Rooted in the vibrant world of break dance, A.K. Vinod’s Malayalam feature debut, Moonwalk, breaks away from glossy genre conventions to offer a tender, lived-in portrayal of a resilient community. The musical — set in the sun-soaked streets and modest neighborhoods of late 80s and early 90s Thiruvananthapuram — is much more than a nostalgic trip back to grainy VHS tapes, Walkmans and disco-fueled teenage dreams.

Moonwalk released theatrically on May 30, 2025 and is currently available to stream on Disney+, HBO Max and Hulu. In this interview, Vinod delves into his visual and narrative choices, and how his filmmaking crew created a grounded and emotionally resonant experience.

Moonwalk Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Victoria’ Filmmaker Sivaranjini J

Dipankar Sarkar: How much of Moonwalk comes from your lived experience? Did you witness the breakdance craze firsthand while growing up?

A.K. Vinod: I did witness some of my close friends getting into breakdancing back then during the late 80s. I saw them experiment with the style, right from the beginning, when they were just starting. So, yes, it’s something I observed closely, even if I wasn’t doing it myself.

Moonwalk Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Bokshi’ Filmmaker Bhargav Saikia

DS:  Why did you choose this subject for your debut?

AKV: It was one of several stories I had been developing with my team. We were pitching a few ideas to different producers and collaborators, and this was one of the scripts I had kept aside for a while. When the other projects didn’t take off as planned, we revisited this one, and it stood out because of its strong music and dance elements. That’s when we decided to dive into it and bring it to life.

Moonwalk Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Alappuzha Gymkhana’ Filmmaker Khalid Rahman

DS: Moonwalk transports viewers to the zeitgeist of that period without relying heavily on props and costumes to evoke the past. What choices did you make in the script to create that deeper sense of time and place?

AKV: My co-writers, Mathew Varghis and Sunil Gopalakrishnan, and I had some idea about the period we were showing. I was more closely connected to the place, so I was quite familiar with the time and space. I had shared a lot of stories and references with them, so they also got a good sense of the world we were trying to create.

We didn’t want to overdo anything or make the setting too obvious. We aimed to keep things natural and close to how we remembered it, without forcing the period onto the audience. Everything was kept subtle and in the right balance, so that it felt real rather than exaggerated.

Moonwalk Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Sabar Bonda’ Filmmaker Rohan Kanawade

DS: Moonwalk doesn’t revolve around a major dramatic conflict. Instead, it focuses on the smaller crises of youth, such as fights, crushes, run-ins with the police and family pressure. Was it always your intention to highlight these micro-moments rather than follow a grand underdog arc?

AKV: We haven’t followed a typical three-act structure in this film. It’s there, but in a very subtle way as the story unfolds through small, meaningful moments. We consciously avoided the conventional storytelling format. As you may have noticed, we intended to take viewers back to that period, and make them feel it. We realized that the people involved in this story had individual lives, and we wanted to give a glimpse into each of those lives. They’re not secondary characters. They’re all central in their way.

Instead of focusing on a single protagonist, we chose to follow a group, and their collective journey. The story flows through their arcs, and gradually builds to a point where one of them naturally emerges as the hero. That was the idea. We didn’t want to force the usual dramatization that’s often expected in films. Instead, we kept it grounded, and let each incident speak for itself in the most relatable and honest way.

Moonwalk Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Kaisi Ye Paheli’ Filmmaker Ananyabrata Chakravorty

DS: Towards the end of Moonwalk, Sura appears in a highly charged, expressive state, with his dance sequence intercut as a montage of key moments. What led you to give the character such a prominent emotional and visual emphasis in the film’s climax?

AKV:  What we ultimately wanted to convey is that this is a story about a team, and it’s the team that triumphs. Even when the team stumbles, there will always be someone who steps up, who gives their all for the collective. In that spirit, Sura finds his place. He wasn’t the one originally selected to lead or perform the final solo that was meant for Varun. But circumstances prevent Varun from taking the stage, and though we chose not to depict those moments explicitly, the flashback suggests that a collective decision was made.

Moreover, Sura wasn’t the obvious choice. But he naturally blends into the team, and when the moment comes, he rises to the occasion. It was important for us not to announce this shift too loudly. We didn’t want to say he was chosen or trained. Instead, we wanted it to feel organic, like what often happens in real teams. Someone unexpectedly steps up. In any collaborative space, like an advertising agency, for instance, the best idea can come from anyone, even someone who hasn’t been in the spotlight. Similarly, in this story, it’s about recognizing that everyone in a team holds potential. You don’t always know who will shine when the time comes. That’s the idea we wanted to communicate.

