Two-time National Film Award Winning actor and writer Girish Kulkarni is known for his nuanced roles in films such as Deool (2011), Valu (2008) and Vihir (2009) in Marathi and Dangal (2016) in Hindi. In Thankam, which marks his debut in the Malayalam film industry, he plays a Maharashtrian man who travels to Tamil Nadu regarding a police case. While Kulkarni doesn’t want to reveal anything more about the film’s plot, he tells us that Thankam is more of a crime drama than a thriller and delves into the value system and philosophy of the characters that make the movie.
“Thankam is a character-driven film, but you can’t box it within a specific genre. While the film is a crime drama, it is a riveting one that brings out the thriller element. So, the film is more about the dramatic value,” says the actor. Speaking of the opportunity to work in the industry, he adds that he has been a big fan of movies made by Bhavana studios and Fahad Faasil and Friends, the producers of Thankam. “Malayalam cinema chose me. I was very happy when I got a call from this industry, especially from Syam Pushkaran. I have watched all their films during the lockdown and Kumbalangi Nights remains my all-time favourite.”