20 Years of Friendship and Film: The Collaboration Between PS Rafique and Lijo Jose Pellissery

2024-01-19 03:38:54

‘Lijo and I have known each other for more than 20 years and we are two people who love to listen and tell stories with myths’ is PS Rafique’s answer to a question about the films between PS Rafique and Lijo Jose Pellissery.

A friendship spanning more than twenty years has also led to films together. Everyone who loves Malayalam cinema knows director Lijo Jose Pellissery. Lijo Jose Pellissery’s film career spanning over a decade and a half has been influenced by writer and friend PS Rafeeq.

Lijo and PS Rafeeq’s film journey starts from the first film and now reaches ‘Malaikottai Valiban’ starring Malayalam’s own Mohanlal. In 2010, Lijo Jose Pellissery became an independent director. The screenplay and dialogues of the film were written by PS Rafeeq who is also a writer.

The film starring Indrajith was an underworld story told in the backdrop of Kathakali. The film moved away from the story-telling style that Malayalam was used to seeing till then, but it was not successful enough at the box office. Amen was the breakthrough in Lijo Jose Pellissery’s career as a director and the next film that PS Rafeeq and Lijo teamed up with.

Amen, which told the story using the possibilities of magical realism, became one of the milestones in Malayalam cinema itself. Fahadh Faasil’s career-break film alongside Lijo was penned by PS Rafeeq along with screenplay and dialogues. The song ‘Ee Solomon and Shosanna’ was composed by PS Rafeeq.

Then PS Rafeeq also collaborated in the film Double Barrel directed by Lijo Jose. Rafeeq came as a lyricist in the film. Songs like Bum Hare and Mohabat were composed by Rafiq for Lijo in this film. Outside Kerala, PS Rafeeq also appeared as a lyricist in Angamali Diaries, which marked director Lijo.

The music for the film was composed by Prashant Pillai for the songs ‘La Lalaman’ and ‘Ayalamthe Pennin’. By PS Rafeeq. After a gap, Lijo Jose Pellissery and PS Rafeeq are reuniting for the film ‘Malaikottai Valiban’. Ten years after the release of the movie Amen, he came up with the film ‘Malaikottai Valiban’, which is a mix of fiction and myth.

PS Rafeeq is coming in a new role in the film starring Mohanlal. PS Rafeeq also did the initial composing of the film’s songs. Valiban’s story and screenplay was written by PS Rafeeq along with Lijoy. The film’s songs like ‘Punnarakatile’, Mohanlal Alapichi’s ‘Rack’ and ‘Madabhara Mizhiyoram’ were written by PS Rafeeq.

PS Rafeeq said that Malaikottai Valiban will be a satisfying movie in every sense. I believe that this will be a film that will satisfy both Mohanlal fans and the Malayali audience in every way. PS Rafeeq said that this movie will be a turning point in the career of not only Malayalam cinema, but also in the career of everyone working in connection with this movie.

Director Lijo Jose Pellissery said about the film that ‘Malaikottai Valiban’ is a film that cannot be given a specific genre. This movie is like an epic story. Lijo and Mohanlal said that the film has been made without time and land boundaries and the audience should judge the era by watching the film.

‘Malaikottai Valiban’ will hit the theaters on January 25, 2024. Sonali Kulkarni, Harish Peradi, Danish Saith, Manoj Moses, Katha Nandi, Manikandan Achari, Sanjana and many other stars are playing the lead roles in the film.

The film is produced by John and Mary Creatives led by Shibu Baby John and Achu Baby John, Century Films owned by Kochumon, Max Lab by Anoop, Sarigama India Limited owned by Vikram Mehra and Siddharth Anand Kumar.

Malaikottai Valiban was shot in Rajasthan, Chennai and Pondicherry in about 130 days. After ‘Churuli’, Madhu Neelakandan is once again moving the camera for Lijo.