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NEW DIRECTION: Ranjith in Jayaraj's `Gulmohar,' which tells the story of a firebrand student leader.

A little boy asks Jayaraj if he has seen Mohanlal face-to-face. The National-award winning director answers in the affirmative. He tells the boy that he is a filmmaker and that he is about to shoot a couple of scenes for his movie ‘Gulmohar, 217; near the boy’s home – a slum on Jail Road, Kozhikode.

Soon Jayaraj and his crew are busy getting ready for the shoot.

A little later, the film’s hero, Ranjith, who has worked as director or scriptwriter in over 40 films, arrives with Siddique, Meghanadan and Nishanth Sagar in tow.

Ranjith is turning actor in the role of Induchoodan, a former firebrand student leader who was part of a revolutionary movement on campuses in Kerala in the Eighties.

Siddique, Meghanadan and Nishanth Sagar play his friends Harikrishnan, Rasheed and Kuriakose in the movie. The quartet joins a group crowded around a body of a medical student, a victim of ragging.

“Look this way Ranjith,” says Jayaraj. Although new to the role of an actor, Ranjith seems to be at ease. “Ranjith has adapted to his new role rather well. And he is going to be a revelation as an actor. It wasn’t easy convincing him to do the role,” says Jayaraj.

For the man who discovered the actors in Lal (‘Kaliyattom’), I.M. Vijayan (‘Shantham’) and Vavachan (‘Karunam’), bringing out the actor in Ranjith should not be a difficult task.

“This film is about the two phases in Induchoodan’s life – while he is on campus and then 20 years later. It’s also about the two women – played by Meera Vasudev and newcomer Meenu – in his life,” says Jayaraj.

Ranjith was not the original choice for the role. It was Suresh Gopi. He, however, had to opt out of the film for personal reasons. Says Deedi, seasoned scriptwriter T. Damodaran’s daughter, who is making her debut as a scenarist: “I had no actor on my mind when I wrote the film’s screenplay. But now I feel the role is tailor-made for Ranjith.” She adds, “This is not a feminist film. It is about a strong male character. It is based on the men I have met in my life.”

Ranjith says he decided to accept the role as he felt he could do justice to it. However, he is quick to add: “I have no plans to continue as an actor and I will never act in a film that I direct; direction alone is a big headache.”

‘Gulmohar’ has Johnson and O.N.V. Kurup teaming up after a hiatus. “The film will have four songs by the duo,” says Jayaraj.

M.J. Radhakrishnan cranks the camera. Stills are by Kannan Sooraj. ‘Gulmohar’ is being produced by P.T. Mathew under the banner of Orient Films. The movie will reach theatres in May.

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