Talent and vision
LINU HANEEF
|
Debutant Amal Neerad's `Big B' is centred on the relationship between the characters played by Mammootty and Nafisa Ali.
|
BIG BREAK: Amal Neerad's first film as director has superstar Mammootty in the lead.
The rain is lashing the windows. A man with a blood-stained knife stands in the rain while a woman watches him from the house. He gives her a look and without a word walks away. The rain is man-made, the man is Mammootty and the woman is Nafisa Ali. The action is on the sets of `Big B' in Fort Kochi. Under the supervision of debutant director Amal Neerad, an enthusiastic crew films the scene watched by a crowd of curious onlookers.
Although it is Amal's first film, his work as a cinematographer stands him in good stead. According to the director, the movie, likely to be a Vishu release, is a 100 per cent entertainer with no "heavy messages." The movie is being made in DI (digital intermediate), a first in Malayalam.
On relationship
Mammootty plays Big B. The cast includes Tamil actor Pashupathy, former Miss India Nafisa Ali, Manoj K. Jayan, Vijaya Raghavan, Mamta and Lena. The movie is hinged on the relationship between Big B and Mary Teacher, played by Mammootty and Nafisa Ali respectively. "As you know it's about Big B, the big brother," says Mammootty.
"Amal, with whom I have worked in Ranjith's `Black,' is a talented cameraman, now he is doing a fine job as a director; I feel the young bunch of technicians have talent and vision to make a successful movie," he adds.
Says Nafisa Ali, "I never knew there were so many talented people in the film world, in the North every one has got the feeling that Bollywood is Indian cinema, even though almost all the talented technicians are from the South." Although she had a problem with her dialogues in Malayalam, she says, "You have very down-to- earth people, convenient schedules and you find that your work is finished within the time given. When Amal approached me for the film, I was reluctant to say yes, but now I am glad to be here."
The story and the screenplay are also by Amal Neerad. The camera man is Samir Taheer, who had been Amal's assistant in three films, Vivek Harshan is editor, still photographer is Shani and dialogue writer is Unni R. Alphonse composes the music.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
