithu refuses to commit, except with a ‘maybe’. “It cannot be just for the sake of it. It has to be fitting for the film that Romancham is… I can’t say anything now.”  

Romancham is playing in theatres.