Malayalam director Jofin T Chacko interview: ‘Rekhachithram’ being embraced by the new generation was unexpected -OxBig News Network

Jofin T Chacko confesses that he did not anticipate this reception to his sophomore film, Rekhachithram. Although he, with the team, was confident that it would resonate with people who grew up in the 1980s-90s, the response from the ‘new generation’ was unexpected. “We were 100% sure that the film would connect with the generation that grew up watching movies of Bharathan and Padmarajan and/or consuming film-based content in Nana and Chithrabhumi [popular vernacular film magazines of the period]. But from this generation … it is a surprise!”

That said, he clarifies, Rekhachithram was not made only for cineastes and movie buffs: “It is for everybody. We wanted the film to connect with anyone who watches films and it has.”

Rekhachithram, starring Asif Ali and Anaswara Rajan, is running to packed houses and the feedback pouring in has been glowing. The movie cleverly uses the alternate history genre, pivoting the plot around the shooting of the 1984 Bharathan-film Kathodu Kaathoram. 

Though Jofin debuted as director with The Priest (2021), Rekhachithram was the first film he and long-time friend Ramu Sunil had discussed in 2018. Ramu has co-written the film with John Manthrickal. 

“Ramu and I had discussed the basic idea back then — that a movie from the past would be the backdrop of the plot and the use of a popular song of the time. We had even fixed the name of the lead character, Rekha, and the name of the film.” However, they decided to make the film later. “We felt that maybe it was not the film to be made as one’s first work. But I was certain that I would make this movie at some point!”  

Jofin T Chacko during filming
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In retrospect, it was a good call. The film, with its fresh take, may not have found the acceptance it has today back then. Over the past five years, since the pandemic, the taste of the audience has changed and differently-told stories have found more acceptance. In 2025, the audience was ready for Rekhachithram. 

The Palakkad-native who studied filmmaking and has assisted Jis Joy on Bicycle Thieves says, “This [Rekhachithram] is my third location experience!” 

That the film took four years in the making could not be helped. “This film could have been done in two years at the most. It was not something that demanded so much time. There were many factors that led to it. Four years is a long time, I don’t intend to do this again.”

His next two films are already in the pipeline — one with writer duo Bobby-Sanjay, “writers whom I have immense respect for” and another scripted by Akhil Paul (Identity, Forensic and Seventh Day). 

An alternate telling

Returning to Rekhachithram, he says, while they were not attempting to make a suspense or an experimental film, the intention was to create space for a film like this — one that derives from alternate history. “We did not treat it as a thriller with major twists and turns. But we wanted to give importance to the past. We understood that the second half would need heft with solid flashback episodes.” The movie is about a murder and how a determined cop solves a 40-year-old mystery.   

Rekhachithram makes clever use of flashbacks as a narrative tool, recreating the past with as much authenticity as is possible. Although 1984 may seem like the recent past, the world has changed beyond recognition in the intervening 40 years. The film manages to bring back a feel of the period with use of cultural products such as film magazines besides others, and people associated with films made during the period. To the team’s credit, most it of looks natural.   

Organic narrative

A very-now tool that he has used in the film, making it a topic of discussion, is artificial intelligence (AI)-generated images. Although there are actors also, AI images of the late Bharathan and Mammootty of 40 years ago have been cleverly incorporated in the film. The use is subtle, organically flowing with the narrative. This, he says, literally, was not part of the script when he discussed the film with Mammootty in 2021. “At that point, I did not know much about AI, let alone think of using it in the film. I had a Plan A, speaking about which is not relevant now. So this [use of AI images], which was not even a Plan B, then became Plan A.”

His debut film starred Mammootty, Rekhachithram pivots a movie starring him. Is he a Mammootty fan? “Absolutely. Anyone who knows me, knows I am a Mammookka fan! There is no doubt about it!” 

That brings him to the input the veteran actor gave him, which is a turning point in the film — Jagadeesh’s cameo and referencing Mutharam Kunnu PO. “He [Mammootty] told us about that incident and a fan who wrote to him, addressing him as ‘Mammootty chettan’. That just fits into the story…”

Even as praise comes in, Jofin keeps it real. In response to a question about making a film like Rekhachithram, an attempt some might term bold given the treatment, Jofin says he made a film he was convinced about and it worked. “I don’t overthink. When I made The Priest it had elements like exorcism but I was confident and convinced that it would work. Likewise Rekhachithram…” he says as he signs off.

Rekhachithram is playing in theatres