Ranjan Pramod has been around for 17 years. He started off as a screenwriter with Lal Jose-directed Randam Bhavam. Since then, he has penned many blockbusters as well as critically acclaimed films that include Meesa Madhavan, Naran, Achuvinte Amma and Manassinakkare. Ten years ago, he came with his first directorial venture — Mohanlal-starrer Photographer. And after wielding the megaphone again in 2013, Ranjan is back with Biju Menon’s Rakshadhikari Baiju Oppu, which is yielding good comments from all release centres.
On his selection of subject for his latest flick set against the backdrop of a village, Ranjan says, “It is a subject demanded by our current society. The topic we discussed in the film is something we see across our society, but the challenge was the construction of the story — which was not in the usual pattern. Even then, we are getting good comments like those I got during the release of Naran.”
The success of Naran, for which he wrote the screenplay, gave him confidence to do this movie. “Naran was composed in a different pattern. That film was well-accepted. Like that Rakshadhikari ... was also set in a new style. Yet another factor is that I wanted to place this film as a mirror in front of the viewers, who would see themselves or their friends while watching the movie. I am happy to say that we are getting overwhelming response for this movie.”
Quizzed whether he felt that it was his comeback as a director, he says, “To term this as comeback, I had to be away from here right? I was always here in the industry.” Asked about the response for his previous directorial venture Rose Guitarinal at the box office, he replies, “If fate was described based on profit, it was also a commercial success. The main thing was that the movie targeted youngsters. Still many people are watching it on television, which means that the movie is reaching more people every day.”
So what is his next plan? “As of now, I have not planned my next movie like my next day. I am not a person who continuously does films. We can take breaks and make a film after a gap, only if our last movie was a hit. Otherwise, we should do back-to-back films, which is a pattern I cannot follow. In the meantime, this is my profession and more than that, this is the only profession that I know,” he sums up.