Moonwalk Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Feminist Fathima’ Filmmaker Fasil Muhammed

DS: In Moonwalk, there are gentle contrasts between the rural and urban kids, along with subtle comments on class. How did you balance these socioeconomic undercurrents without making it heavy-handed?

AKV: I remember that while class differences and social divides are always present in some form, they never matter when it comes to genuine friendships. For us, the story was never about a direct clash between the urban and the rural or city boys versus village boys. That binary didn’t interest us. It was more about a group of young men who were fascinated by something they saw, something that moved them deeply, and they wanted to explore it for themselves. It was a spontaneous, emotional response to witnessing that energy on stage.

They weren’t reacting in opposition to the city boys. Rather, they were simply inspired by what they saw and felt compelled to express that through their means, and their own skills. It was less about competition and more about expression. These boys, like many others in college, wanted to shine in some way or the other — whether through academics, sports or art. In this case, dance became a form through which they could assert their presence, be seen and ultimately [be] recognized. Jake, for instance, is someone who’s focused on his medical studies. But most of the others are simply enjoying this vibrant, carefree phase of life. For them, this dance became a space to express their youthful spirit. They weren’t doing it for social commentary. They were doing it because it gave them a voice. Of course, conversations around class and social standing do exist and were likely part of the environment. But we weren’t interested in making that a central conflict or statement. What we wanted to emphasize was that, in the end, what binds people is friendship, loyalty, shared passion and camaraderie. That transcends class or background. These boys form a tribe; a chosen family that stands together.

When you look at young people across any generation, this purity of connection stands out. They are honest, emotionally clear and often unburdened by the complexities that adulthood brings. It’s only with time that people begin to adjust to social contexts and behave accordingly. But in that moment of adolescence, their instincts are raw, truthful and beautiful. And that’s what we wanted to capture.

Moonwalk Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘The Elysian Field’ Filmmaker Pradip Kurbah

DS: Most of your cast were newcomers, many too young to have experienced the era depicted. What guided your casting choices, and how did you help them embody the youth culture of that period?

AKV: Yes, from the beginning, we knew that the film needed a specific kind of cast — individuals who could not only dance but also embody the characters we had imagined. Many of these characters were inspired by real people we’ve known, and we already had rough sketches in place during the writing stage.

At one point, we did consider casting a couple of well-known young actors to make the film more commercially viable. But it didn’t work out due to scheduling issues, and the exact age we were looking for was 17 and 18. So, we let go of that idea early on. Meanwhile, we had already started building a pool of young talent. Some had shared their portfolios, and we had even done some initial tests. Once we decided not to go with popular faces, we returned to that process and discovered a fantastic bunch of performers.

Honestly, I still feel bad that we couldn’t cast everyone. We saw some brilliant actors. But many practical factors and character combinations led us to the final cast. And now, I can’t imagine anyone else in those roles. Each choice was made after careful thought and filtering.

Moonwalk Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Appuram’ Filmmaker Indu Lakshmi

DS: The dance sequences in Moonwalk are emotional expressions rather than just showcases. How did you work with Sreejit P Dazzlers to evolve the choreography from the boys’ clumsy early steps to their confident final stage presence?

AKV: Sreejit, our choreographer, was part of the film’s development from very early on. We had worked together before, and so our conversations about dance and dancers had already started long before Moonwalk. Sreejit belonged to that era, even if he was a bit younger. So, he understood the pulse.

Also, most of our characters were not dancers. At best, they had done disco-style dancing before. So, when they saw breakdance for the first time, at a temple festival, they were flabbergasted. We wanted to reflect that on screen — the awkward beginnings, the growing fascination and their gradual progress with every performance.

That slow and organic progression was something we built into the script itself. The dances were never meant to be just flashy set-pieces. They were emotional expressions of the boys’ hunger, their excitement, their friendship. They were chasing something that moved them deeply, and through dance, they found a way to express it.

Moonwalk Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Saba’ Filmmaker Maksud Hossain

DS: Moonwalk takes its time, with a pace that builds gradually, much like a dance routine. Was this a deliberate style in editing to match the thematic rhythm?

