Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Catching reality on film

— Photo: C. Ratheesh kumar

A different cast: Director Kalavoor Revikumar with the cast of ‘Orudathoru Puzhayundu’ at the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club on Sunday.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kalavoor Revikumar’s debut venture ‘Orudathoru Puzhayundu’ is a scathing attack on the forces of industrialisation and globalisation that are turning people into ‘nomads.’

Through the life of eight year-old Sumangala, played by Jayasree Sivadas, a class V student of St. Clare’s Girls High School, Thrissur, the movie drives home the message that concerted efforts are required against the unmindful exploitation of natural resources by vested interests.

Sumangala, a native of Tamil Nadu, who is forced to flee her village as a result of the draught caused by the over-exploitation of ground water by multinational companies, takes refuge in the State.

In the State she befriends other children of her age. She is also offered shelter at one of their homes.

The children empathise with Sumangala’s plight and consider her as one among them. They even decide to pool money to help Sumangala and her people to dig a well at their village.

“The movie is intended as a response to the realties confronted by ordinary people in a globalised world,” said Mr. Revikumar addressing media persons after the screening of the film here on Sunday.

“Shooting with children for the film was one of the most pleasant experiences in my life,” said Mr Revikumar who completed the movie in 21 days and on a modest budget of Rs.35 lakhs.

Though inexperienced, children pick up the nuances of acting and dialogue rending quite easily, he said.

The movie shows how the love and affection shown by children exceeds the walls of linguistic and geographical boundaries.

Mr. Revikumar stepped into the shoes of a director after having earned a niche in the Malayalam film industry as a screen writer for films such as ‘Ishtam,’ ‘Nammal,’ and ‘Manju Poloru Penkutty.’

The filmmaker describes the near two-hour long movie a ventilation of his ‘grief’s’ and ‘concerns’ towards an unjust system.

“I am thinking of ways to screen the movie for the entire school students of the State.”

Admitting that the absence of established actors has made it difficult to find distributors for the film, the filmmaker said that the movie was scheduled to be released in January.

“We are scouting for distributors who will be able to sustain the movie for at least two-weeks in theatres.”

The filmmaker hoped that the movie will create more opportunities for the artistes in exhibiting their histrionic skills. All the children who have appeared in the film have been selected after extensive screening. “We auditioned children right from Thiruvananthapuram to Payyannur.”

According to the director, the film is a joint venture with each individual playing a decisive role in shaping the outcome of the movie.

Dr. Mohammed Shakeel, assistant professor, Medicine, Medical College, Kozhikkode is the music composer. The film is produced by T.B. Raghunathan.

Mr. Revikumar has also displayed his skill in short story writing.

His recently published collection of short stories titled ‘Mohanlaline Enikkippol Bhayankara Pediyanu’ has been well received.

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