A mystery thriller that unfurls through a phone call

Jayan Naduvathazhath’s independent film Sanjay On Call is a mystery thriller that hinges on a phone call

The plot of filmmaker Jayan Naduvathazhath’s feature film Sanjay on Call hinges entirely on a phone call. The protagonist, an IT professional who is working from home, gets a call from his wife living 100 kilometres away. Her life is in danger and she is desperately seeking help; but during the conversation, the protagonist’s phone switches off. What ensues is a roller-coaster ride of tense moments.

The suspense thriller is a single-location film conceived during the lockdown months. It was also shot during the COVID period, on a shoestring budget, says Jayan, who made his debut in films writing Al Mallu after he quit a career in IT. His directorial debut was the independent film ‘28’ (2019), based on counterfeit currency.

Jayan says Sanjay On Call was inspired by the Danish film Guilty (2017-2018), which was based on a call that lands in Emergency Services. “I was so taken up by the idea that I wanted to adapt it to our milieu. We sometimes conduct our entire lives on the phone. Especially during the COVID-19 lockdown, we were dependent on it. While it is in the mystery genre, the film makes us think about our connection with technology on a deeper level,” he says.

Shot in three days, the film features Besu M George (also the co-producer) and Krishnadas Karivelil as the main characters. Produced by Benz Vasu Productions, the cinematography was handled by Sangeeth Mathews, editing by Risal Jaini, lyrics were penned by Aneesh Lal K H and music was composed by Sabareesh Menon. While Jayahari designed the background score, Shefin Mayin designed the sound.

The film was screened in a couple of international film festivals including the Indo-French International Film Festival, Madrid Film Awards, Seattle International Film Festival and Amsterdam Independent Film Festival to name a few.

The film is available for viewing on MX Player, WS Flix and Saina Player.