''Who'' is a 2018 Indian English and
Malayalam
Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...
-language
science fiction film
Science fiction (or sci-fi) is a film genre that uses speculative, fictional science-based depictions of phenomena that are not fully accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial lifeforms, spacecraft, robots, cyborgs, interstellar ...
&
superhero film
A superhero film (or superhero movie) is a film that focuses on the actions of superheroes. Superheroes are individuals who possess superhuman abilities and are dedicated to protecting the public. These films typically feature Action film, ac ...
, written and directed by
Ajay Devaloka
Ajay Devaloka is an Indian film director, writer, and editor. Mumbai based Malayali Ajay Devaloka began his career in films & advertising as an editor. He was one of the youngest film editors in 2011 when he edited his debut International feat ...
as his directorial debut.
The film features
Shine Tom Chacko
Shine Tom Chacko (born 15 September 1983) is an Indian actor and former assistant director who works in Malayalam cinema. After working as an assistant to director Kamal for about 9 years, he forayed into acting through the film. '' Gaddama'' ...
br>
Merin Mariya Shruthy Menon
Shruthy Menon (born 19 April 1984) is an Indian actress, television host, professional Master of ceremonies and model. She is currently the anchor for Sonu Nigam's concerts worldwide as well as the show ''Ugram Ujwalam''. In 2015, a topless photo ...
,
Pearle Maaney
Pearle Maaney ( /maːɳi/; born 28 May 1989) is an Indian actress, lyricist, YouTuber, and television presenter who works in Malayalam films. She is known for co-hosting three seasons of the Malayalam dance reality show ''D 4 Dance''. In 2018, ...
,
Rajeev Pillai
Rajeev Govinda Pillai is an Indian actor from Malayalam cinema. His acting debut was in the movie ''City of God (2011 film), City of God'' directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery (2011) where he played one of the heroes. His popularity further increa ...
and Prashanth Nair (IAS) .
The teaser was released on YouTube in September.''Who'' is the first time travel movie from Kerala. The movie had its official world premiere at the 71st
Cannes film festival
The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
's market section on 15 May 2018. Who had a nationwide release in India in Malayalam language with English subtitles obtaining rave reviews from the critics. 'WHO' is now streaming on
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime is a paid subscription service from Amazon which is available in various countries and gives users access to additional services otherwise unavailable or available at a premium to other Amazon customers. Services include same, one- ...
worldwide.
Synopsis
A beautiful yet mysterious valley spread across 200 km. In Mercada, strange things happen every year on Christmas Day. A young girl, a dream interpreter, a criminal psychologist and a team of two police officers try to solve the puzzles in the valley.
The film deals with dream interpretation with an emphasis on
magic realism.
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of movement between certain points in time, analogous to movement between different points in space by an object or a person, typically with the use of a hypothetical device known as a time machine. Time travel is a w ...
is another significant aspect of the movie which serves as a sequel to the yet to be released movie, ''Isabella''.
Set for a niche audience, the film is an Indie movie. Hollywood vocalist Uyanga Bold has sung a song for WHO.
Cast
*
Shine Tom Chacko
Shine Tom Chacko (born 15 September 1983) is an Indian actor and former assistant director who works in Malayalam cinema. After working as an assistant to director Kamal for about 9 years, he forayed into acting through the film. '' Gaddama'' ...
as John Luka
*
Shruthy Menon
Shruthy Menon (born 19 April 1984) is an Indian actress, television host, professional Master of ceremonies and model. She is currently the anchor for Sonu Nigam's concerts worldwide as well as the show ''Ugram Ujwalam''. In 2015, a topless photo ...
as Arunima Avarthan
Merin Mariyaas Ayana Bennet
*
Pearle Maaney
Pearle Maaney ( /maːɳi/; born 28 May 1989) is an Indian actress, lyricist, YouTuber, and television presenter who works in Malayalam films. She is known for co-hosting three seasons of the Malayalam dance reality show ''D 4 Dance''. In 2018, ...
as Dolores
*
Rajeev Pillai
Rajeev Govinda Pillai is an Indian actor from Malayalam cinema. His acting debut was in the movie ''City of God (2011 film), City of God'' directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery (2011) where he played one of the heroes. His popularity further increa ...
as Hector
* Prashanth Nair IAS as Dr. Samuel
* Angana Roy as Neena
* Sajin Saleem as Veetus Benty
Production
''Who'' began shooting June 2017 in
Nainital
Nainital ( Kumaoni: ''Naintāl''; ) is a city and headquarters of Nainital district of Kumaon division, Uttarakhand, India. It is the judicial capital of Uttarakhand, the High Court of the state being located there and is the headquarters o ...
