Mamitha & Nivin were first choices for BKU, idea evolved even before Premalu, says writer Kiran Josey

‘Bethlehem Kudumba Unit’ has struck a chord with Onam audiences, with its uncomplicated romance, easy humour and a supporting cast that has quickly become part of the film's appeal. Yet the story behind the film goes back much further than its release suggests.
Girish AD had the idea for the film even before ‘Premalu’. He had already imagined a romance between two people with an age gap of around 10 to 12 years and had settled on the title ‘Bethlehem Kudumba Unit’. It was a world waiting for a screenplay.

“Girish ettan had this subject much before ‘Premalu’. He had the world of ‘Bethlehem Kudumba Unit’ in his mind and knew that the story would be about two people with an age gap of around 10 to 12 years. The title was also decided at that stage, but the story hadn't yet been developed into a screenplay,” co-writer Kiran Josey told Onmanorama.

The project remained in the background as Girish moved on to ‘Premalu’ and ‘I Am Kathalan’. When he returned to it last year, he asked Kiran, who had co-written ‘Premalu’, to join him. “I was very happy when he asked me because I enjoy writing with him. He told me that we were finally going to work on ‘Bethlehem Kudumba Unit’ and asked if I wanted to write it together. I immediately said yes, and that's how I came on board,” Kiran said.

What began as a simple idea eventually became the story of Justin and Ashley, played by Nivin Pauly and Mamitha Baiju. Justin is a man approaching middle age who is still unmarried when Ashley moves in next door. Their relationship is at the heart of the film, but it is the characters around them who give the story much of its personality.

That was also where the writing found its comic rhythm. Kiran says the process was less about constructing jokes and more about allowing the characters and situations to dictate the tone.
“I really enjoy Girish ettan's sense of humour. We never sat down thinking that every dialogue had to have a joke or that we had to deliberately create a funny moment. We simply followed the characters and the situations, and the humour came out of that. That's how it worked for both ‘Premalu’ and ‘Bethlehem Kudumba Unit’,” he said.
The screenplay also makes room for references to films, memes and popular culture, but Kiran says they were used selectively rather than treated as punchlines in themselves.

“For example, when Joel says ‘Ayyappa’ instead of ‘action’, it works because of what is happening in that particular scene. We approached the other references in the same way. If something felt right for a situation, we used it,” he said.
Some of the characters that now seem integral to the film were not there when Girish first narrated the story. Glixon, played by Roshan Shanavas, was one such addition.

“When Girish ettan first narrated the story, Glixon wasn't part of it. Suresh Krishna's character was already there. As we developed the supporting roles, we started thinking about who would suit them, and that's how Suresh and Roshan came on board,” Kiran recalled.
The supporting cast eventually became one of the film's strongest elements, with Sangeeth Prathap's Joel and Roshan's Glickson drawing particular attention. Kiran says the actors brought more to those roles than they had imagined on paper.

“Seeing the finished film was a very satisfying experience because what we saw on screen was much better than what we had imagined while writing it. Everyone has done a great job, and the characters have come together really well,” he said.
The central casting had been clearer from the beginning. Nivin was Girish's choice for Justin, while Mamitha was someone he had already considered for Ashley.

“Girish ettan had always felt that Mamitha would be suitable for Ashley, and Nivin was his first choice for Justin. So when I came into the project, both leads had already been decided,” Kiran said.
Kiran has known Mamitha since ‘Super Sharanya’, where he worked as an assistant director. He later co-wrote ‘Premalu’, making ‘Bethlehem Kudumba Unit’ another point in a journey he has watched closely.

“I've seen her evolution from ‘Super Sharanya’. She has grown tremendously as an actor since then. ‘Premalu’ showed how much she had developed, and I feel she has become even more confident with ‘Bethlehem Kudumba Unit’. I think she has a lot more to offer, and she is only going to get better,” he said. The collaboration has also coincided with a turning point for Kiran. He is now preparing for his directorial debut, to be produced by Bhavana Studios, while another writing project with Girish is also in the pipeline.