With the World Cup heating up in the Antipodes, cricket may very well be the only sport that matters at the moment, but a film with football as a main theme is shaping up nicely in Kozhikode and Malappuram. KL-10 Pathu is not just about football, though.
“It is a romantic comedy, but football plays a significant part in the film,” says debutant director Muhsin Parari, on a sunny afternoon at the Varakkal Beach on Bhatt Road, Kozhikode.
Muhsin, who was noticed for directing a video ‘Native Bappa,’ a rap album featuring Mamukkoya that was released a couple of years ago, says that his first feature is a fun film. “It is set in a remote village in Malappuram district and I am sure it would be a fresh experience to our viewers. Being a native of the place, I know there is much more to Malappuram than what is portrayed in popular culture,” he says, even as his crew is ensuring everything is in place for shooting the day’s next scene, which features a few cars.
A few moments later, Unni Mukundan emerges. And he is almost unrecognisable, having lost much weight. Clean-shaven and dressed in khaki trousers and green shirt, he looks quite dapper. “I have reduced my weight from 92kg to 73kg for this role. I am happy that I did so, for I feel much better now, and the feedback has been great too,” says Unni.
He is playing Ahmed, a web journalist and passionate football player. “He is a key member of a club that participates in the popular seven-a-side football tournaments in Malappuram and other parts of Malabar. Aju Varghese, who plays a schoolteacher, Saiju Kurup, Sreenath Bhasi, Aneesh Menon and Neeraj Madhav are also in the club. Well-known footballer T. Asif Sahir has an important role too,” explains the director.
Chandini Sreedharan plays the female lead. She is Shadiya, an architect who falls in love with Ahmed. Chandini looks fetching, dressed as she is in a long, brown skirt and full-sleeved cream-coloured top, with a brown hijab covering her head.
“I wanted to look trendy, yet traditional. I am happy that I have got this role in what is my first film in Malayalam,” says Chandini, who has acted in Tamil and Telugu.
Hers is not an unfamiliar face for Malayalis, though; she was a winner of a reality show for budding actors, which was judged by Lal Jose.
After ensuring that her hair is neatly tucked inside the hijab Chandini is ready to face the camera. The scene also features Unni driving a white Polo car from the road on to the beach. The director is happy with the shot after a couple of takes.
“It is a meeting between the two lovers. But some of their relatives are also on the beach. Ahmed and Shadiya are not expecting them, of course,” says Muhsin.
The relatives are enacted by Sivaji Guruvayur, Rajesh Hebbar, Anil Murali and Sreejith, who are all dressed in identical white dhotis and green shirts. They too arrive at the beach, driving cars.
Kl-10 Pathu is produced by Alexander Mathew, Satheesh Nair and Lal Jose under the banner of Double Decker Dreams and LJ Films. Vishnu Narayanan is the cinematographer. Lyrics by Santosh Varma have been tuned by Bijibal. Stills are by Nashad Abdu. The film KL-10 Pathu reaches cinemas around Eid.
