Prakambanam born out of funeral joke, Sagar was skeptical about 'Punyalan': Director Vijesh

When director Vijesh Panathur first reached out to Sagar Surya for 'Prakambanam', the response was not an immediate yes. In fact, it was hesitation, followed by a polite backing out. Two days later, Vijesh’s phone rang again. Sagar had changed his mind. He wanted to do it.
That moment, Vijesh says, quietly shaped what would later become one of the most talked-about horror comedies in recent Malayalam cinema.

Starring Ganapathi, Sagar Surya and Al Ameen, 'Prakambanam' has struck a chord with audiences since its release, earning strong word-of-mouth and favourable reviews. Built around an absurd yet oddly emotional premise, the film follows three college friends, Sidhu, Punyalan and Shankaran, whose lives spiral into chaos when they find themselves dealing with the ghost of Sidhu’s grandmother.

Speaking to Onmanorama, Vijesh admits that while the team believed in the film, the scale of the response still took them by surprise. “We expected it to work, but not to this extent,” he said.
Casting, according to Vijesh, was instinctive in some cases and unexpectedly difficult in others. Ganapathi was always his first choice. “One of the characters is from Kannur, and we needed someone who could handle the accent naturally. Ganapathi fit that perfectly,” he said. Punyalan’s role, however, proved trickier. Several actors were approached and even liked the part, but eventually walked away.

“It was only later that I realised why,” Vijesh said. “Punyalan is a very difficult character to pull off. It can easily go wrong.” When Sagar was approached, he too hesitated and initially stepped back. “Then, after two days, he called me and said he would do it. He saw it as a challenge and stood by us completely. Looking back now, I can’t imagine anyone else in that role.”

Mallika Sukumaran’s presence adds another emotional layer to the film, and Vijesh credits music director Shankar Sharma for that casting decision. “He was the one who suggested we reach out to her, and it worked beautifully,” he said.

Since portions of 'Prakambanam' are set inside a college hostel, comparisons with the cult hit 'Adi Kapyare Kootamani' were inevitable. Vijesh, however, is unfazed. “I’m honestly happy about it,” he said. “Just because two films share a setting doesn’t mean they’re the same. If people are comparing them, it’s probably because they enjoyed both. Anyone who has watched 'Prakambanam' will know it’s very different.”

For Vijesh, the true hero of the film is the script. Co-written with Sreehari Vadakkan, the story stayed with him for over a year before it finally took shape. “This was conceived as a small film,” he said. “It wasn’t written for any one actor. A lot of work went into shaping the screenplay, and that’s what held everything together.”

Interestingly, Vijesh never imagined he would make a horror film at all. The seed for 'Prakambanam' was planted during a casual conversation after a funeral near his home. Someone mentioned immersing ashes in the Ganga to bring peace to the soul. “My wife joked, ‘Ennittu venam atheduthu angerkku thinnaan’,” he recalled, laughing. “We both burst out laughing, and that was it. That’s where the idea came from.”

That offhand joke eventually evolved into one of the film’s most bizarre plot points, including the now much-discussed scene involving Punyalan and the grandmother’s ashes.

As for a sequel, Vijesh says the possibility exists, but nothing has been finalised. “The producers are interested, but no decisions have been made yet. There’s another big-budget project in the works, so maybe after that,” he said.
For now, 'Prakambanam' stands as proof that sometimes, a risky character, a strange idea, and one actor’s second thought can make all the difference.