“The movie has nothing to do with caste or community,” clarifies Coimbatore-based filmmaker Amudhavanan, about his film Quota . The movie, he says, was inspired by the story of Birsa Munda, a 19th century tribal chief who set the path for tribal reformation. But that is not what his film deals with. “That was just the spark,” he continues. Quota deals with an extraordinarily talented tribal boy who is not given a chance because of where he comes from. Children from underprivileged backgrounds often miss out on opportunities, says Amudhavanan. “This happens even today. We have to somehow stop it. Quota is an attempt in that direction. I wanted to focus on children as in the last few years, the trend of making films exclusively for children, especially in Tamil, has come down.”
There is no dearth of talent, just give them an opportunity, says the film maker. “ Usain Bolt’s lung capacity is supposed to be 12 litres! If children from our fishing communities were given an opportunity in a sport like swimming, they would amaze you. It’s about picking right people for the right job.”
Describing the children he met and observed in tribal hamlets, Amudhavanan says, “They are always on their toes. They sprint around with big smiles, crawl on parapet walls, leap from one roof to another, dive into lakes... they are unstoppable. They are outdoors all the time. Their sense of balance, flexibility and agility comes naturally to them. With no help from formal training or equipment. But, are they getting their due for their talent?” he asks. That is what his upcoming film Quota sets out to address.
Amudhavanan
Child artists Bhavaz, Niharika and Aadhil play the lead. Actor Chella, a familiar face on Nakkalites, a YouTube channel that makes socio-political satire and comedy videos on daily life, plays the significant character as the father.
Quota was filmed in Mannarkad in Kerala and at locations like Anaikatty and Attapadi on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. “The tribal hamlet Uthukuli in Mannarkad is cut off from the bustle of the city. We have to travel 16 kms to get there. Mobile phones don’t work here. We enjoyed endless cups of black tea served by the tribals while shooting there. We completed filming in 58 days,” says Amudhavanan. The final scene, a gymnastics set, was created at a college campus in Coimbatore.
- Quota will release by December end. Zee Music has acquired the music rights of the film that has music by Allan Sebastian.
- Amudhavanan’s first film Veruli , a social thriller, won a nomination in the social films category at the National Awards
- Quota will do the festival circuit in India and internationally
The feedback from the Censor Board has been encouraging.“There are not cuts, no mutes. We have a U certificate which indicates that it is a clean film. Children will enjoy it. The officials have encouraged us to send the film to international film festivals,” says a clearly pleased Amudhavanan. “ I have shown the film to a select group. They said, something draws them to the movie, which is a great compliment,” he smiles. There is no star value and Quota is riding entirely on content. Amudhavanan believes such films can stand their own. He gives the example of a big-star-release like Bigil not affecting the smaller budget Kaithi . Amudhavanan’s first film Veruli , a thriller also dealt with an everyday issue like potholes that can affect the common man. “In Quota , the message is about identifying and nurturing talent that will in turn bring laurels to the nation.”
Actor Chella
Actor Chella
“I play one of the main leads, a significant one,” says actor Chella. He plays father to the siblings Bhavaz and Niharika in Quota . “It’s the content that made me say yes to the role. It is lively, has a native flavour and transports you to a tribal hamlet. We learn about the dreams and ambitions of the people living there and how they raise their children. The child actors are spontaneous. I had to be competitive,” he laughs.
As an assistant director, Chella has done several films in Naalaya Iyakkunar series, a TV show that gave a platform for upcoming film makers. He has acted in Pa. Ranjith’s Kaala , director Shanthakumar’s Megamuni and will be seen in upcoming films Panrikku Nanri Sol and Samuthirakani’s Aela .
“ Quota highlights the bonding and love between siblings. Later, the son takes charge of the family and that is when he realises his talent in gymnastics. Every child has a talent, they just need a platform and an opportunity to express it. It is not just about academics. They might excel in some extra-curricular activity. It needs to be identified and they will go on to become a success story.”
