Kerala - Kannur   

Documentary on a lifestyle disease

Staff Reporter

The documentary also develops a metaphor of a journey as the film sheds light on the difficult journey that a diabetic has to undertake.

KANNUR: The documentary `Kuthiravandikkaran: Living With Diabetes' is replete with visual metaphors to drive home the message on how to live with a disease, cases of which are increasing on an alarming rate. The documentary is the result of the initiative of a group of students of the Nirmalagiri College at Koothuparamba to create public awareness about this lifestyle disease.

The documentary conveys its message through images that are both symbolic and direct. There is a horse-drawn carriage with three horses driven by a man diagnosed of having diabetes. The metaphors in the form of three horses are too obvious to be mistaken for anything else by those who watch the documentary. They represent dieting, exercise and medicine. But it is the man who controls the rein connecting the horses to the carriage.

The documentary also develops a metaphor of a journey as the film sheds light on the difficult journey that a diabetic has to undertake. The 40-minute-long documentary shows the realities of the life of a diabetic. It starts with visuals that go deep into the anxieties in the minds of the patient. The message that this film seeks to convey to the public is that it is the patient, and none else, who should take the initiative to control his/her disease. That initiative involves lot of lifestyle changes.

T. Deepesh, student of the Nirmalagiri College, who directed the documentary, says that the documentary could be completed in three months. It is based on a series of articles on diabetes published in a health magazine a few years ago, he says.

Two other students, Anju and Sonia, as well as another artiste Pappan at Kathirur, played the main characters in the documentary. Produced by the college the script of the documentary was written by Sr. Celine Mathew of the college. College principal Mani Attel wrote lyrics of songs for the documentary. P.M. Premarajan also wrote lyrics for it. Others who were involved in the documentary include Jaleel, Shibu, Shibi K. Chandran and Dilip.

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