‘Dridam’ director Martin Joseph decodes Shane Nigam’s ‘Drishyam’ dialogue tribute to Mohanlal: ‘Jeethu Joseph suggested it’
Shane Nigam‘s crime thriller ‘Dridam’ has generated discussion among viewers after its theatrical release. The film, directed by debutant Martin Joseph, received mostly mixed reviews from viewers, but one particular dialogue quickly caught the attention of audiences familiar with the ‘Drishyam’ franchise.The line, “Ah rahashyam ee bhoomiyil randamathoraal ariyilla…athu ennodoppam mannil alinju illathaakum (‘I will take this secret to my grave’),” instantly reminded viewers of Mohanlal‘s memorable dialogue from the first Drishyam film.
Martin Joseph opens up about the reference
Martin Joseph recently shared details about the creative process behind ‘Dridam’ in an interview with Variety and revealed that the line was not initially written into the script. The filmmaker explained that the idea came from Jeethu Joseph during script discussions. Speaking about it, Martin told Variety, “I had given the script of ‘Dridam’ to Jeethu Sir for his perusal. One of the suggestions he made was the inclusion of this popular line from his film. He thought it would evoke intrigue in audiences as to whether there is a ‘Drishyam’ connection to the film or if the character simply uses a pop-culture reference that seemed apt in the moment.”
Jeethu Joseph’s guidance influenced the director
Martin also reflected on his time working with Jeethu Joseph before making his directorial debut. He had previously worked alongside the filmmaker on projects including ’12th Man’ and ‘Neru’. According to Martin, the experience shaped his understanding of storytelling.The filmmaker explained that screenplay structure and realism became major lessons for him during that period.He said, “One of my major learnings has been about realistic storytelling. Jeethu Joseph’s repeated commentary to his associates is about the importance of a strong screenplay, as it forms the foundation of a movie and connects audiences to the story and characters.”Martin suggested that these ideas played an important role while developing Dridam.
Shane Nigam leads the crime thriller
‘Dridam’ follows the story of Vijay Radhakrishnan, portrayed by Shane Nigam, who arrives at a rural town as a Sub Inspector. What initially appears to be a regular posting gradually turns complicated after a series of incidents begin unfolding.Multiple murders and a bank robbery create unexpected challenges for the officer and change the direction of his journey.The ETimes review of the film stated, “Debut director Martin Joseph manages to keep the audience engaged. The problem, with the script by Jomon John and Linto Devasia, is how far will you take the twist to bring novelty to your story and is it worth the risk? Shane looks good, and it is mentioned a couple of times in the story, though it would have been refreshing if a woman colleague was not shown as fawning. He, however, decides to play the character as being overwhelmed by his SI responsibilities, and it doesn’t really click, particularly, when we have Shobi easily slipping into the many shades of the veteran ASI.“
