If all goes well and if Ranjith has his way, Leela , his new film directed and produced by him, will be released online today, making it perhaps the first Malayalam feature film to be premiered online.
Disregarding an unofficial ban called by a producers’ association, of which Ranjith himself is a member, he plans to release Leela , an adaptation of award-winning scenarist Unni R.’s eponymous short story, on the website www.reelax.in.
“This is the future. In a few years to come, films will be released online, enabling viewers all over the world to watch films of their choice in the comfort of their homes. Yes, there are issues of speed in India but I am confident it will be sorted out soon,” asserts Ranjith.
He feels that this kind of a release will also help the Malayali Diaspora to watch the film at the same time as viewers in Kerala. “During my travels abroad, my friends often complain about how difficult it is to watch a Malayalam film. There are constraints of space, time and convenience. An online release, I believe, is the answer to all such issues. It is true that cinema is best experienced in a theatre but an intimate film like Leela can be easily enjoyed at home too,” says Ranjith.
Like many of his iconic characters created by him, film director Ranjith is not someone who lets himself be dictated by circumstances. He enjoys calling the shots and the making of his latest movie, Leela , is proof of that determination and passion for cinema. Things came to a head when Ranjith, ignoring a call for a strike by the producers’ association, went ahead with the filming of Leela , after paying the rates demanded by technicians. That became the trigger for a cold war between Ranjith and the producers’ association.
He says that while he is all in favour of associations that work for the good of cinema, he is pained by the way a small group of people are threatening filmmakers and holding cinema at ransom. “We need sensible people who are active in cinema to head such organisations. Only then will they be able to appreciate the problems and issues that plague our movie industry,” he says.
Ignoring the rancour and animosity, Ranjith points out that ultimately it is all about reaching audiences with his cinema. He says that connecting and communicating with the audience is his biggest challenge. “If my audience takes Leela to their hearts, I have succeeded. That is my only concern now,” says Ranjith.
Starring Biju Menon in the lead, Leela plays on his character’s fetish for elephants. Biju acts as Kuttiyappan, while Parvathy Nambiar acts as Leela. “It was my friend Suresh Krishna who suggested Biju's name and it has turned out to be such a good choice. No one could have done the role better than him. Biju has been showcasing his versatility as an actor and that has helped him get rid of his stage fright. He has matured as an actor and that shows in his portrayal of Kuttiyappan,” explains Ranjith.
The filmmaker adds that Leela is a comedy that tracks Kuttiyappan’s journey with his friend, enacted by Vijayaraghavan. Instead of a faithful adaptation of the story, Unni came up with a fresh screenplay with its own nuances. “The elephant in our film is a metaphor for untamed nature. No matter what Man does, ultimately it is Nature that has the winning hand and in a second everything can change. It is that unpredictable, volatile element that we are visualising in my film, which goes beyond the physicality of the characters,” explains Ranjith.
He adds: “Nowadays certain reviews in social media, sometimes written even before the film is released, can play spoilsport. I hope viewers will see the movie and decide for themselves the merit or demerit of any film. The Malayalam film industry deserves that space.”
In the meantime, ‘Vattolam Vaniyare’, a song sung by Biju, has gone viral. Indrans, Suresh Krishna, Jagadish, Priyanka, Muthumani and Sudheer Karamana are also in the cast.
“ Leela is layered with humour and memorable scenes. I am sure the audience will enjoy this Leela , as much as many of them enjoyed reading the story,” says Ranjith. Going by the clicks for the trailer (which has crossed 1,87,000) it sure looks like another winner from Ranjith’s Capitol Theatres.
