Violence is a recurring element in my films: Haneef Adeni on the grit of 'Marco'

'Kill Bill', a film by  Quentin Tarantino- the godfather of violent cinema, set a new benchmark in the movie world. Tarantino himself once said, “Violence is one of the most fun things to watch.”
If 'Kill Bill', a cinematic bloodbath filled with brutal murders and intense fight sequences, defines Tarantino's brand of "fun," Haneef Adeni’s 'Marco' is setting a new benchmark for Malayalam cinema.

'Marco' marks the fourth directorial venture of Haneef Adeni, a filmmaker deeply inspired by Tarantino’s visceral storytelling and the stylistic finesse of Korean cinema. Adeni made an impressive debut with 'The Great Father', a super hit movie that catapulted him into the limelight. He followed it up by penning the script for 'Abrahaminte Santhathikal', which further solidified his journey of success.

While his third venture, 'Mikhael', starring Nivin Pauly, delivered an average performance at the box office, 'Marco' has truly cemented Haneef Adeni's place in the Malayalam film industry.
'Marco' delivers a cinematic experience like no other, akin to a lightning strike coursing from the spine, surging through the brain, and exploding beyond the body. It’s a visceral journey that leaves audiences describing it as a `heavy experience.’ With its intense and unrelenting narrative, the film continues its crimson-streaked rampage in theatres.

As 'Marco' continues its theatrical run, sparking reactions like “An action thriller India has never seen before” and “Was this level of violence really necessary?”, Haneef Adeni breaks his silence for the first time. In this candid interview, he reflects on his film-making journey, the blood-soaked spectacle that is 'Marco', and the mix of praise and criticism the film has garnered.

Marco from Mikhael
I had envisioned a full-length feature film centred around the character of 'Marco' while working on 'Mikhael' itself. Even back then, I felt that 'Marco' had the potential to grow into an entire movie. It was with this idea in mind that 'Marco' was conceived. The story of the film evolved naturally from that initial thought.

While collaborating with Unni Mukundan in 'Mikhael', I knew I wanted him to take on a big role like 'Marco'. Unni, too, had expressed his desire to work with me on a major project. The story for 'Marco' was actually completed back in 2019, but it came to life on the big screen only when the timing and circumstances aligned perfectly.

The challenge of transforming a villain into a hero
As far as I am concerned, every movie comes with its own set of challenges. In 'Marco', the greatest hurdle was crafting the central character. You have an actor like Unni, who is ready to go to any length for performing action scenes, and there is a producer who has the guts to spend any amount of money for the perfect final output of his product.
In one sense, 'Marco' became a reality due to the courage shown by the producer, Sherif Muhammed. He was ready to concede anything for 'Marco' to be executed exactly as envisioned and his readiness to concede anything for this was a great blessing for me.

Violence and budget limitations
Sherif is a producer who never let budget constraints affect my creative process. His approach and vision make him a promising asset to the Malayalam film industry. While many producers shy away from the challenge of bringing an "A" certified movie to theatres, Sherif took it head-on. Producing a film without compromising on this aspect was no small feat, and it’s where his courage truly stood out.

Violence has always been a recurring element in my films. Often, these scenes are either trimmed or reworked to meet censor board requirements. I’m an avid fan of Korean cinema, and I dream of creating films with a similar intensity and style that can find their place on theatre screens here.

The Censor Board’s Scissors
The movie faced challenges in obtaining a certificate during the initial round of censoring. It was then subjected to a second review by a larger jury, which eventually approved it for screening. However, they explicitly recommended that warnings be added to certain violent scenes. These warnings were incorporated, and only minor edits suggested by the board were made.

The movie also includes a specific warning card that I deliberately added, something unprecedented in cinema.

"This movie includes some extremely violent scenes. This may disturb some people. We strongly suggest viewers exercise discretion. Our intention is not to glorify violence but to portray necessary components of the story. We appreciate your understanding and convey our regards for watching the movie responsibly."

This message appears at the beginning of the film, setting the tone for the audience. Alongside, veteran actor Jagadish too had publicly stated on many occasions before the release that this was a movie strictly for adults. This message was reinforced through production marketing as well.

Social commitment and cinema
It’s called cinema because it’s cinematic. I don’t think it’s fair to insist that cinema must always carry a social commitment. The reality is that our films don’t even portray half the violence and brutality that occur in the real world. To grasp this, just look at the statistics of brutal crimes that have taken place in our country over the past year alone.

As Tarantino famously said, “The most fun thing is to shoot violence.” We, too, enjoyed crafting the violent scenes in this movie. After all, cinema is part of the entertainment business and industry. Everything, from action to humour and even violence, is shaped as a business product for the audience.
Some people tend to search for logic in movies. Personally, I have always felt that the medium of cinema itself isn’t entirely logical. There’s little point in seeking absolute reality in films. For example, even the act of projecting someone on a big screen alters their original size. Logic is abandoned right from there. Cinema should be enjoyed for what it is: cinema.

Actor and producer
I was able to execute this movie seamlessly thanks to Unni Mukundan and Sherif's unwavering confidence. Words cannot fully capture the dedication Unni brought to this project. The athleticism and physical effort he invested in the action sequences were extraordinary, and it’s his hard work that now translates into the applause we hear in theatres.

That said, Unni often distanced himself emotionally during the violent scenes. While reviewing the footage on the monitor, he would avoid watching any violent scenes he had just performed. However, when it came to action sequences, he would completely transform into another person.

