It is such a happy thing: Director Devan on ‘Valatty’ being first Malayalam film to be dubbed in Russian | Exclusive

Director Devan’s ‘Valatty’ is set to become the first Malayalam film to be released in Russian much to the delight of those associated with critically acclaimed film. The Russian-dubbed version will hit screens on April 25, nearly a year after the romantic drama hit screens in India. Speaking exclusively to The Daily Guardian, Devan said that he is excited about Valatty breaking the language barrier. 

“This is such a happy thing as a creator. We will get a wider audience, especially outside the country. I am excited about this development,” he said. 

Devan added that he is confident that the Russian version will retain the essence of the original. 

“I did not make it region-specific. Even the number plates say DW (Dog’s World). Cultural references are there. We changed them in Hindi. I am sure they will do something similar in Russia. So, there will be cultural changes to suit Russian culture,” said Devan.

‘Valatty’ centres on two dogs who elope as their owners disapprove of their relationship because of religious differences. It is billed as the first film to feature dogs as ‘actors’ without relying on visual effects. The film’s voice cast is headlined by Roshan Mathew, Raveena Ravi, Shoubin Sahir, Sunny Wayne, and Indrans. Devan feels that going by the trailer,  those behind the Russian-dubbed version have chosen competent voice actors for the respective roles. 

“The voices in the trailer have synched perfectly well. I gave them notes on how old the characters should sound. I think the emotions and all will work if they choose decent voices for each dog,” he said. 

Valatty also features Rohini, Vijay Babu, Dev Mohan, and Major Ravi in key roles. The film is produced by Vijay Babu.  Cappella Films will distribute the Russian-dubbed version. 

‘Valatty’ is currently available to stream in five languages– Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Kannada– on Disney+ Hotstar.