Director Chidambaram revealed auditioning 4,000 people to cast Balan - The Boy, a Malayalam survival drama screened at Cannes and featuring Farzana and child artist Adisheshan.

Why Chidambaram chose newcomers over Mohanlal and Mammootty for Balan: The Boy, a gripping Malayalam thriller about a boy, his complex mother and raw, real emotions.

Balan The Boy is both ambitious and ambiguous. Like the best of films, it continues to linger and grow long after it is over.