AKV: We had two editors working on the film — both exceptionally skilled storytellers and editors. It was a complementary process. The initial edit was carried out by one of them, laying down the first narrative structure. Later, the second editor stepped in to fine-tune the cut, sharpen certain segments and slightly realign parts of the storyline.                                          

Our initial intention was to present the narrative clearly and straightforwardly. But during the editing process, we realized that the pacing needed to be more dynamic. Some scenes lingered longer, and while the first cut ran around two hours and 15 minutes, we felt it was important to tighten the runtime, especially considering how easily audiences today can lose attention.

So, we trimmed the film and refined the rhythm. The dance sequences and emotional arcs required a delicate balance — something we had already planned for at the scripting stage. Our goal was to let the story unfold through the boys’ transformation into dancers. The editors worked closely with that vision, and their contribution played a crucial role in shaping the final form of the film.

Moonwalk Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Body’ Filmmaker Abhijit Mazumdar

DS: The visual design, from dusty streets and hand-painted signboards to vibrant costumes and VHS textures, beautifully captures a bygone era. What was your approach to crafting this look? 

AKV: Yes, that VHS texture was very deliberate, as it evokes a bygone era. When I narrated the film idea to Ansar Shah, our cinematographer, I had already seen one of his earlier films, Ishq (2019). It was a small story, but I liked the way he conveyed the story through the lenses and lighting. Nothing stood out beyond the narrative; everything was just right. That stayed with me.

From the outset, I was clear that Moonwalk shouldn’t follow the conventional grammar of dance films. We weren’t aiming for the usual high-octane, stylized treatment. Instead, we wanted the audience to feel like they were watching a live stage performance… being part of it. That sense of intimacy and realism was very important to us. Of course, in a few places, we did introduce cinematic flourishes, but only sparingly and with care, so that they never pulled the viewer out of the world. I also told Ansar that the film should connect emotionally, rather than feel overly stylized or polished like typical dance films. We imagined the visual language to hover somewhere between fiction and docu-fiction. While the story is entirely fictional, we wanted it to carry a certain observational authenticity. He understood that vision and struck a balance. He captured the performances and the world of these characters with a texture that feels rooted and real, without ever losing the emotional rhythm of the story.

Moonwalk Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Humans in the Loop’ Filmmaker Aranya Sahay

DS: The synergy of Prashant Pillai’s retro soundtrack shapes Moonwalk’s tone, almost becoming a character in itself. What was your brief to him in shaping this vibrant audiovisual texture?

AKV: Prashant was one of the first technical crew members to whom I narrated the idea of the film. Before that, we had collaborated on some advertisements, and I liked the way he approached his compositions — the uniqueness of them, the rawness/earthiness and a certain universality in his tones. Immediately after my narration, he said, “Man, let’s rock it,” without any conditions. Then we discussed the situations, moods, possibilities, timing and tones at length. He started sharing feelers with me, which helped a lot in exploring the visual possibilities. One piece followed another as the shoot progressed, and interestingly, most of the songs and score were based on his first drafts. It was a wonderful experience.

Moonwalk Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Poem of the Wind’ Filmmaker Ramakaushalyan Ramakrishnan

DS: Do you feel Malayalam cinema is uniquely positioned to nurture small, rooted stories and create space for intimate, local narratives within the broader film landscape of our country? 

AKV: I strongly believe Malayalam cinema is poised to enter a bigger scheme of things in the filmdom. Of course, we are a hotpot of small, rooted stories, yet unique and engaging, and the fact that we dare to tell those stories is what makes us different. Every day, we see a new crop of filmmakers coming out with surprising and stunning films, exploring deeper human sensibilities, thanks to the advancement of filmmaking technology, which is now accessible to many aspiring filmmakers. What was once a tool limited to a few is now accessible to the aspiring, allowing authentic voices to emerge from every corner of the state.

What is distinctive about Malayalam cinema is its rootedness. Kerala continues to produce an astonishing number of good films. We are a small state with fewer screens to showcase every film, so many brilliant small films don’t get enough time with the audience. The industry today is more agile and active, and is becoming more focused on substance than spectacle. I believe we [have] yet to see the real talent from here and their depth of storytelling, crossing all barriers and borders.

Dipankar Sarkar (@Dipankar_Tezpur) is a graduate in film editing from the Film and Television Institute of India and currently based in Mumbai. As a freelancer, he frequently contributes to various Indian publications on cinema-related topics.

Moonwalk Interview: Related — Interview with ‘Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal’ Filmmaker Sharan Venugopal