With its scenic stopovers and sunny shores, Gold Coast, Australia, has been a go-to location of Hollywood giants; Thor: Ragnarok , Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, and San Andreas being the latest on the list.
And set in this coastal city is Kivuda , a 70-minute mini-movie in Malayalam funded by an expatriate collective. With a number of international technicians on board, the film directed by debutant Vijay Mahadevan will have Tamil and English versions as well.
Vijay says they started off with the plan of a short film but were keen on creating the quintessential movie feel. “We wanted a proper head and tale plus foolproof technical quality. But it was impossible to bring in that element of totality within a short duration.”
He calls Kivuda a ‘karma-based thriller’, its screenplay thick with suspense and unexpected twists. He adds the storyline is based on a real-life incident where girls went missing without any trace some three decades ago in Australia.
“There are people, especially youngsters, who get attracted to cults with very ambivalent ethics. Kivuda means deaf in Kannada and the film shows how our society refuses to see or hear certain things leading to dreadful consequences. Here we have tried to relay the message in a symbolic style.”
Another highlight of the film is the presence of an original bikie gang, who were earlier part of the global outlaw culture. “The film doesn’t have the hero-heroine format, rather it has an ensemble cast,” says the director. Kivuda has a budget crossing ₹30 lakh and the Australian School of Indian Arts (ASIA) is the producer of the film.
“Apart from editor Praveen Prabhakar, Malayalis may not find any familiar names in the film credits. But we have many noted technicians from Australia working for us.” He adds though the team is looking forward to theatrical screenings, they may also consider releasing it through online platforms.
It took the team two years to complete the film since many cast and crew members are working professionals making long schedules impractical.
“We also had some first-timers facing the camera, so we conducted a workshop prior to the shooting,” he says. Shot in Australia, Dubai and Kerala, Kivuda is expected to be released in August.
