PANAJI: Cinema is also a medium to educate the society by creating compelling films in different film-making styles from simple subjects. Some like to depict the premise subtly, while some put in a dramatic effect to convey their message. ‘Niraye Thathakalulla Maram’, ‘Sunny’ and ‘Taledananda’ are three different kinds of Indian feature films with fascinating viewpoints.
Malayalam film ‘Niraye Thathakalulla Maram’ (Tree Full of Parrots) directed by renowned director Jayaraj emphasises the importance of compassion, which according to the IFFI veteran, is vanishing from our society.
“We have shown ‘compassion’ through the characters in the film, a 8-year-old boy and an old man,” said Jayaraj during the media interaction on Thursday. He also stressed on the tenacity of the boys like his film’s character portrays, who work hard and protect their families by earning money doing tasks like fishing etc.
Jayaraj also hailed the experience of working with visually-impaired national award-winning teacher Narayanan Cherupazha, who acted in a film for the first time. He termed this association as “enlightening”. “I am learning a lot from him; he is curing my ‘blindness’ too. Travelling with him made me realise how we ignore minute details; He, being a visually challenged person, appreciates even little things in life,” he added.
Narayanan Cherupazha, who has a school for blind in Kerala and also counsels persons with suicidal-tendencies, travelled via aeroplane for first time as he arrived here in Goa for the 52nd IFFI.
Ranjith Sankar’s ‘Sunny’ is a single character film and it’s success has overjoyed the filmmaker. He has also made it to IFFI for the first time, due to this Malayalam film – the idea of which came to life on the day the Prime Minister announced the lockdown last year.
“I always wanted to make a movie with just a single character but I was scared to make since it is very tricky,” said Ranjith Sankar, who was sceptical about the success of the films that portrays a man trapped in quarantine while he deals with suicidal thoughts. He acknowledged that showing the film on the OTT platform was a major factor in its pan-India success. He also disclosed that his story-telling style is dictated by his own state of mind at that time.
Kannada film ‘Taledananda’ screams to the society to conserve nature. Praveen Krupakar, director of the film, is pained about how we the people have already destroyed 50 percent nature in the last 100 years. He is disturbed about what our future generations will have to go through if the destruction in the name of development, continues.
The film is inspired by a real story of a man who was mentally challenged yet he was fully dedicated to protecting plants and trees on the streets of Mysore, said the director. He also paid glowing tributes to actor late Sanchari Vijay, whose contribution has propelled Krupakar’s debut film to this level; and also declared that following the world premiere here at IFFI 52, he will release it in theatres by dedicating it to the prolific Kannada actor’s memory.
