Kerala Crime Files director Ahammed Khabeer: ‘As a viewer, I always prefer thrillers to feel-good movies’

“The focal point of KCF’s this season,” director Ahammed Khabeer says, “will be a case surrounding the death of a sex worker in a lodge. As the story unfolds, a team of five police officers, including a circle inspector and a sub-inspector, are entrusted with the task of investigating the incident and solving the case within a specific timeframe. Simultaneously, the narrative will delve into the personal lives of these cops.” Ahammed further revealed to indianexpress.com that the series consists of six episodes, each lasting 30 minutes.

When the initial reports about KCF surfaced, the director’s name stood out in people’s minds as it marked Ahammed’s first crime thriller venture. When questioned about the reason behind his decision to embark on this path, following the coming-of-age romantic comedy June (2019) and the romantic drama Madhuram (2021), Ahammed expressed his longstanding admiration for the thriller genre.

“In all honesty, as a viewer, my personal inclination has always been towards thrillers rather than feel-good movies. Despite my long-standing desire to delve into the thriller genre, I never received the opportunity to do so. While I was patiently waiting for the right moment to transition into a different genre, KCF came knocking. The decision to take it forward was influenced by the fact that it’s envisioned as a series, allowing for a more in-depth storytelling experience. This gave me the confidence to embark on this new endeavour,” he says.

Lal plays CI Kurian Avaran in Kerala Crime Files. (Images: First Print Studios)

“It was the onset of the Covid pandemic that sparked a shift in my viewing habits, leading me to watch more series. Shows like Delhi Crime and Family Man ignited my aspiration to create a series of my own. While I had always dreamt of directing a show, I never anticipated the chance to helm Disney Plus Hotstar’s very first web series in Malayalam. When this opportunity finally arose, I seized it and adapted the story I had envisioned to suit the format and style of a series,” Ahammed tells indianexpress.com.

When asked about the lack of attempts in the Malayalam film industry to create web series despite the abundance of talented directors and writers, Ahammed Khabeer shared his viewpoint, suggesting that the reason could be the limited interest of OTT platforms in producing Malayalam shows. He said, “OTT platforms decide on creating content based on how many subscribers they have and can generate through these new endeavours. It was only after the Covid outbreak that viewership from our end started to increase.”

Ahammed further revealed that Disney Plus Hotstar had been diligently working for the past one-and-a-half years to develop a Malayalam series. “However, despite meeting with a few creators, they couldn’t find suitable stories and pitches. It was during one of those meetings that, by a stroke of luck, they stumbled upon our idea, ultimately leading to KCF becoming their first production.”

He also emphasises that everyone involved in KCF displayed unwavering enthusiasm towards working on a series. According to him, “They were all excited right from the beginning. Many of them actively proposed ideas to amplify the project’s appeal and facilitate the workflow.”

Aju Varghese plays SI Manoj Sreedharan in Kerala Crime Files. (Images: First Print Studios)

“My primary concern was the quality of the series. Being the platform’s first-ever series in Malayalam, it is bound to attract attention from cinephiles across India. Therefore, compromising on quality was out of the question. Consequently, the cinematographer and I placed utmost importance on its technical aspects. The positive responses garnered by the teaser and trailer suggest that our diligent efforts have come to fruition,” Ahammed expresses.

Reflecting on the challenges he encountered while making KCF, Ahammed says, “The story had several layers, so it was crucial to place them appropriately, which posed one of our biggest tasks. As KCF follows an episodic storytelling format, we had to ensure that each of the six episodes had engaging openings and impactful endings. If any episode failed to captivate viewers, they might lose interest and end up not watching the subsequent ones. Therefore, we focused on ensuring that every episode started and concluded on a high note. Simultaneously, we had to be cautious not to disrupt the overall narrative arc and progression. Consequently, we devoted extra attention to that aspect as well.”

As the story unfolds, a team of five police officers are entrusted with the task of investigating a case surrounding the death of a sex worker in a lodge. (Image: First Print Studios)

“Since this marks our first venture, we are currently more thrilled than anxious,” an elated Ahammed added.

When it comes to the cast of KCF, it is quite rare to find actors like Lal and Aju Varghese in crime thrillers, even though they have proven talent across diverse roles. Indianexpress.com was also intrigued to understand how this “unconventional” casting decision materialised.

“If you examine my past directorial projects, both June and Madhuram featured actors whose star power would not overshadow the essence of the respective films. That’s why I typically opt for character artistes to portray lead roles, allowing the projects to gain recognition for their stories and subjects. Therefore, when KCF came along, I made a conscious decision not to pursue a big star, as it would have resulted in the series being primarily known for their involvement. KCF revolves around a simple case investigated by ordinary police officers. Hence, I chose actors whom the audience could connect with and who hadn’t portrayed many cop roles before. While he (Aju Varghese) is a talented actor, known for his comedic roles, I ensured that such comic shades were not evident in this character. It was an exciting challenge for me. Regarding Lal sir’s casting, I perceived a stark contrast in their personalities and personas. Thus, I believed that casting them together would work effectively,” concluded Ahammed.