Anas Khan: Carving His Path into Malayalam Cinema
Anas Khan’s journey into Malayalam cinema is one shaped by persistence, faith in storytelling and an almost stubborn refusal to look at any career path other than films. Born in Kerala, Anas moved to Sharjah when he was just three or four years old. His formative years, including his schooling until 12th grade were spent there. Even during this phase of life, cinema quietly stayed with him, not yet as a career ambition but as a growing fascination that would later define his life.
After completing his schooling, Anas returned to Kerala for higher studies and joined TKM College of Engineering to pursue Mechanical Engineering. It was here that a decisive chapter of his life began. During college, he met Akhil Paul, who would later become his long-term creative partner. What started as casual conversations between two friends slowly evolved into serious discussions about cinema. They spoke endlessly about films, storytelling and the kind of movies they wanted to make. Unlike many who discover cinema later in life, Anas and Akhil were already thinking like filmmakers during their college days.
Anas’s interest in screenwriting and filmmaking developed organically during this period. Along with Akhil, he began writing movie scripts while still in college. From the very beginning, they had a clear plan to make movies. There was no backup plan, no alternative career path and no interest in taking up unrelated jobs. Their focus was singular and unwavering cinema. After completing college, they decided to give films their complete attention. This decision, however was not an easy one, especially when it came to the realities of adult life and a career. Anas took a gap of several months during which he worked on convincing his family about his vision, while Akhil was already moving ahead in search of opportunities.
During this time, Akhil worked on his own vision and building connections within the film industry. He soon managed to pitch a script to actor Prithviraj Sukumaran. This pitch eventually led to the making of 7th Day, a crime thriller that marked a turning point in both their careers. The release of 7th Day and its eventual success became a moment of personal validation for both Akhil as well as for Anas. This emboldened them both to pursue their college dream of working together to bring their common visions to life.
The duo immediately started working on another script. Soon they got an opportunity to pitch a story to Mammootty, the Megastar of Malayalam Cinema. During their very first meeting, Mammootty was impressed by the idea, though the project itself took time to develop. Their initial plan was to work as a screenwriting-duo on the film and for this purpose Anas and Akhil met several directors. However, certain creative and technical difficulties caused the project to stall and at one point, Mammootty himself suggested that they direct the film. Although the duo had individual and clear ideas about directing movies, they had not actively planned to step into direction at that stage in their career. Still, when Mammootty posed the question, they decided to embrace the challenge. Unfortunately, the project was tied in technical hurdles, marking a temporary setback in their journey.
During this period, Anas and Akhil worked on another script, which would eventually become their debut directorial, Forensic (2020). The movie required a young actor to play the lead role and Tovino Thomas, then a young star on the rise, came into the picture. Anas later described this collaboration as largely coincidental, though Akhil personally knew Tovino during his time working on 7th Day. After completing the script, they approached Tovino during the shooting of Lucifer and that interaction paved the way for their debut film. Forensic emerged as an investigation thriller and gained attention for its technical approach and storytelling style.
Following Forensic, which was purely an investigation thriller in a police procedural format, they decided to focus on another aspect of a crime investigation for their next project. Exploring the often-obscure method of creating police sketches, and the several intricacies involved in the process, they created a project that would eventually become Identity (2025). For this film, they crafted a hero character that was a complete departure from the conventional investigator hero types usually seen in Indian cinema. This meant that they needed a performance-oriented actor who could do justice to the demanding role. Without hesitation, they chose Tovino Thomas again. Anas and Akhil were clear that compromising on the performance aspect would weaken the script, and Tovino’s capabilities aligned perfectly with their vision. The project was pitched during the sets of Thallumaala, and Identity eventually took shape as an action thriller, distinct in tone from the police procedural format of Forensic.
Anas’s inclination towards crime thrillers has its roots in his college days. He and Akhil watched numerous thriller films and closely observed the genre. At the time they were drafting scripts, crime thrillers were only beginning to gain momentum in the Malayalam industry. While notable films existed, the genre was not as saturated as it is today. A few films like Drishyam stood out as a benchmark and they felt a strong desire to explore the genre in their own way. This led to Forensic, followed by Identity—even though the duo had not originally planned to make thrillers back-to-back.
Behind the scenes, collaboration played a crucial role in Anas’s films. Cinematographer Akhil George joined the team during Forensic under one such unique circumstance. Due to the nature of the project, Anas and Akhil were looking to work with technicians who could match the intensity of their vision. They were introduced to Akhil George, who had by then served as DOP on a couple of movies. During initial discussions, Akhil George impressed them with his visual sense, sample shots, and his unique approach to portraying the Forensic Science Lab where much of the film occurs. This visual freshness appealed deeply to both Anas and Akhil’s sensibilities. Music composer Jakes Bejoy and editor Chaman Chakko also became integral parts of the team, forming a crew built on trust and common creative vibe.
Today, Anas Khan stands as a filmmaker who balances writing and direction with equal conviction. After Identity, he and Akhil decided to take a break from their partnership, planning to both collaborate as a duo, as well as work on their own individual projects. For Anas, cinema remains a space of exploration across genres, forms and collaborations. His journey reflects not just talent, but an unshakeable belief in storytelling and the courage to follow his vision without compromise.
