With a confident smile, Elsamma comes into the frame on a bicycle. As she turns into the main road, director Lal Jose shouts “Cut.” This scene, shot in a picturesque, green rubber estate on the suburbs of Thodupuzha, is for Lal's latest film, ‘Elsamma Enna Aankutty.' Says Lal: “Two things drew me to the story; first, it was the character Elsamma, next was the village's rustic characters.”
Breadwinner
Ann Augustine makes her debut as Elsamma. The village ‘newspaper girl,' she is also a reporter for one of the dailies. She is the breadwinner of the family and looks after her mother and siblings upon her father's death.
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‘Elsamma Enna Aankutty' unfolds in a sleepy village called Balan Pillai City. The film also has some interesting characters such as Balan Pillai (Janaradhanan), for instance, a tea show owner, after whom the village has been named. There is also Sugunan (Vijayaraghavan) a toddy shop owner, whom Elsamma dislikes.
Other characters include Maniyan Pillai Raju, as a sub-inspector, Suraj Venjarammoodu as a marriage broker and Jagathy Sreekumar as a panchayat member. Indrajith has an important role in the movie. He plays Eby, Kunnel Pappan's grandson.
The village wakes up each morning to Elsamma's newspaper round and Paalunni, the milk man. Kunchacko Boban dons the role of Paalunni, whose real name is Unnikrishnan. He dreams of buying more cows and selling milk. Although he is in love with Elsamma, he does not have the courage to tell her his feelings.
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Elsamma lives in a small house adjacent to Kunnel Pappan's (Nedumudi Venu), a local landlord. She tends to use her position as a journalist to teach wrongdoers a thing or two through the paper she works for.
Tomboy
Says Lal: “Any parent would wish their daughter to be like Elsamma. Although locals tease her by adding ‘aankutty' to her name, she has to be one due to circumstances.”
Lal, who met Ann through a social networking site, says: “I added her to my friends' list when I realised she was actor Augustine's daughter. While talking to her, I realised she would be perfect for the role.”
He adds that although he had introduced fresh faces in his previous film, ‘Neelathamara,' he was initially planning to cast an experienced actor in ‘Elsamma Enna Aankutty.' However, when one of the actors quoted a large sum, he decided to choose a debutant.
Ann was planning to enrol in clinical psychology when Lal offered her the role. With a wide grin on her face, she says: “My character is bold and beautiful. I never thought of becoming an actor, but when the offer to star in one came, I thought, why not? Now I'm bitten by the acting bug. Although it was tough during the first couple of days of the shooting, it is easier now as I understand Elsamma better.”
‘Elsamma Enna Aankutty' has been produced by M. Renjith under the banner of Rejaputhra Movies. Vijay Ulakanath is the cinematographer. Rafeeq Ahmed's lines have been set to music by Rajamani. Still photographer is Momi.