I like exploring myths in my films: Subhash Lalitha Subrahmanian

After blending fantasy, humour and family drama in Charles Enterprises, director Subhash Lalitha Subrahmanian is back with Karakkam, a musical horror comedy starring Sreenath Bhasi, Femina George and Shaun Romy. Built around the quirky idea of “dancing ghosts”, the film brings together retro aesthetics, music and supernatural elements.

The filmmaker tells us why he enjoys experimenting with genres, what makes horror films click with audiences and how music became central to Karakkam’s world.‘I’m basically a cinema fanboy’I am basically a cinema fanboy. I watch plenty of films and draw inspiration from them. For me, making a film that I would love to watch is important. My first film with Urvashi chechi, Charles Enterprises, was a divine comedy with some family drama.

It also had fantasy elements. I like such myths—like yakshi, pretham and similar folklore.Why horror continues to clickAlmost all the recent horror films have done well. I love watching horror films. When people accept a film, we can be sure there is something different about it. If we release 10 films in the same pattern, the audience won’t accept them. If these films have succeeded, it means each one has something unique.

He cites examples of recent films with supernatural elements. “Look at Prakambanam, Lokah, Dies Irae, Sarvam Maya — each had something different.”‘Karakkam is a musical horror comedy’My next film, Karakkam, is a musical horror comedy featuring dancing ghosts. I wrote the script around that idea. The lead characters are people who died in the 1980s and resurface in 2026, and we explore the world through their lens.Music as a key storytelling toolWhen you have dance, you need music. So, we treated music as a key element in the film. Sam CS is the music director and has been collaborating with me since pre-production. He knows how to use sound effectively, which is very important in horror films.Retro vibe, English tracksThere are two English songs in the film apart from five Malayalam tracks. We opted for English songs because of the film’s western retro style.