Now trending in Kerala: Post-production at home, personal spaces
Kochi: When Ajayan Adat won the state award for best sound design for the critically acclaimed movie 'Ilaveezha Poonchira', many wondered in which studio the intricate sound layers were crafted.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
In reality, its basic design — ambient textures, subtle sonic details and tonal mood shifts — was created in a compact, acoustically treated room inside his modest home.
Armed with a high-performance laptop, reference monitors and years of hands-on experience, Ajayan represents a quiet revolution reshaping Mollywood's post-production sector. Increasingly, professionals like him — sound designers, editors, colourists, CG technicians and musicians — are moving from traditional studios to their own spaces, be it apartments, garages or personal dens.
The decentralisation of post-production, driven by technology, lower infrastructure costs and digital workflow's flexibility, is transforming the making of Malayalam cinema.
"Video editing jobs were decentralised years ago. Now that trend has spread to other post-production areas as well," said Adat. "Personal spaces allow them to enjoy the process and give each project a personal touch. High-end studios are still essential, but mostly for final stages.
For instance, in sound design, we can handle initial editing and basic mixing from our own setups. For final mixing, like Dolby Atmos or OTT mastering, we rely on advanced professional studios," said Adat.
Music director and sound designer Dawn Vincent, who won the state award for best music in 2023 for 'Nna Thaan Case Kodu', has transformed a bedroom in his Panangad, Kochi, home into a fully functional studio.
"Most of my compositions and programming — including the music which won me the award — were done in this room. The work of my latest project 'Oru Durooha Sahacharyathil', starring Kunchako Boban, is progressing here," says Vincent. "Working from my own space allows me to create without time constraints. It helps reduce production costs. Even the previews of my work are done here at home."
Movie editor Ajith P Unnikrishnan is now working for a leading banner in Malayalam and has been busy with its editing at his home on the city border. "It's more comfortable. Many now opt for 'work from home' for that reason," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
‘Drishyam 3' big update: Mohanlal-Jeethu Joseph crime drama set to start rolling
In a big update about Drishyam 3, the makers of the blockbuster Malayalam film franchise have announced that the third part is set to go on floors. Starring Mohanlal in the popular character Georgekutty, the movie will be directed by Jeethu Joseph, the filmmaker behind the first two parts (Drishyam and Drishyam 2). Aashirwad Cinemas, owned by Antony Perumbavoor, took to social media to confirm that the film is ready to go on floors in October. The makers shared a video which showed Jeethu Joseph, Antony Perumbavoor and Mohanlal sharing a candid moment. 'October 2025, the camera turns back to Georgekutty. The past never stays silent,' said the post from Aashirwad Cinemas on X (formerly Twitter). The cast and crew of the film haven't been announced yet. October 2025 — the camera turns back to Georgekutty. The past never stays silent.# — Aashirvad Cinemas (@aashirvadcine) June 21, 2025 Drishyam 2, the sequel to the 2013 blockbuster film, dropped directly on Amazon Prime Video on February 19, 2021. The film missed a theatrical release due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The franchise revolves around the central character Georgekutty, who goes any lengths to protect his family. In Drishyam 2, for the second straight time, Georgekutty ensures his innocent family escapes without being caught in a complex criminal case. ALSO READ:'Drishyam 2' movie review: A decent follow-up to a much celebrated film Meanwhile, Mohanlal, who delivered a massive blockbuster with Thudarum(a 100-crore run at the box office), will next be seen in Hridayapoorvam. Directed by veteran Sathyan Anthikad, the movie will also star Malavika Mohanan and Sangeeth Prathap.
New Indian Express
3 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Krisha Kurup on playing Dinanath's Anu in 'Ronth' and her acting journey
You remember that viral song "En Pondate Nee, Pondate Nee…' from Goli Soda 2, then you'll surely recall the expressive, curly-haired Madhi who stole hearts on screen. That young girl, Krisha Kurup, is no longer just a face from a Tamil hit she's now making waves in Malayalam cinema with her recent performance in Ronth. But behind that confident on-screen presence lies a story stitched together with dreams, detours, and quiet determination. A Mumbai Girl with Kerala roots Though she speaks fluent Malayalam today, Krisha was born and raised in Chembur, Mumbai. 'We're a Malayali joint family, but our entire life was in Mumbai. My parents too were raised there,' she says. Her childhood was modest and grounded in middle-class values, with school days spent juggling textbooks, dance classes, and Hindustani music lessons. 'I took up classical dance and Hindustani music so I wouldn't lose touch with my roots,' she shares. Her grandmother played a pivotal role in teaching her Malayalam, a language she picked up at home, rather than from any formal school curriculum. Krisha's first brush with performance came when she was in Class 8, through a unique opportunity a voice test for the BBC-owned CBeebies channel. Her father's friend had suggested her name for dubbing the cartoon, 3rd and Bird from English to Hindi. 'That was my first creative breakthrough,' she recalls. Not only did she land the dubbing role, but she was soon writing Hindi translations for TLC shows all before she turned 15. Soon, she found herself performing classical dance at Rotary Club and Lions Club events, slowly stepping into public view. That's when a call came for a short film audition and changed everything.
New Indian Express
3 hours ago
- New Indian Express
India's most prestigious literary award, JCB Prize for literature, discontinued
NEW DELHI: The JCB Prize for Literature, India's most prestigious book award, appears to have been quietly discontinued, sparking concern across the literary community, including among writers, translators, and publishers. A person close to the award told PTI on Saturday that 'it has shut down', though there has been no official confirmation from the JCB Literature Foundation. Established in 2018, the prize aimed to 'celebrate Indian writing, and to help readers across the world discover the very best of contemporary Indian literature'. Following the awarding of the 2023 prize to English writer Upamanyu Chatterjee on November 23 last year, the foundation has remained silent. Its last social media post, on 27 November, congratulated Chatterjee for winning the Rs 25 lakh prize. Notably, the annual call for entries which typically opens in the first week of March did not take place this year. Malayalam author Benyamin, winner of the inaugural 2018 award for Jasmine Days (translated into English by Shahnaz Habib), described the development as 'deeply disappointing'.
