The Malayalam film industry’s 2018 smash blockbuster required little to no CGI and VFX and was the outcome of genuine cooperation.
What if we told you that most of the scenes in 2018 were made feasible by painstakingly constructed sets, and that practically all of the props, including the helicopter, were homemade? If you can believe it, it’s true!
Director Jude Anthany Joseph and lead actor Tovino Thomas during the shooting of 2018: Everyone Is A Hero. (Image: Jude Anthany Joseph/Facebook)
2018: Everyone Is A Hero, directed by Jude Anthany Joseph, is quickly emerging as a standout example of a movie that maintains a strong presence in theatres even after being released on an OTT platform. The movie, which debuted on May 5, 2018, has earned more than Rs 200 crore worldwide. Currently, SonyLIV offers the movie for streaming.
Along with gaining praise for its inspiring depiction of human relationships, which was made more poignant by the 2018 Kerala floods, the film enthralled viewers by skillfully capturing the natural disaster on screen. Malayali film watchers, many of whom had personally witnessed the catastrophe, particularly liked the representation of several sections of the state drowned in floodwaters.
However, the audience was left wondering how the filmmakers were able to recreate the accident with such accuracy. These sequences were produced using either visual effects (VFX) or computer-generated imagery (CGI). How, if so?
But what if we told you that in 2018, very little VFX was used, the majority of the scenes were created using painstakingly constructed sets, and practically all of the props—including the helicopter—were handmade?
“It would have cost a fortune to accurately replicate floodwaters in graphics and assure top quality. Even now, Malayalam cinema cannot afford it. We therefore opted to utilise actual water. Therefore, the sequences in which actors wade through flooding are true. When the Aluva River surged once more in August 2022, the sequence depicting a flooded Aluva river was actually filmed. An estimated 30 crore was spent on the production of the complete movie. In a recent interview, director Jude Anthany Joseph revealed to Matinee Live that the airlift scenario was filmed over the course of eight nights.
Mohandas, the production designer for 2018, who has been working on the movie since day one, explained the film’s production process by saying, “Everything from houses and intersections to dams was artificially created.”
Mohandas informed Manorama Online that “the flood was artificially created in a tank built on a two-acre land.” Jude initially introduced himself to me by showing me the play and asking how we could simulate the flood. Prior to me, he had contacted a number of art directors for this movie. Jude loved my proposal that I presented to him very substantially. That is how this movie came to be.
“I met Priyadarshan Sir while planning the movie. I told him about my plan and asked if he had any recommendations. Finding a location with a water catchment area in the background is crucial, he advised. We made the decision to look for a location where water availability won’t be an issue. But the biggest issue in this case was returning the used water to the river. We cannot contaminate it. So, while bearing in mind that no one would leave such a large plot vacant, we realised that we needed at least 25 acres of property, he said.
“In Vaikkom, we located a plot. Then we got into talking about finances, tanks, tank size, how to build dwellings, and other stuff. At this moment, there was no cameraman. Venu Kunnappilly took over as co-producer after Corona. A construction company is owned by Venu Sir. We chose the design for the tank with the assistance of his engineers. A water-filled tank was created by them. It contained the township, the junction, and the homes. All of the components were interchangeable and detachable. A total of 14 homes were constructed, and they were eventually altered to become different kinds of homes and used accordingly. Electric posts, plants, and trees were made, among other things.,” Mohandas mentioned.
Would you think that this set was used to film the entire sea sequence?
“Only two scenes featuring Asif Ali and the real sea included it; the other occurred when the boat approached the beach. CGI was only used to create the ship. The remaining scenes were shot using artificial lighting on the set itself, he claimed.
Three tanks were created for this movie. At the connection, there is a tank that may be filled with water. It wasn’t done with such force. The main tank was fairly powerful. It didn’t move or crack. From there, it was eventually destroyed. The plot was flattened using a JCB that was brought in. The entire bottom was concreted and strengthened with the use of a road roller before the tank was built on top of it. This tank needed between 12 and 15 hours to fill. We planted the trees, electrical posts, and trees. The waves and the sea were both completed for the set. The set reminded us of Ramoji Film City. After the shoot, the entire location was renovated.
Behind the airlift scene
“We built the helicopter for the airlift scenario ourselves. We spent roughly Rs 14 lakh on it. We created a helicopter, mounted it on a crane, and placed the raft and propeller on another crane using references we found online, according to Mohandas, who spoke to Manorama Online.
“In that manner, the scenario was performed. The most challenging photo was from a helicopter. Everyone was pleased when it was finished. As I wanted the atmosphere of rain and wind in the background so that everything would feel natural, the shoot was scheduled for June through July. Even the image of the Idukki dam was staged, according to Mohandas.
Article courtesy@Indianexpress