,
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand ( , or ; , ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (literally 'Land of the Gods') due to its religious significance and ...
, and took 20 days.
Principal photography for the ''Who'' began in 2017 May at
Munnar
Munnar () is a town and hill station in the Idukki district of the southwestern Indian state of Kerala. Munnar is situated at around above mean sea level, in the Western Ghats mountain range. Munnar is also called the "Kashmir of South Indi ...
. Crew planned two months break from filming as
Shine Tom Chacko
Shine Tom Chacko (born 15 September 1983) is an Indian actor and former assistant director who works in Malayalam cinema. After working as an assistant to director Kamal for about 9 years, he forayed into acting through the film. '' Gaddama'' ...
had prior commitments. On 23 July
Ajay Devaloka
Ajay Devaloka is an Indian film director, writer, and editor. Mumbai based Malayali Ajay Devaloka began his career in films & advertising as an editor. He was one of the youngest film editors in 2011 when he edited his debut International feat ...
started the filming in Naintal with Natural lighting. Devaloka was adamant that he wanted virgin geography which no cinema viewer had ever seen. So they were lucky and got the apt place in
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand ( , or ; , ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (literally 'Land of the Gods') due to its religious significance and ...
.
The film depends mostly on mist, so it was challenging to keep the continuity as well. Locations of many scenes were in remote places far away from each other, which made the crew uneasy. Ultimately the second schedule wrapped up after 23 days shoot for
Pearle Maaney
Pearle Maaney ( /maːɳi/; born 28 May 1989) is an Indian actress, lyricist, YouTuber, and television presenter who works in Malayalam films. She is known for co-hosting three seasons of the Malayalam dance reality show ''D 4 Dance''. In 2018, ...
to reduce her weight. The movie was completed in 3 schedules.
The film was officially announced as ''Isabella'' and the title launch was done by director
Mohan, who interestingly had a film ''
Isabella
Isabella may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Isabella (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
* Isabella (surname), including a list of people
Places
United States
* Isabella, Alabama, an unincorpor ...
'' as director in 1988.
Music
''Who'' is a
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos is a surround sound technology developed by Dolby Laboratories. It expands on existing surround sound systems by adding height channels, allowing sounds to be interpreted as three-dimensional objects with neither horizontal, nor verti ...
motion picture. The
Sound design
Sound design is the art and practice of creating sound tracks for a variety of needs. It involves specifying, acquiring or creating auditory elements using audio production techniques and tools. It is employed in a variety of disciplines including ...
is done by
Vishakha Bokil and National award winner
Sinoy Joseph
Sinoy Joseph (born 31 July 1981) is an Indian film sound mixer and sound designer. He won the 60th National Film Awards for the best Re-recordist of the Final Mixed Track for the film ''Gangs of Wasseypur''. He also won the best sound mixing a ...
is the mixing engineer in the film. The film was fully shot in Sync-Sound. Uyanga Bold who served as a vocalist for
Hans Zimmer
Hans Florian Zimmer (; born 12 September 1957) is a German film score composer and music producer. He has won two Academy Awards, Oscars and four Grammy Awards, Grammys, and has been nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards, Emmys and a Tony Awar ...
in the score of
The Dark Knight
''The Dark Knight'' is a 2008 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan from a screenplay he co-wrote with his brother Jonathan. Based on the DC Comics superhero, Batman, it is the sequel to ''Batman Begins'' (2005) and the second insta ...
lent her vocals for a song in the film.
References
External links
*
*
*{{Official website, https://whomovie.corridor6films.com/
2018 films
2010s Malayalam-language films
Indian science fiction films
English-language Indian films
Indian multilingual films
2018 multilingual films
2018 directorial debut films
2018 science fiction films