Jagadish, Abhimanyu, Kabir... The terror villains
For some time now, Jagadish has been portraying characters that have left the Malayali audience—including me—in awe. I’ve always wanted to tap into his inner strength as a performer. From the moment he heard the story of 'Marco', he has been genuinely thrilled about the project. I believe he’s truly happy to have had the opportunity to bring such a unique character to life.

Abhimanyu is the complete opposite of the cold-blooded Russell he plays on screen. Off-camera, Abhi is more like a playful child. On the very first day of shooting, he delivered a performance that stunned all of us. The only concern we had with his character was the look, whether he should sport a beard or go for a clean-shaven appearance. Ultimately, the bearded look turned out to be the perfect choice for him.

We also wanted to include a villain in the movie who didn’t have the typical Malayali appearance or mannerisms. That’s how Kabir Duhan Singh came on board as Cyrus. Judging by the audience’s response, it’s clear they’ve embraced that choice as well. Kabir's previous villain roles were often sidelined as secondary characters, but with Cyrus, we aimed to give him a more prominent portrayal.

In fact, we’ve worked hard to add distinct layers and mannerisms to each character in the movie.

Corridor fight and action choreography
Initially, we had planned a fight scene set in a bar, but things didn’t go as intended. That’s when we decided to shift the action to a corridor instead. The fact that the scene turned out so well is a testament to the incredible skill of fight master Kalai Kingson. We were confident that he could deliver a flawless final product, no matter how challenging the action choreography we envisioned.

Interestingly, no special art direction or set work was done at the location where the corridor fight was filmed. We visited the location just a day prior and decided on the spot to shoot the sequence there. Despite the lack of elaborate preparation or rehearsals, it’s incredibly gratifying to see the action choreography receive such massive appreciation in theatres.

The deadly `Defender'
Vehicles have always played a significant role in my films, right from the very first one. However, I don’t have any particular fascination with vehicles. It’s simply that the production team provides such impressive options to enhance the visual appeal and convey a sense of richness whenever vehicles are required in the movie.

Technical richness – the perfect crew
When Kalai Kingson was brought on board as the action choreographer for Marco, the only film he had worked on that had been released was Thalavan. In 'Mikhael', he had served as an assistant action choreographer. Even back then, I could sense the fire and potential in him during our interactions. Although the production team was ready to rope in top-tier action choreographers, I insisted that Kalai Kingson handle all seven fight sequences in 'Marco'. His output consistently exceeded our expectations.

Ravi Basrur was the perfect fit for the music score. It was the producer who suggested his name, and it couldn’t have been a better choice. The sound mixing, handled by MR Rajakrishnan, the busiest sound designer in the country, further elevated the movie with his contributions during the final mix.

Our decisions regarding other technical departments also proved to be spot on. We were fortunate to introduce some exceptionally skilled debutants to the Malayalam film industry. One of them was art director Sunil Das, whose commendable work included creating the factory set in Kollam. His artistry seamlessly sustained the film's mood throughout.

Cinematographer Chandru, tackling the action genre for the first time, delivered stellar visuals. The VFX team, also comprised of beginners working on their first movie, managed to produce remarkable results while staying within the limitations.
Makeup artist Sudhi, known for his work in feel-good films, found Marco to be an entirely different challenge. His incredible speed and precision in applying makeup stood out. Prosthetic makeup was expertly handled by Sethu, a member of Sudhi’s team. Dhanya designed the costumes, perfectly complementing the movie’s style and tone.

Editor Shameer Muhammad, a long-time friend of mine, collaborated with me for the first time on Marco. The scriptwriting process was streamlined using Scriptil, a software developed by Anirudh Padanabhan, which made charting and planning much easier and contributed significantly to the movie’s structure.
Finally, a dedicated team led by Chief Associate Syamanthak Pradeep provided unwavering support throughout the production.

Mammootty and August Cinemas
My first dream project was a movie with Mammootty and Prithviraj in central roles. Unfortunately, it didn’t materialise due to various reasons. However, it was Shaji Natesan and Prithviraj who brought me into the world of cinema, and I owe a lot to them. Their faith in me opened the doors to Mammootty. It was Shaji Natesan who introduced me to Mammootty for a story narration, and that’s how 'The Great Father' came to be, with Mammootty giving his dates for the film.

Shaji Natesan also played a significant role in helping me transition to this next phase of life. I had never worked as an assistant director or formally been a part of the industry. August Cinemas placed their confidence in me solely based on the short films and ad projects I had made up until then. To work with a superstar like Mammootty and a prestigious production house like August Cinemas, which includes Prithviraj, Shaji Natesan, and Arya, was both thrilling and intimidating. I was determined to deliver a movie that would uphold their names. Thankfully, the audience embraced the film warmly.

Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to work with other leading producers in the Malayalam film industry, such as Anto Joseph, Joby George, and Listin Stephen.

I am just one of many debutant directors introduced by Mammootty, but both films I worked on with him turned out to be hits. Collaborating with Mammootty is always an exhilarating experience.

Priority on happiness
I’ve always prioritised happiness in life over cinema. After all, everyone seeks to live a happy life. I just make it a point to give it the highest importance.
Favourite directors
Amal Neerad and Priyadarshan
Distance from social media
I’m someone who stays away from social media. Even the lone Instagram account in my name is managed by a friend. He’s the one who posts cinema updates and other content on my behalf.
Marco 2!
Marco 2 will definitely happen, but not immediately. Based on the reception Marco has received from the audience so far, the sequel will come as a grander film on a larger canvas, with even more intense violence.