Malayalam film Bethlehem Kudumba Unit released in theatres during Onam last month, and has turned into a box office success. Ahead of the release on September 4, the film’s co-writer Kiran Josey opened up on the film’s warm reception, and reacted to the comparisons with Ohm Shanti Oshana. The romantic drama directed by Girish AD, and starring Nivin Pauly and Mamitha Baiju in lead roles, is now releasing in Tamil and Telugu.
Before release, I had not seen the movie and during the first day, first show, I only saw the second half. I had seen bits during the first cut of the film. I watched it during the release and was really happy to see how it came out. The music was really nice and the structure too. The performances really elevated the movie. A lot of messages came after the first day and they pointed out what they found the most beautiful in the film- which was really nice. I am happy and grateful.” (Also read: Bethlehem Kudumba Unit review: Nivin Pauly and Mamitha Baiju are note-perfect in a sweet, wondrous gift of a film )
When I ask Josey about the glowing reviews the film has received from critics and audiences alike, he says, “We are really happy with the response.
Premam [released in 2015] was the first film of him that I watched in a theatre, twice! I love him as an actor, the kinds of films he has done- be it Ohm Shanti Oshana, Oru Vadakkan Selfie, 1983… all of his films released during my college phase, so I truly like him as an actor and now as a person. Some of the film’s best scenes take place inside a car. It is a red Ford Ikon that Nivin’s character Justin owns, where not only does he get a proposal but later, a moment of vulnerability too. The car becomes his safe abode, away from prying eyes. Josey reveals that the team had not thought of the car that way while making the film. “We did not include that intentionally, and the car bits in the film came very organically. After release, there were so many writers and discussions and only then did we notice that the car has become one of the characters. We did not have a clear picture of the car, but we knew that Justin has an old car… but during the script stage we did not think of it as a prominent part intentionally. The writer then shares how Nivin Pauly was on board for the film even before him! “The story idea was with Girish AD from a long time, even before his first film [Thanneer Mathan Dinangal] so he wrote this character around that time. Nivin Pauly was one of the choices I think, and so when I came into the scripting stage, he was already on board for this character. It was Girish’s choice. When we see Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, we can say that he was the perfect choice for that character. Of course I would love to write another character for him,” he adds. The actor’s performance in the film has been received positively, with many noting how the light rom-coms is where he shines the most. Kiran Josey adds that he is a big Nivin Pauly fan. He shares, “Nivin is a very charming person and he can show his emotions [on screen] so nicely. I am a very big fan of Nivin Pauly. I never even thought of writing a film which would have him but now that has happened!”
It came completely in an organic way,” he says.
