#BehindTheLens: “For both good and bad reasons, Ullozhukku remains one of my most memorable projects,” says Christo Tomy

In this interview, the Curry and Cyanide director, Christo Tomy, discusses the challenges of the film, talks about filmmaking, the BAFTA opportunity and much more! 

When you hear about a case as chilling as a woman systematically murdering six members of her own family over 14 years, it’s almost impossible to believe it. Yet, it also sparks immense curiosity to understand what drove her to such extremes. A documentary film seems like the perfect medium to explore this delicate balance between factual accuracy and gripping storytelling. However, it’s crucial that the film handles such a disturbing subject with the necessary sensitivity—something the documentary Curry and Cyanide: The Jolly Joseph Case achieves remarkably well. Directed by two-time National Award-winning filmmaker, Christo Tomy, who is also known for Ullozhukku, the documentary dives deep into this unsettling true-crime story.

In this interview with us, Tomy revealed his process of making the film, highlighting how it took a personal toll on him but he kept it aside and managed to craft a narrative that is both emotionally gripping and responsible in its depiction of real-life tragedy.Apart from talking about the documentary, Christo Tomy also delves into explaining how the process of filmmaking works, misconception around it, and much more! This interview was in collaboration with the BAFTA Breakthrough India 2024, a programme initiated by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). 

Your filmography includes an exciting line-up of projects; how did it all begin for you?

I completed my graduation in filmmaking from the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute. While I was there, I had the opportunity to work on several projects that garnered national acclaim, even winning National Awards. After graduation, I began writing a feature film about a family trapped in a flooded house, waiting for a funeral—a story inspired by a personal event from 2005 that stayed with me for the longest time. Hence this became the foundation for Ullozhukku.

While writing this feature film, I was a part of the NFDC lab and ended up participating in the Cinestaan Screenwriters Contest, which at the time was the biggest feature film writing contest and winning it opened doors for the project. And as I was prepping up for making Ullozhukku, I was approached to direct Curry and Cyanide: The Jolly Joseph Case. Coincidentally I had known about the case since 2019, when my wife told me about the shocking story of Jolly Joseph, a woman accused of killing six members of her family over 14 years. Although at that time I told her to not tell me this story as I would lose sleep over the disturbing nature of the story. But years later, when I was approached to direct this, I found a fascinating tale in it that was worth exploring. Plus because of COVID and uncertain times things were becoming difficult for Ullozhukku. Eventually both projects—Ullozhukku and Curry and Cyanide—were filmed back to back. I remember editing Ullozhukku in the mornings from 9 to 1 and Curry and Cyanide at night from 3 to 12. Curry and Cyanide was released in December 2023, and Ullozhukku followed in June this year. And despite all the struggles and the challenging journey, things have been good since last year to now as the response has been great for these films which have opened several opportunities for me, including my selection for the BAFTA Breakthrough program. Also I have always been keen on developing different projects of different genres so I was happy that these two projects offered such distinct storytelling experiences for me. 

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As a filmmaker what do you want your films to leave behind?

As storytellers and filmmakers, our primary goal is to create an emotional impact on the audience through the stories we tell. We want to move them, make them laugh, cry, or feel excited. Ideally, long after they’ve watched the film, we hope that certain moments or themes stay with them. This is what we aspire to achieve as filmmakers—having the audience carry something meaningful from the film with them. However, in today’s industry, there is a challenge in balancing creative expression with commercial viability. We want to tell the stories we care about, but we also need to ensure the films are marketable. That said, when someone comes up to me and shares how deeply they were affected, or even when actors reach to me tearing up and express how moved they were by the film, this sort of impact provides some sort of solace. I’m sure every film will impact differently on different people as everyone interprets films differently based on their own experiences, but as filmmakers, the ultimate goal is to create that lasting emotional impact, where a piece of the film stays with the audience long after they leave the theater.

Also Read: #BehindTheLens: "With First Act, I aimed to craft a piece that serves as a testament to the times, offering a reflection of how the film industry truly operates" says Deepa Bhatia

Can you walk us through a typical process of directing and editing a film? What are some misconceptions around it?

I believe it all begins with the story. If the script is in good shape, it makes the director’s job much easier, especially in a commercial setting. The script needs to excite the director, the producer, the studio, and, of course, the actors. Once these elements are aligned, the director’s role becomes about inspiring everyone involved in the project to bring the story to life and execute the vision on screen.The tricky part comes when trying to get everyone to give their best while working for someone else’s vision. It’s easier when they’re working towards their own vision, but as a director, it’s your job to inspire and push everyone to deliver their best performance, even if only you fully understand that vision. Whether you’re writing or directing, the focus is always on storytelling—crafting an emotional journey for the audience to experience with the characters they see on screen. 

There’s also a common misconception that the excitement seen in the final film reflects how it was during the shoot. Many people, especially those not familiar with filmmaking, often think directing is an exciting job. But when they visit a set, they realize it’s a repetitive and sometimes tedious process, with multiple takes required for even the simplest shot. The truth is, filmmaking requires patience, and shots that appear stylish on-screen might look quite ordinary during production. However, with the rise of social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube, where more people are creating their own content, there’s a growing awareness of the effort involved in making films.

