Prithviraj Sukumaran: Exchange of talent across South and Bollywood was inevitable

Prithviraj Sukumaran shared his thoughts on the growing influence of South film industries and the phenomenal success of Malayalam films at the box office

From Manjummel Boys and Aavesham to Marco, 2024 saw a spate of Malayalam films gain significant success. While Hindi cinema grapples with fluctuating fortunes at the box office, south films have found takers across the country. And actor-filmmaker Prithviraj Sukumaran credits this to the growing exchange of talent between Bollywood and the south.

A file photo of Prithviraj Sukumaran

“There are more collaborations (between industries) than before. It’s the natural progression of how cinema as an art form, and as a business, has evolved,” says the filmmaker, who is gearing up for the release of L2: Empuraan, starring Mohanlal.

Probe further about this overarching shift in perceptions around south cinema, and Prithviraj tells us about a decade-old conversation with filmmaker Karan Johar: “In 2011, Karan offered me a film in an anthology he was directing. I remember him telling me, ‘We’re going into a time where there’s going to be a lot of migration of talent on both sides’. We’re getting there now.”

He also points out that this exchange and the resulting recognition has been helped along by filmmakers blurring the lines between ‘regional’ and ‘mainstream’ cinema. “More filmmakers are now creating films that resonate with everyone,” he notes.

Speaking about Malayalam cinema’s recent surge in box office success, Prithivraj says he couldn’t be more thrilled.

“Malayalam cinema is going through a great phase; talented filmmakers, actors and producers are backing great content, which is wonderful. But, I don’t agree with the narrative of ‘Malayalam is the only cinema that’s great’ — and I think I have the right to say this because I’m from that industry,” the 42-year-old shares, adding, “There have been years where we’ve looked at Hindi cinema and thought, ‘Man, what great content is happening in Hindi cinema! How are they able to pull off such gritty content?’”

While quick to acknowledge that Tamil, Telugu and Kannada cinema have also had incredible successes, Prithviraj underscores a valuable lesson that other industries could learn from the Malayalam industry. “One thing we must understand and respect about Malayalam cinema is how we treat our writers,” he asserts.

The filmmaker explains, “Our writers hold a lot of sway. In many cases, they are the pioneers of setting up a project. Lucifer (the 2019 prequel to L2: Empuraan) happened when (writer) Murali Gopy, came to me with a thought that he had. He asked me, ‘Would you be willing to direct it?’ He then called Mohanlal sir and told him, ‘Prithviraj would like to direct this. Would you be okay with that?’” He continues, “In other industries, it is probably the production house or directors who spark a project. But this is how traditionally Malayalam cinema has worked and I do think it made all the difference, especially since cinema, at its most basic form, is still a literary craft.”