Recognise these houses? If you have even a nodding acquaintance with the many sob sagas on Malayalam television channels, you would immediately recognise these houses. It is in these homes that all the drama of the melodramatic soaps is played out and canned for hungry viewers – those tearful tales of long lost children and siblings, sobbing sisters, daughters, wives, mothers et al.
As a result, Laila Nazeer is quite blasé about the stars who frequent her sister's home, Baith Hesha, at Vattiyoorkkavu almost every day. Stars of the likes of Sarath, Shaji Thilakan and Bindu Murali who are at the house for the shooting of Aniyathi , a daily soap on a television channel. The same rooms have seen the stories unfold for a lot of serials during the last two-and-half years.
This is not the only home in the city that has opened its doors to makers of serials. Scores of houses in the capital city have got a space on the mini screen. Since the capital city is the hub of serial makers, many enterprising house owners are cashing in on the opportunity to make some money by renting their houses for shooting.
Currently over 10 serials are being shot in and around the city for different channels, with the same house being used for more than one serial.
Houses in Poojappura, Thirumala, Pongumoodu, Mudavanmugal, Paruthippara, Karumam, Ambalathara, Peyadu, Pangode, Karikkakom, Shanghumugham and Valiyathura are regular locations for serials.
“The owners charge anything between Rs. 4,000 to Rs. 10,000 for a day’s shoot,” says Saji Merryland, a production executive for the last seven years. Some of the canny residents even draw power from the serial unit’s generator and get a share of the food supplied on the sets!
The locations for various serials are finalised by production controllers and art directors who do the house hunting.
“There are certain factors we take into account such as the frontage, parking area, furniture and furnishings, kitchen and number of rooms. Once we identify a house, we approach the owners. Those who agree do so with a lot of conditions,” says Rajan Poojappura, a veteran production executive.
Naturally, all the owners insist on their homes being left undamaged. But that seldom happens. “However much we insist, things are broken and many of them dirty the place. Maintenance makes a huge dent in our pockets,” says Babu, whose house at Pongumoodu has been the location for over 25 serials.
Of late, most serial makers insist on new locations. “Showing the same house in different serials is boring. So we are moving out of the city to Attingal, Kattakkada and Neyyattinkara. These days, we either place an ad or browse websites and dailies where owners advertise their willingness to rent out their property for shooting of serials,” says Kishore S. Menon, executive producer of Bhagyalakshmy, yet another soap.
“Though other serials have been shot here my house is better known for Kumkumapoovu. So, after the serial went off air, not enough offers came in since many of them felt that the house had become too familiar for the viewers!” says Deep Kumar K. B., who lives in Thirumala. Also, there are houses like Vijaya S. Nair's ‘Krishnavilasam’ at Karikkakom, which is often used when the story needs an old, traditional house.
Most of these houses are opulent structures, some of them with swimming pools, extensive frontage and parking space. Moreover, many of the owners happen to live outside Kerala or are abroad. While Deep Kumar agreed for the deal to get over a financial crisis, Ramachandran, a.k.a Ramu annan, the caretaker of RK House at Ambalathara, admits: “I look forward to the shoots because I have company and get to interact with a lot of artistes. The owner, A. Radhakrishnan is in Chennai running his business. He agreed to rent it out some 10 years ago since it mostly lies vacant,” he says. RK House is home to serials such as Amala and Vadhu. According to Vijaya, whose house is currently the location for Chandanamazha and Kattukurangu, her home is almost a second home for many veteran serial artistes for the last 14 years. “After my husband passed away and with my three children well settled, the serials came as a welcome change. There are problems. Sometimes the shoot goes on till midnight, certain valuable items are stolen or broken, some cheat on the remuneration… Still I enjoy whenever a shoot happens here,” she says. Reasons differ, but the serials have surely given a new definition for housekeeping.
