Reality check for fantasy
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Shafi’s ‘Chocolate’ captures the travails of a youngster who is forced to study in a women’s college. Vijay George
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…it is technology that is being discussed in great detail by the current generation…
Many flavours: ‘Chocolate’ narrates the adventures of Syam Balagopal who is a born troublemaker.
It is a dream come true for Syam Balagopal, the only male in a women’s college. Although Syam is quite happy about the state of affairs, he soon finds out that dreams can take a bitter turn. His travails are being captured on screen by Shafi i
n his movie ‘Chocolate,’ which is being shot at Sacred Heart College, Thevara, Kochi.
Campus-based film
“It’s my first brush with a film that is mostly based on a campus and we are packaging it in such a way that it appeals not just to the youth but to family audiences as well,” says Shafi, who has hits such as ‘Mayavi,’ ‘Thommanum Makkalum,’ ‘Majaa,’ ‘Pulival Kalyanam’ and ‘Kalyana Raman’ to his credit.
He goes around to take a look at the campus as cinematographer Azhagappan give directions to his assistants on the next shot to be canned, just outside the Principal’s room. Posters carrying the pictures of various candidates contesting the college union election are stuck on the walls. Syam too is fighting the election for the post of the union chairman.
Prithviraj comes in as the hero – Syam Balagopal, a tough nut who has been shown the door from a couple of colleges before he is enrolled in the women’s college where his mother is a lecturer.
Things begin to go from bad to worse for Syam as he takes on the three-member tomboyish gang of Ann, Nandana and Soosan played by Roma, Samvritha Sunil and Remya Nambeeshan respectively. Another important character is Renjith (Jayasoorya), who is a fashion designer and is unable to express his feelings to Nandana.
“I believe that the theme is quite different as provisions like a boy being admitted in an all-girls college are actually there in existence but has never been discussed before on this level. My character Syam is a troublemaker. There can be hilarious situations like the absence of basic facilities like a gents’ toilet, for instance,” says Prithviraj with a wide grin.
“The presence of a villain makes a romance more interesting and here the attitudes of Syam and Ann play the villain initially,” adds the director.
Azhagappan feels that the whole concept of romance has undergone a great change from what it was until a few decades back. “If youngsters used to discuss literature in a great way then, it is technology that is being discussed in great detail by the current generation and they are more realistic too,” he points out.
Roma feels that her character in ‘Chocolate,’ a mischievous student, is very different from the school student in ‘Note Book.’ Samvritha and Remya say in chorus that they were never so bold on their real-life campus.
‘Chocolate’ is produced under the banner of Ananda vision and is scheduled to be released in August. The cast includes Lalu Alex, Rajan P. Dev, Salim Kumar, Anoop Chandran, Shari and Vanitha. Lines by Vayalar Sarat Chandra Varma have been composed by Alex Paul. The still photographer is Jayaprakash Payyannur.
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