Emcy Joseph’s Meesha is an ode to friendship, however totally different from the saccharine ‘bros at the start’ bromances. The movie, which releases on August 1, is about two mates and the ups and downs of their bond. The connection between the 2 mates, from very totally different social backgrounds, oscillates between varied emotional states, probably the most fundamental being love (not romantic) and hate as they be taught to reside with one another’s decisions, typically misunderstanding their motives. Though the movie explores the greys of a friendship, the characters have an inherent goodness to them. The proverbial poisonous masculinity is absent.
Hakkim Shah, Kathir, Jeo Child, Sudhi Koppa and Shine Tom Chacko headline Meesha. The movie traverses locales — from the calm coast to the extreme forest with its wildlife — the place the characters face their not-so nice aspect. The tussle between man and beast represents the warfare inside the characters as they face their true emotions. The latter a part of the movie, because it strikes in direction of the climax, is metaphor heavy.
“Meesha is about male friendships, the essence of which, I really feel, has been diluted. Male friendships have been diminished to togetherness and ‘happiness’. There are such a lot of ‘mates’ — digital, fitness center, rider, school, workplace buddies. I’m talking of that handful of mates with whom we now have an emotional connection. And such bonds include commitments — deeply emotional ones —and I’m speaking about these in Meesha,” says Emcy.
Excerpts from an interview
The proper actors
Casting is an important factor after I make a movie. Suraj ettan (Venjaramoodu) bought a Kerala State Movie Award for my first movie, which made me very blissful. I wish to proceed that prime, and I hope one of many actors on this movie additionally will get an award as a result of they’ve all performed very properly. They’ve put forth incredible performances. I used to be explicit that every one the actors/characters ought to ‘carry out’ in it. Although the characters I’ve written have an arc, the readability comes when the ‘physique’ (the actors) steps in. The character grows with their arrival, not on the units however throughout pre-production discussions. I don’t talk about the character on the set, I simply inform them what they shouldn’t do. On the finish of the day, the director can’t develop into the character, give it physique. That solely an actor can. And infrequently, when actors put forth the efficiency, I as a director, can solely suppose… ‘wow! I didn’t consider it that approach!’.
Emcy with Kathir on the units of ‘Meesha’
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
So, Meesha is totally different from different ‘friendship’ movies?
In addition to love and affection in friendships, there could possibly be a touch of jealousy, anger and even obsession. Disappointment that our mates didn’t act the way in which we anticipated them to. These are feelings that will be absent within the ‘passive’ friendships I discussed earlier, nonetheless the deeper bonds would have all these feelings. Even ego for that matter…that’s the type of mates and friendships we’re talking about within the movie.
What led to it [Meesha]?
The inspiration got here from actual life incidents, after all. There’s this factor I needed to indicate — the male ego which makes us behave like we’re unaffected by the feelings. We twirl our moustaches in pleasure. My try is to supply a peek into what’s behind the pretence of being egotistical and detached, males might be deeply emotional, really feel disappointment, and disappointment in the case of friendships. The camaraderie in male friendships is widely known, nonetheless it has a number of different layers like another relationship. Like we do with our moms, wives or children…we really feel the identical gamut of feelings in the case of our mates too.
This isn’t one thing we see typically in Malayalam cinema — the not-so-sweet aspect of male friendships.
Sure, there are few movies in that house which communicate of the greys of male friendships. Amidst movies that talk of the celebration that friendship is, Meesha is totally different.
A scene from Vikrithi
Are you a social observer, having made a movie like Vikrithi additionally impressed by an actual life incident?
I believe all of us who reside on this world are social observers, we’re watching what is occurring round us. We can’t reside in any other case, if we don’t and are unaware of what’s going on, we shall be irrelevant to others — our phrases, ideas and actions. We’re with the occasions as a result of we observe our environment. I want to make movies which might be socially related. I don’t wish to be preachy, it’s exhibiting folks a mirror.
It’s been some time since Vikrithi.
It’s been 4 years since. We began filming a film with Arjun Ashokan and Anna Ben, throughout the second wave of Covid-19. Every little thing was prepared once we needed to hit pause; that’s after I began scripting this. Writing Meesha took a few years. Whereas that one was about 40-odd ladies, Meesha is about males! (laughs).
Can we count on that subsequent?
I’m not certain if that shall be my subsequent movie, however it’s going to occur in some unspecified time in the future. If it had occurred then it might have been again to again movies.
Are you anyone who likes to make motion pictures again to again, or would you like to tempo your self?
I’d positively like to try this. It is vital that I get the themes that I wish to make movies about. Nevertheless, I wish to make movies nearer to one another and it’d occur now as a result of I’ve a few scripts prepared.
Meesha releases in theatres on August 1
Printed – July 31, 2025 09:53 pm IST
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