Jomon and team had conducted eight months of research for Nivin Pauly's Kairali

A dream team for a dream project! Ace cinematographer

Jomon T John

has roped in Nivin Pauly as the lead and Sidharth Siva as the scriptwriter for his big budget directorial debut, based on the unresolved mystery of the missing ship

MV Kairali

.

The bulk carrier, which was headed to Germany via Djibouti with a crew of 49, went missing off the coast of Goa, in 1979.

Jomon tells us that a Delhi-based team had conducted an extensive research for the movie titled

Kairali

. “We didn’t arrive at the plot just based on newspaper clippings. Over the last eight months, the team has interviewed people associated with the

ship

and the families of its captain Mariyadas Joseph and the crew. We have collected solid information, based on which Sidharth will begin the scripting process,” he says.

Jomon says that he had two options for his directorial debut – a project with Nivin and another with Dulquer Salmaan. “The former got the green light first, so I will be starting off my directorial career with Kairali,” he says.

However, Jomon will not be cranking the camera for this venture. “I might pass that job on to someone else because it’s a big project and I don’t want to take up the additional pressure of cinematography,” says Jomon, who is currently working on Rohit Shetty’s Golmaal Again.

On Nivin’s character in the film, the cinematographer explains, “We have not decided if he plays the captain or someone from the current timeline. Neither have we taken a call on how the script should shape up – as a completely authentic take or something with fictional elements as well.”

The film is expected to go on floors by the end of this year. Apart from Kerala, Goa and Delhi, the film will also be shot abroad in Djibouti, Kuwait and Germany.