Jithu Madhavan was an aeronautical engineering student who loved hanging out with friends in Bengaluru before becoming a filmmaker. Interestingly, Jithu decided to share an uncanny experience from his own life through his movie. The debutant director has made a fabulous entry into the cinema industry with ‘Romancham’, a horror comedy. This is a genre that is not explored much in Malayalam cinema. In a candid chat, Jithu opens up about ‘Romancham’ and why he chose such a unique theme for his debut film.
The horror...
Jithu was a student in Bengaluru from 2005 – 2009. He used to live in Marthahalli along with a few friends. He has turned a real life experience from those days into his debut movie. “I was terrified when I experienced those things. However, years later, everything seemed hilarious while recalling those experiences, with my friends. That is how the movie became a horror – comedy,” says Jithu.
Landing in the movies
“Cinema had always been a dream. I kept thinking about it even when I was studying in Bengaluru. After completing my studies, I got a job at a firm in Bengaluru. Four years later, I entered the film industry as filmmaker Kamal’s assistant in ‘Utopiayille Rajavu’. I also assisted John Paul, who turned producer in ‘Romancham’, in his movie ‘Guppy’. I am sure that ‘Romancham’ is a movie that you could enjoy with your family and friends. The story isn’t finished; that is why the movie ended with a hint for a possible sequel,” notes Jithu.
