‘Sambhavam’ OTT release: Shot across 3 forests, this short film-turned-feature defied expectations without big stars

In March, before the industry was shaken by the release of ‘Aadu 3’ and ‘Vaazha 2’, a relatively low-profile Malayalam film, ‘Sambhavam: Adhyayam Onnu’, quietly made waves at the box office. Despite not having any major stars, the film caught the attention of audiences, managing to stay strong even during the lean season when a few films were succeeding. The movie directed by Jithu Satheesan, is now all set to have its OTT premiere on Vishu day, much to the delight of the audience.

What made Askar Ali-starrer ‘Sambhavam’, which grossed over Rs 7 crore in box-office collections, even more remarkable was its modest promotion. With minimal marketing, the film began with just 80 screens across Kerala, but soon expanded to 150 as word-of-mouth and positive reception grew. This was a surprise to both the filmmakers and the industry, considering the film had little to no pre-release hype.

Producer and one of the film’s actors Fahad Sidheekh, who portrays the role of a police officer named Stephen, expressed his surprise at the unexpected success of the film. "We were confident about the project, but we didn’t expect it would be received as well as it was. We intentionally avoided building hype before the release because it was a small project compared to the bigger films hitting theaters at that time. Our film had fewer stars, and with its unconventional concept, we weren’t sure how it would resonate with audiences," he told Onmanorama.

Fahad’s brothers Faras and Fayez are also part of the production team under the banner of Nallacinema Productions. The release window itself was also a bold risk. Fahad and his team chose to launch ‘Sambhavam’ in March, even as the film's concept, centered around a time loop, overlapped with ‘Aadu 3,’ another film exploring a similar theme. "We knew ‘Aadu 3’ was also exploring the time loop concept, but we wanted our theme to feel fresh, which is also why we released it ahead of the Midhun Manuel movie. Releasing it during the Middle East crisis and the Ramadan season was a tough decision, but looking back, I don’t regret it," he said.

'Sambhavam’ went on to have a strong run for five weeks, with some shows even selling out. The film’s unique storyline, involving a time loop within a forest, sparked significant interest among audiences. Filming took place across three forests in Kerala: Palakkad Dhoni, Palode in Thiruvananthapuram, and Rubber Board in Vaikom. The original plan was to complete the project in 25 days, but unforeseen challenges, including heavy rain, extended the shoot to 35 days. "One of our biggest concerns was the colossal bird-headed statue integral to the film, which stood 18-20 feet tall. It was transported in three massive pieces from Chennai and assembled in the forest. We were anxious that the heavy rain and wind might damage it, but fortunately, we didn’t face any such issues," Fahad recalled.

The film’s success can also be attributed to its evocative music design by Vishnu Govind, which complemented the film’s atmospheric tone. The story follows a newly appointed police officer stationed in a remote forest area, where he uncovers strange occurrences tied to the time loop. Fahad also shared how the project came to life. He had discovered director Jithu Satheesan’s short film with the same concept and reached out to him via social media. "Jithu was working on other scripts at the time, but I felt his short film had potential for a larger narrative. Despite struggling for seven years to find his break in the industry, I believed this film would be a great opportunity for him to explore his vision in Mollywood," Fahad said.

The film, however, went over budget by nearly three times its original estimate. Fahad, however, maintained that this is not unusual in the film industry. "I advise new producers to enter the industry only if they have financial flexibility. Don’t invest your life savings in a project, as there will always be unforeseen budget changes. It’s important to be prepared for unexpected costs," he added.

With its unconventional storyline, fresh talent, and a bold risk-taking approach, ‘Sambhavam’ has proven that sometimes, low-profile projects with heart can surprise and succeed, even in a market dominated by bigger names. The film, which also features Vineeth Kumar, Sidharth Bharathan, among others will start streaming on JioHotstar from April 15. The film is co-produced by Naveen, while The Plot Pictures was the film's overseas distributor, while Goodfellas Films distributed the movie in Kerala.