Direction is the most enjoyable, acting is the easiest and writing the loneliest: Anoop Menon

On a couch in Anoop Menon’s swanky office in Panampilly Nagar, Kochi, lies Michelle Obama’s memoir 'Becoming' on one side and Madonna’s biography written by Andrew Morton on the other. The actor-scriptwriter, who is also a director now, says he reads multiple books at a time as he loves traversing through the complexities and splendour of different lives.As he talks to us, he also plays the visuals of the songs from his debut directorial 'King Fish', on his TV and seems eager to know the feedback. However, he is also quick to add that he isn’t worried about the fate of the film. “It’s not that I don’t have stress. When you see people from different strata of society struggling to survive or salvage their lives, you realise that your ‘stress’ isn’t stress at all. I am not saying I will be cool on the release day, but I am not ready to take it to my head,” he says.His frequent trips could be another reason that helps him keep the worries at bay. He had visited the Himalayas, Europe, Singapore and Malaysia during the schedule breaks of the film, which is in its post-production stage. In conversation with Anoop Menon.'King Fish' is gearing up for release. How does it feel?It is a confused state of affairs. I did cameos in Ramesh Pisharody's 'Ganagandharvan' and Ranjith Sankar’s 'Kamala'. Also, I am shooting for Siddique’s 'Big Brother'. Amid all this, 'King Fish' is happening. Having said that, for the past six to eight months, King Fish has been on top of my mind. At this point, I don’t know whether I am happy or not, or if I have made a good film. I don’t know whether I am able to come to terms with the fact that I am a director now as all this happened by chance. V K Prakash was supposed to direct the film but had to drop out at the last moment. So, I didn’t have a choice. I had so many people in my mind but Ranjiettan (director Ranjith) insisted that he would act only if I would direct, and so I turned director two weeks before the shoot. How has the experience been? I’ve been an active part in the making of all the films I have written, be it 'Ente Mezhuthiri Athazhangal', 'Hotel California' or 'Beautiful'. That was a great advantage and I didn’t feel like I was making a huge transition. I found that direction is the most enjoyable part in filmmaking. The easiest and most comfortable is acting and the loneliest and toughest is writing. If you have a perfect script, the right actors and technicians, and a good producer, direction is the most enjoyable profession in the world. I have also written the script, so things were easy. 'King Fish' is also a small film that isn’t star laden. The story is multi-layered and has a lot of suspense unlike my previous films.Anoop Menon and the film crew You also play the lead, so how was it directing yourself?That was the only problem I faced. I didn’t want to do the character but again I had no choice. Had it been some other actor, I would have enjoyed direction more. While I am acting, I am also conscious on what the other actors are doing.I would be constantly checking if she or he is giving the right expressions and that in turn affected my performance. After the shot, when I check, I realise the same. You said you had no choice but to cast yourself. Why so? When I had to take over direction a fortnight before the film was to go on floors, it was impossible to get an actor at such short notice. Most of the leading Malayalam actors have given their dates for almost a year and has at least six films lined up. I would have had to opt for a newbie. But I really didn’t want to take the risk because the lead character is a 40-year-old and should be performed by a seasoned actor. In 'Ente Mezhuthiri Athazhangal', I wanted Fahadh Faasil and Nazriya to act and not me. So, when I write, I am the last choice as an actor. Next time, I would love to direct another actor. Anoop Menon and Ranjith in King Fish You also directed Ranjith, who fetched you a State Award for 'Thirakatha'.(Smiles) That was a humbling experience. Ranjiettan is the most endearing actor you can get to direct. You say it and he gives it.Your films have always had a lot of women characters. At a time when the industry is trying hard to be gender sensitive and politically correct, how does 'King Fish' align to these?I never think of such things when I write a script. I only think of my story. I have never approached any character in my scripts by consciously giving parity to any gender. I see every gender on the same plane and I accept that they have their own differences, follies and fallacies. I never think of writing stories that are woman-centric. I think the term centric itself is a misnomer. Due to our physique, we have our own differences and when we say men are more physically powerful than women, that is also debatable.Anoop Menon in 'King Fish' setI believe we have to be different not equal, else how will the laws of attraction work? I try to explore the strength of each gender and bring out the positive side of them. I don’t think I can think too much or even subscribe to the new-age feminist ideologies. However, my characters have always been on par, beyond gender. That has been wonderfully explored in 'King Fish' with Durga Krishna’s character challenging the age-old societal norms in many ways. Most of your films have several actresses playing pivotal, romantic roles with you in the thick of it. What’s so romantic about that? Human relationships have always enticed me. It is not just about the opposite sex. In this film, Ranjiettan plays my maternal uncle and our relationship has been explored. It is a bond that spans 25 years. You will always have a hero in your adolescence. It can be your dad, uncle, teacher or neighbour.Ente Mezhuthiri Athazhangal Beautiful If you ask me about the ‘romantic factor’ in my films, what about 'Beautiful'? In it the romance kills the entire mood of the story. 'Trivandrum Lodge' explores another facet of human bonding. I am not keen on social issues as I have never been able to understand the politics of politics. But what I love the most is to observe relationships. I believe the mind is unbridled. Look at the myriad thoughts and fantasies that come to your mind in seconds. I pluck one among these and develop it. I try to learn the changes that happen in a person when she or he meets another person. Is there a duration for that, and once gone can it be retrieved? It’s fascinating to discover these and develop them.