Happy Birthday, Jeethu Joseph: 5 films that proves he is a master craftsman of our times

Maverick American filmmaker Christopher Nolan, known for mostly high concept thriller movies once said, “To be perfectly honest, nothing frightens me more than the concept of doing a comedy when I see what these great comedic filmmakers are up against.” He said this in response to the interviewer’s question on whether he would be attempting to make a comedy film in the future apart from thriller films. From his words, it’s clear that making a comedy film is a herculean tasks for a filmmaker and most of them stay away from that genre.

Coming to Jeethu Joseph, the filmmaker whom we actually relate with the suspense thriller movie ‘Drishyam’, has broken that jinx and has proved that he is a perfect craftsman in making comedy-drama films like ‘My Boss’, and, ‘Mummy & Me’ among others. Today on his birthday let’s take a look at his filmography, where he has struck a balance in creating nail-biting suspense thrillers and out-and-out comedy films.

(Picture Courtesy : Facebook)

The most popular and critically acclaimed movie from Jeethu Joseph, could be termed as a stepping stone for him towards the spotlight. At the time of its initial release, the trailers for the movie suggested a usual family drama film which turned out to be a rollercoaster suspense ride when the actual movie came out. The film was also remade to several other languages including a Chinese remake named ‘Sheep Without a Shepherd’. ‘Drishyam’ was a huge win in all the aspects such as the performances from the leads Mohanlal, Meena, Asha Sharath, Ansiba, and, Esther Anil.

(Picture Courtesy : Facebook)

This Prithviraj starrer 2013 mystery thriller film is yet another proof that Jeethu Joseph is a real craftsman in engaging the audience without losing the emotional connection with the story and the characters. Although the story may seem like a usual serial killer whodunnit one that we have all seen in Korean films, the way the story was told made it different from other cop dramas. The character Sam Alex, played by Prithviraj Sukumaran, gave an amazing performance as a drunkard ex-cop. This is one of those rare thriller films that the cinephiles wish to revisit. All thanks to Jeethu Joseph!

(Picture Courtesy : Facebook)

This 2012 romantic comedy-drama film, starring Dileep and Mamta Mohandas as lead, is one of the supreme examples from Jeethu Joseph’s career which proves his talent in crafting a comedy film. Although the core story was inspired by the 2009 Hollywood film starring Ryan Reynold and Sandra Bullock, ‘My Boss’ gives you a feel of freshness from the incredible performances by Dileep, Mamta, Kalabhavan Shajon coupled with the terrific direction by Jeethu Joseph.

(Picture Courtesy : Facebook)

One of the most underrated films from Jeethu Joseph’s filmography could be termed as thriller suspense movie ‘Detective’ starring Suresh Gopi as the lead. Although the film had a short run in theatres, the film was later appreciated by the audience, and the modus operandi of the killer in the film was very unique and witty, which Jeethu Joseph later admitted was inspired from one of the James Bond films. 'Detective' is a real gem in his career.

(Picture Courtesy : Facebook)

Looking into the history of cinema, there are a few cases that show that the sequel for a hit movie working. Most of the sequels turn out to be a real shame to the original product. But coming to ‘Drishyam 2’, Jeethu Joseph decided to aim for a bit high and take up a huge risk on his shoulders. And nonetheless, to say, Jeethu Joseph worked his magic in here too. The sequel went above the expectation level of the audience and really managed to pull out an engaging thriller story with an unexpected ending. Through 'Drishyam 2', Jeethu Joseph once again proved that he has more under his sleeves and has more to offer.

(Picture Courtesy : Facebook)

This 2010 drama film starring Kunchacko Boban, Mukesh, Archana Kavi, and, Urvashi, is yet another gem from Jeethu Joseph’s filmography. The film was highly appreciated by the audience for telling a more relatable story and conveying the emotions to the audience. The songs from this film were also a huge hit. This film is also one of the prominent examples of proving that Jeethu Joseph is a great storyteller when it comes to family drama films too.

(Picture Courtesy : Facebook)