Dhoomam director Pawan Kumar showers praise on Fahadh Faasil: ‘He fearlessly explores various extremes with each film’

In the midst of all preps, Pawan Kumar took some time to sit down for an exclusive chat with indianexpress.com during which he spoke about how a project titled Nicotine became Dhoomam, how various industries said no to this script, his experience working with Malayalam actor Fahadh Faasil and more.

Dhoomam, helmed by Pawan Kumar and starring Fahadh Faasil, Aparna Balamurali, and Roshan Mathew, will hit screens on June 23. (Image: Dhoomam/Facebook)

“The film primarily focuses on a guy (played by Fahadh Faasil) who is very career-oriented and aspirational. However, as his journey unfolds, he finds himself immersed in a chaotic situation. The rest of the film delves into how he confronts and manages this chaos,” Pawan says about Dhoomam, bankrolled by Hombale Films.

As per the trailer, the movie centres around the theme of smoking and explores how a corporate company devises a strategy to develop engaging anti-smoking public service announcements (PSAs) that capture people’s attention.

The birth of Nicotine

A story that Pawan developed in 2008, hoping that he would find producers in the Kannada industry but ultimately didn’t, Dhoomam is his most ambitious project to date.

“I too am a victim of passive smoking,” Pawan says as he describes what inspired him to persistently chase this dream, initially titled Nicotine, for 15 years. “I don’t smoke. Upon entering the realm of theatre, I quickly recognised that our industry was organised. In a corporate office, for instance, one may be approached and asked not to smoke. However, in our setting, such rules do not apply. People freely engage in smoking without regard for those around them. I was 24 at that time. Despite my reluctance to undergo this experience, I had to figure out a way to come to terms with it, if I wished to work and be a part of this field.”

“My movies are derived from something that disturbs me. It is essential that these sources of inspiration resonate with me on a personal level. When a particular subject matter begins to stir strong emotions within me, I make a story with it and explore that feeling through the characters. Eventually, this process yields something captivating and compelling. So, as I delved deep into this topic, I started understanding how the tobacco industry works. As the journey progressed, I got a narrative that I felt like sharing with a larger audience,” he states.

A dream that received no support from any industry

“However, my intention was not to create a documentary or a preachy film, so I deliberately avoided drawing firm conclusions about smoking. Instead, I took this theme and transformed it into a popular genre film that would engage and resonate with people. In the end, there is a takeaway, just as in U-Turn where we didn’t explicitly instruct people to follow traffic rules.”

Announced as Pawan Kumar’s next directorial venture after Lucia, the title Nicotine itself caught everyone’s attention as soon as its initial reports surfaced. “However, the necessary funding and actors required for this film never aligned as I had hoped. I invested a considerable amount of time in pitching it to different individuals. Due to its highly unconventional theme, many actors, who were capable of attracting substantial investments, were reluctant to take on this project, concerned about its potential impact on their image. Not that any of these actors or producers had a problem with the idea… they all, in fact, liked it… but were unsure if their audiences would like it.”

‘I’m grateful that it took 15 years for this project to finally materialise’

After a period of waiting, Pawan began approaching other industries in hopes of realising the project. Unfortunately, even those attempts failed to bear fruit. “This is where Fahadh stands out. Every other actor with a bankable box office was very scared about taking up this film. Fahadh, on the other hand, is an actor who enjoys a considerable fan base but is not limited to a single genre. Instead, he fearlessly explores various extremes with each project he undertakes. One thing that I have understood in the eight to 10 months that I worked with him is that Fahadh is an actor and not a star, which is what makes him very free. Whenever I had a wild idea in mind, he would push the boundaries even further and amplify its craziness. Looking back, I’m grateful that it took 15 years for this project to finally materialise.”

Highlighting the fact that there was no need to trim or redo the script to meet the expectations of Fahadh’s fans, Pawan confidently states that he enjoyed absolute creative liberty while making Dhoomam. The director says he successfully filmed the movie exactly as he envisioned it.

Pawan Kumar made his directorial debut in 2011 with the black comedy film Lifeu Ishtene. (Image: Pawan Kumar/Facebook)

The core that remained unchanged for 15 years

Though the script underwent multiple revisions over the years, Pawan Kumar says that the core of the story has remained unchanged. “Its crux was what attracted me to this story. But yes, each time I watched a movie, I acquired new knowledge. In the past few years, I also did U-Turn, its Tamil-Telugu remake and two web series. All of these experiences have contributed to and influenced my current script, making it more concise. Initially, the script was 180 pages long, but I continued to write and expand upon it. However, after revisiting it every four months, I realised that I could effectively convey a message in just one line of dialogue instead of a lengthy two-page sequence. At a certain point, I grasped the idea that I could present the same story in a different manner, which would be more interesting and engaging. ”

“Whenever an actor came on board to play the leading role, I would evaluate their suitability for integration into the script. I was even willing to make modifications to accommodate the actors. My desire to bring this film to fruition was so intense that I was prepared to adjust its tone to some extent. Especially when I approached the Telugu industry, I was open to infusing a touch of Telugu essence, as I believed it wouldn’t cause any harm. My primary focus was to bring this movie to life. However, despite the alterations made, no actor showed a willingness to move forward with the project,” Pawan states as he points out that, for him, the plot has always been the central focus.

Pawan Kumar with actor Amala Paul on the sets of Kudi Yedamaithe. (Image: Pawan Kumar/Facebook)

Despite his lack of knowledge in Malayalam, Pawan acknowledges that all the actors, including Fahadh Faasil, made him feel comfortable by conversing in English and offering assistance whenever needed.

“Fortunately, I had two assistant directors from Kerala, one of whom was familiar with Kannada. This significantly eased the process for us. We dedicated nearly two months to translating the dialogues, paying careful attention to ensure accuracy. However, within two weeks, I began to grasp the language’s tone. Working with actors like Fahadh, Aparna Balamurali, and Roshan Mathew, who were fluent in English, made it easier to convey my desired emotions and expressions. Nonetheless, we had a dedicated team to ensure the logical coherence of the translated dialogues. However, I believe that the tone played a crucial role. Once you grasp it, directing a film in another language becomes more accessible. I had a similar experience working with Samantha in Tamil and directing the Telugu web series ‘Kudi Yedamaithe.’ Now, I can even envision directing projects in Korean or Russian,” Pawan shares with a laugh.