Entertainment · Indian Cinema · 1 hr ago
Madhumita turns to psychological thriller with ‘John Doe’
Director Madhumita made ‘John Doe’ a psychological thriller after earlier films brought her offers for similar feel-good stories.
Her 2015 film ‘Moone Moonu Varthai’ did not succeed at the box office, and she left filmmaking for a corporate job in Mumbai.
‘KD Engira Karuppudurai’ brought her back to cinema in 2019 with a comedy-drama about an old man and a young boy.
Its success led to offers for similar films, but Madhumita wanted to challenge the idea that women directors mainly make feel-good films.
‘John Doe’ follows police investigating a missing child in hill stations on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border, with Arjun Das and Sanchana Natarajan in lead roles.
The film explores why a crime happens and who it hurts, rather than treating crime as something glamorous, Madhumita says.
‘John Doe’ is set to release on November 13, and Madhumita is also working on a Hindi adaptation of ‘Angamaly Diaries’ before starting a hostage drama in early 2027.
Director Madhumita is moving beyond feel-good films with her psychological thriller John Doe.
The film stars Arjun Das and Sanchana Natarajan and follows police investigating a missing child.
Set in hill stations on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border, the film is scheduled to reach cinemas on November 13.
Madhumita wrote the script during the COVID-19 lockdown with co-writer Nicholas Chevaillier.
She said she wanted to challenge herself with a different genre and avoid the stereotype that women directors make only rom-coms and feel-good films.
- Who
- Director Madhumita, with Arjun Das and Sanchana Natarajan in lead roles.
- What
- John Doe is a psychological thriller about police investigating a missing child.
- When
- It is scheduled to reach cinemas on November 13. The year is not stated.
- Where
- The story is set in hill stations on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border.
- Why
- Madhumita wanted to challenge herself with a different genre and move beyond feel-good films.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
A few weeks after Moone Moonu Varthai failed to click at the box office, Madhumita moved to Mumbai to work for a corporate company.
KD Engira Karuppudurai was released and changed Madhumita’s life, according to the article.
Madhumita and co-writer Nicholas Chevaillier wrote the script for John Doe.
John Doe is scheduled to reach cinemas.
Madhumita is due to start filming her next project, a hostage drama.
- Director
- Madhumita
- Lead roles
- Arjun Das and Sanchana Natarajan
- Genre
- Psychological thriller
- Story
- Police investigate a missing child
- Setting
- Hill stations on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border
- Release date
- November 13
What people are saying
The fun in filmmaking is to challenge yourself by taking on different genres
It is a stereotype that women only make good rom-coms and feel-good films.
While John Doe is a whodunit, it will delve into the why of the crime.
I feel cinema sometimes glorifies crimes.