In today’s Malayalam cinema, Madhupal is that rare director who is also an acclaimed author. Words matter to him, its usage, meaning and context. So, when the award-winning director and writer was asked by the censor to mute a few earthy words in his new film, Oru Kuprasidha Payyan , he was certainly not pleased. Nevertheless, his much-awaited third film as director has been cleared without any cuts and will reach theatres on Friday (November 9) with a U certificate.
For the choosy award-winning filmmaker, it has been a patient wait to get the right theme and story to make his new film. “Both Thalappavu and Ozhimuri narrated stories set in a certain period of time. And while history continues to fascinate me, this time around, I wanted to make a film that was set in today’s Kerala,” he says over cups of black tea at Entreé, a bistro at Kuravankonam, Thiruvananthapuram.
Tovino Thomas and filmmaker Madhupal on the set of Oru Kuprasidha Payyan
His hair is streaked with grey and his beard is all grey but the enthusiasm of the lanky, youngster who came to cinema in 1994 through Kashmeeram still burns in him. While his stint as an actor saw him enact a slew of villains, memorable and otherwise, character actors and lead roles in cinema and television, it has been his work behind the camera that has really tapped the superb narrator in him. Both his films and television series have won him awards in different categories. Instead of rushing into a project, Madhupal says he wants to take his time to choose a theme, cast and crew.
Right choice
To zero in on a story, Madhupal was willing to wait till he found a subject that inspired him. Poring over stories and articles that appeared in periodicals, Madhupal tried to find a theme that would present a picture of contemporary society. That is when he came across an article on migrant workers by Jeevan Job Thomas.
“I knew my story was there. Immigrants and news about them have been dominating the news all over the world. In Kerala too, migrant workers from many States have become a part of our landscape. While efforts are being made to educate them in Malayalam, give them hygienic and safe spaces to stay and work, the State has also been rocked by some horrific cases of violence involving migrant workers,” explains Madhu.
Filmmaker, writer and director Madhupal
Dwelling on the theme, Madhupal wondered about the plight of a man living all alone in a strange place without anyone to call his own. “Even in the age of information glut, I felt he would feel isolated and alone. Even in a crowd, this kind of a man might feel alienated and in a space of his own. I wanted to tell his story,” adds the filmmaker.
That character is Ajayan, enacted by Tovino Thomas. Madhupal requested Jeevan to write a story on a loner, a man with no roots whatsoever. Ajayan works in a restaurant. The director adds with a smile that even when it is about Ajayan and his journey, Oru Kuprasiddha Payyan is a murder mystery that travels through the paths a team of police officers would take to unravel a murder and nab the murderer. To get the nuances right, Madhupal gave the script to a couple of former police officers who were impressed with the details he had woven into the story.
A huge star cast comprising veterans and youngsters give life to the story. Nedumudi Venu, Saranya Ponvannan, Nimisha Sajayan, Anu Sithara, Mala Parvathi, Alencier, Shwetha Menon, Sudheer Karamana, producer Suresh Kumar, Siddique and Sujith Shankar are some of the actors in the cast. “When I write a script or decide on the story, I usually have a set of faces in mind for each character. As the story evolves, those characters also evolve and then the actors might have to be changed,” says Madhupal.
Suresh Kumar, for instance, is a reluctant actor but the director persuaded him to act since the director felt that he was apt for the role of a judge. “Similarly, for Chembammal, a migrant Tamil worker, I wanted a Tamil actor. I felt only a Tamil actor like Saranya would be able to do justice to the character. Her body language, gestures and manner of speaking justified my choice,” adds Madhupal. Nimisha as Hanna Elizabeth and Anu as Jalaja are both strong women who want to make a mark in their work. The film hinges on the murder of Chembammal and the arrest of Ajayan as the prime suspect behind the murder.
“I don’t want to keep the viewers in suspense forever. The criminal is revealed in the end. But, I hope, viewers enjoy watching the investigation that reveals the murderer,” says the filmmaker.
Shot in and around Vaikom, the movie has been filmed by debutant Noushad Shereef. Music composer is Ouseppachan.
Short takes
* Vaikom is a less explored place as a location. Since our producers, TS Udayan and AS Manoj are both from Vaikom, we decided to shoot there. The eatery, Paradise, we shot in is one of the busiest and oldest ones in Vaikom. I wanted a real look for the film and so we shot there.
* Each of the actors has done a fine job. I don’t like breathing down my actors’ neck to get into the characters’ skin. Prior to the shoot, I sit with them and give them a clear idea of who they are enacting, his/her background, how he thinks, reacts, why he does that and so on. Once we are on the sets, they have evolved into the character. Tovino’s transformation, for instance, was astounding.