Curry and Cyanide: The Jolly Joseph Case is regarded as one of the most chilling documentaries. How was your experience of making this film given its topic? Did it come with its own set of challenges?

I have always been deeply interested in true crime stories, often following cases that appear in the newspapers. However, with Curry and Cyanide, the experience was uniquely terrifying for me. Unlike typical serial killer stories, where the danger seems external lurking in the dark, this story highlighted the idea that the killer could be someone within your family—someone sitting right next to you. That was the scariest part of the Curry and Cyanide case for me. When we started working on the project, I told my team that we should stop all discussions by six in the evening. If we continued working into the night, I wouldn’t be able to sleep properly. But as we delved deeper into the story, we became more accustomed to it, and it gradually became less unsettling. 

One of the biggest challenges was ensuring the project did justice to all those involved in the case. We had to be careful not to negatively impact the people or the legal case itself. That meant making important decisions to protect everyone’s integrity and privacy. But it was a project that was mostly taxing because you are dealing with real people. Hence you have to ensure that your story does justice to all of the people involved in the case and not just one or two. And you also have to make sure that the story that you're doing does not impact them or affect the case in a negative way. That meant making important decisions so as to not affect anyone or the case itself in a bad light. So in that way there were a lot of challenges But another major one was structuring the story, which spanned 14 years. It could have easily become repetitive, but we had incredible editing supervisors—Jim Haygood, known for Fight Club and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Zach Kashkett. They joined us in the post- production stage and their expertise was instrumental in shaping the material into something engaging and coherent. In documentaries, editing is crucial, and it was the same for Curry and Cyanide. Ultimately, the feedback and response from viewers made all the difficulties worthwhile.

You have recently made a fiction film - Ullozhukku. What's the difference in making fiction and non-fiction? How important are both these formats?

There’s a famous quote by Corbe Hitchcock that says, “In fiction film, the director is God, and in nonfiction, God is the director.” This highlights the fundamental difference between the two mediums. In fiction, directors have much more freedom to shape the material. However, the challenge lies in creating something from nothing. You’re faced with a blank page and have to invent characters, dialogue, and entire worlds, which can be incredibly demanding. In nonfiction, on the other hand, the story already exists. The director’s task is to delve into it, uncover its core, and tell it in a way that’s honest, emotional, and impactful. The goal is to let the audience feel the real-life experiences of the people involved in the story. Both mediums present unique challenges, but in different ways.

For me, the hardest part of fiction filmmaking is the shooting process. You’re constantly racing against time, dealing with actors’ schedules, and fighting unpredictable elements like the weather. On a fiction set, it seems like when you don’t want rain, it pours, and when you need rain, it never comes. In nonfiction, however, the most challenging aspect is editing. That’s when you shape everything you’ve filmed and bring the story together. Both forms provide a different kind of challenge where you have to kind of fine tune yourself in a different way to kind of approach these different mediums. But because nonfiction deals with real people, it often has a deeper impact. For instance, if I had made a fictional version of Curry and Cyanide, people might say the story was unbelievable. Yet, when people watched the documentary, their reaction was disbelief that such events could really happen—how a woman could kill for 14 years without anyone suspecting a thing. It’s stories like this that make both fiction and nonfiction equally fascinating, and I’m excited to keep exploring both.

Out of everything you've worked on, which one has been your favourite or most memorable project? Why?

Every project I’ve worked on has been significant in its own way. For instance, Curry and Cyanide gave me a global reach I hadn’t imagined possible. It was available in over 30 countries, reaching audiences who might not have watched my other films. That exposure was incredible. On the other hand, my first fiction project from the institute, Kamuki, won a National Award, which is a moment I’ll never forget—traveling to Delhi and receiving the award from the President was a personal milestone. Another memorable experience was winning a National Award for Kanyaka during a challenging time in my personal life. Each of these projects had a unique impact, both personally and professionally.

However, if I had to choose one project that stands out the most, it would be Ullozhukku. That film took eight years of my life, and had I know how difficult it would be, I’m not sure if I would’ve have been able to make this at all. It started as a small project, but soon some of the best industry professionals came together, they didn’t have to walk this film but they did make it happen because they believed in the story. My insistence on writing the script myself was also a huge learning experience—spending 3 to 4 years writing 24x7 taught me invaluable lessons. The film is deeply personal, rooted in a family experience when we had to wait for my grandfather’s body to arrive in a funeral home. Being able to shoot the film in the same house where this event took place, and then seeing it be well-received upon release in Kerala, was incredibly moving. For both good and bad reasons, Ullozhukku remains one of my most memorable projects.

What does this opportunity by BAFTA mean to you? Do you think it will bring about change?

I had been following the BAFTA Breakthrough program for some time, watching the announcements over the past few years. I was always anticipating the day I would finally be able to apply because you need to have a breakthrough project during the specific year you submit your application. When I saw the call for applications this year, I knew I had two strong projects to support my case, so I decided to go for it. Initially, when I didn’t hear back for some time, I thought I hadn’t been selected. But when the acceptance email finally came, I was thrilled. It feels like it happened at the perfect time for me, as I’m eager to take my stories to an international audience. I’m looking forward to working on projects that have a global reach, and I’m keen on collaborating with people from around the world, particularly in the UK and the US. I believe this selection will provide me with the right platform to achieve those goals, and I couldn’t have asked for better timing.

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