Why one of Malayalam cinema's best editors, Kiran Das, finally said yes to directing with 'Unmadham'

For over a decade, Kiran Das has been the invisible hand behind some of Malayalam cinema's most celebrated films. His editing credits, from 'Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum' and 'Moothon' to 'Joji' and 'Ullozhukku', have earned him a reputation as one of the industry's finest editors, someone who knows exactly when to linger on a moment and when to cut away.

Directing, however, was never part of the plan. "I never imagined myself as a director," Kiran says matter-of-factly. "I was doing well as an editor."

Yet, that is exactly where he has found himself with 'Unmadham', his directorial debut starring Kunchacko Boban. And if the film has arrived with lofty expectations, it is not just because it marks the first outing of a celebrated editor behind the camera. It also reunites Kiran with writer Shahi Kabir, whose scripts have consistently raised the bar for Malayalam thrillers.

Ironically, the film came to him almost by chance. "I had some free time between editing projects. Shahi had this story with him and simply asked me, 'Why don't you direct it?' Everything just fell into place, and I thought, why not?"
What emerged is a film that refuses to sit comfortably inside one genre.

At first glance, 'Unmadham' follows the familiar beats of a police investigation. Kunchacko Boban plays Shelly, a police officer and aspiring screenwriter who is transferred to a station where an old case, seemingly tied to supernatural occurrences, begins to unravel. But beneath the investigative framework lies a story about grief, fractured realities and the slow deterioration of a man's mental state.

"It has investigation, psychological elements, supernatural aspects and family drama," Kiran says with a laugh. "It had everything, so I thought, why not?"
But he is quick to clarify that the film was never designed as a genre exercise.
"For us, it was always about Shelly. He's dealing with writer's block, the death of his father and everything happening around him. We trusted the character more than the genre."

That trust extends to Kunchacko Boban's performance, which Kiran believes anchors the film through its emotional and psychological shifts.
"The story is essentially about Shelly's mind. Kunchacko has played that brilliantly."
The collaboration with Shahi Kabir, meanwhile, also meant audiences arrived with certain expectations. Films written by Kabir, including 'Nayattu' and 'Ronth', are often remembered for their understated, anti-climactic endings. Kiran admits viewers naturally walked into 'Unmadham' expecting something similar.

Instead, the film takes a different route, leaning more towards psychological drama than a conventional investigative thriller. "Maybe some people expected a Shahi Kabir story like 'Officer on Duty'. But this is fundamentally a psychological film."

Since the film's release, audience reactions have been divided. While many praised the film's atmospheric first half, others felt the narrative slowed once it shifted its focus to Shelly's personal life.

Kiran isn't dismissive of those opinions. "Some felt the film slowed down in the second half, while others told me they preferred it to the first. There were also viewers who felt there was too much family drama. That's the nature of cinema; everyone experiences it differently. As a filmmaker, I know I gave it my all, and I'm satisfied with how the film has turned out."

If there was one advantage Kiran carried from the edit suite to the director's chair, it was preparation.
Years of assembling films taught him not only what belongs in a scene, but also what doesn't.
"As an editor, I knew exactly what needed to be shot and what didn't. That clarity really helped me."

For someone who spent years observing directors from the sidelines, the transition was unexpectedly fulfilling.
"I used to watch directors from a distance. It never made me think, 'I want to do that.' But once the shoot began, I became completely involved. Watching the film evolve every day was an incredible experience."

Even now, Kiran doesn't romanticise directing. Editing, he points out, offered stability and comfort, while directing comes with far greater uncertainty.
"As an editor, I had a comfortable career and was earning well. Directing is a completely different ball game."
But the experience of making 'Unmadham' has changed his perspective.

"I genuinely enjoyed the process." He continues to juggle editing assignments, but the director's chair is no longer a one-off experiment. Kiran reveals that he is already looking at his next film, with another directorial venture likely to begin in 2027.
For someone who insists he never dreamt of becoming a director, Kiran Das seems to have found exactly where he belongs.