Behind the scenes: Anish Kuruvilla on The Mystery of Moksha Island

Anish Kuruvilla, the director known for the web series Gods of Dharmapuri, is back with another compelling and gripping narrative, The Mystery of Moksha Island. Team Yo Vizag caught up with Anish to dive into his creative journey, experiences, upcoming projects, and the special place Vizag holds in his heart.

It’s been a while since Yo! Vizag interviewed you for Gods of Dharmapuri. How has your journey in filmmaking been since then?

Filmmaking is a journey; setting up projects, writing scripts, developing scripts, pitching them, and so on. It is ongoing and continuous. That journey takes you through many ups and downs as you try and kind of develop a project.

So that’s pretty much what happened over the past few years as I’ve been trying to develop projects. Finally, it all came together with The Mystery of Moksha Island.

When did start you start working on The Mystery of Moksha Island and how did it go?

I think post-COVID-19, or actually during COVID-19, is when we began the process of working on the project. During the first day of the shoot, a lot of the cast members had food poisoning due to water contamination.

It became very tough as it was a big cast, and almost half of them had to go to the hospital. And we had a tight schedule. So, the actors were performing, then taking a break, getting medicated, recovering, and coming back.

How would you describe The Mystery of Moksha Island to someone who hasn’t watched it yet?

I would say it’s a very dramatic sci-fi thriller. We haven’t seen sci-fi too often in Telugu. This series also has all the ingredients for a drama. It is set on an island, with families, and a larger-than-life kind of a villain. It explores a larger-than-life concept that brings those people to the island together. So, the film, at its heart, is a sci-fi mystery thriller, but a very dramatic one.

A lot of directors rejected this project because it was complex, what made you choose this script?

The same reason it was rejected by everyone else; because it was complex, because it was a little dangerous, because it was a little risky. With every film that I’ve done from the very beginning—Avakai Biryani, Ko Ante Koti, Gods of Dharmapuri—I’ve explored different genres and universes. For me, as a filmmaker, not attempting something new and fresh every single time doesn’t inspire me, So, that’s what I look for in a story. I’m a bit of a risk-taker when it comes to directing.

What are the new things or the aspects of direction that you have explored through this project?

To begin with, the genre and the subject themselves are some things I haven’t attempted before. Another new aspect was shooting in tough forest terrain. We were shooting in multiple locations like Coorg, Nicobar Islands, and Goa.

Heavy VFX was involved; which I hadn’t explored in my earlier ventures as a director. My cinema is generally rooted in realism but this one was rooted in a more dramatic space. So, I was also pushing beyond my comfort zone with this project.

What are some big challenges that you have faced in this project?

 The biggest challenge was dealing with a big cast in a very tough physical geography. These locations were quite challenging.

Additionally, the cast were across different age groups. So, we had to assemble them and get them to perform as one single unit; as many of the sequences in the film are a combination of several actors in a frame. It is always logistically very tough to pull off; especially when you have limited resources and limited time.

Was there any difficulty while showing multi-layered characters on screen?

No, when you have a good story in place, and when you have actors who are capable of performing, the director’s job becomes so much easier. I got lucky that way. We had actors who committed themselves to the project. Delving into the characters, who are fighting for survival, was an interesting task.

What is your favourite character from the movie?

My favourite character in the show is the central character Dr Vishwak Sen, played by Ashutosh Rana. He is a magnificent actor; Vishwak is a mega villain sort of a role with a strong back story and larger-than-life presence; just like Mughambo and other supervillains.

Do you have any cherished memories from the shoot?

I think just the beauty of the locations that we were shooting in. Whether it is the dense coffee plantations in Coorg or the ocean at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. I think I was awestruck by the physical geography and the beauty.

What will you be more leaning towards in future; direction or acting? Is it overwhelming to do both?

No, not really. I directed another film; it’s not yet released. It is a very feel-good film completely in contrast to The Mystery of Moksha Island. In future, I’ll definitely be doing both.

What can we expect from your upcoming feel-good film?

You can expect it to be a very sweet heart-warming film that you can watch with your family and friends.

It is a very life-affirming kind of film. It’s a little early right now for me to announce, but maybe in a month, I will make an announcement. It stars some new faces and is quite musical. Basically, it’s a feel-good film. Something very close to my heart. I made it for my friends. So, I’m excited about bringing it out to theatres.

What is the next genre that you look forward to working in?

I’d love to do a full-blown action film. Also, something in the suspense/horror genre. I’d even love to do a war film, a biopic, and a children’s film as well. I think I’ll explore as many different genres as possible.

What kind of character do you want to explore as an actor?

I’d love to explore complex characters with grey shades. These are characters which are deeply multi-layered and I’d like to push myself in that. I would love to explore a wide range of human emotions with the characters I play.

Do you have any plans to visit Vizag for a shoot in the future?

I’d love to. My career in the film industry started in Vizag, actually. My first project was as an eastern director in 1997. I was shooting in Vizag for a music video with Lucky Ali. So, I have very fond memories of the city. I would love to visit Vizag and set up a story there.

 Anything else you want to say to our audience?

Please take the time out to watch The Mystery of Moksha Island with your friends and family. This would be an experience that you never felt before; something in the Telugu web series space.

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