Film and ad film director Sooraj Tom is struck by how, in Kerala, the easing of lockdown has induced a false sense of well-being. “We see people going about as if nothing has happened or that we are rid of COVID-19. We are not, we are all vulnerable and we need to break the chain. Something as seemingly harmless as stopping at a juice shop for a glass of sarbath is all it takes. We want to send out that message through Sarbath ,” he says. His short film released online on June 5 reinforces the point. It will now be dubbed in Tamil, Kannada and Hindi.
For close to four-and-a-half minutes of the five-minute short film, the action is confined to shadows of a man quarantined in his room and a fluttering curtain. The protagonist is Ikka (elder brother), a non-resident Malayali, who is on quarantine following a COVID-19 diagnosis. The film pans in on what happens after.
Directed by Sooraj, who has helmed films such as Pa. Va and Ente Muzhuthiri Athazhangal the film was uploaded on social media handles of prominent Malayalam actors such as Fahadh Faasil, Kunchacko Boban, Joju George, Jayaram, Asif Ali, Miya George and a few others.
Of dubbing the film in other languages, he says, “The topic will resonate across India. We want the message to reach as many people as possible.” The film ends with an ominous line: ‘Someone... somewhere, I have a hand in it’ — implying that irresponsible behaviour in these times could cost someone their life. The whiplash ending cautions the viewer that the disease is closer than we think it is.
Time to adapt
The lockdown had brought work to a complete standstill in the film and advertisement industries. Conversations among content creators and technicians are now on how to adapt to these new, changed circumstances. “I was also thinking of ways and means of contributing as a creative person when Vivek Mohan, the writer of Sarbath , came to me with the idea,” he says. The original plan was to approach a producer, but he eventually decided to produce it himself. “I felt so since all of us are going through a tough time, financially too, and people might not be very keen to spend,” he says. Work has restarted in the film and advertisement industries, in keeping with COVID-19 protocols.
Sooraj Tom
The film, which was shot in a single room, with 15 technicians, is one of many short films produced during the lockdown. However Sarbath stands out because of its unusual execution. One sees the action through shadows: the actor — production controller of Malayalam films, Badusha, is revealed only in the last shot. While the cinematographer of the short film is Sagar Ayyappan, musical score is by Anand Madhusoodanan, sound design by Manoj Mathew and Rajesh Kodoth is the editor.
“The decision to narrate the story this way gave the team a wider canvas, without distractions. “It helped build the atmosphere for the story and we were able to explore the possibility of the soundtrack,” says Sooraj, adding “When you are quarantined, the only thing giving you company is your shadow.”
