The last decade saw a bunch of Malayali youngsters making it big in Bollywood. From Resul Pookutty to Asin to Rajeev Ravi, Malayali talents migrated to Mumbai seeking diversity, artistic space, freedom and money. Their work and sensibilities got due recognition, making every film aspirant in the South harbour his own set of ‘Bombay Dreams.'
Following their guts and dreams, yet another set of Malayalis, including actor Indrajith Sukumaran, are trying their luck in Bollywood this Friday, with their flick ‘The Waiting Room.' The film, produced by Sunil Doshi's Alliance Media and Entertainment, is directed by Kannur-based Maneej Premnath, a former associate of Ram Gopal Varma.
“It is my debut film and I set it in Kerala since many in the crew and the cast hail from the State. The film was shot completely in Thenmala,” says the filmmaker.
The film stars Raja Chowdhary and Radhika Apte in the lead with Indrajith Sukumaran in a cameo appearance. Sona Nair and child artiste Ganapathy also play significant roles.
Crucial role
“Indrajith plays a crucial role in the film. He instantly said yes once he read the script. He was pleased with the treatment and pace of the film. The only condition he put forth was that he should be allowed to dub in his own voice. It also worked out well as Indrajith has a strong base in Hindi due to his Sainik School days. He has performed so well that his character really stands out,” reveals Maneej.
The narrative revolves around a waiting room where four passengers wait for a train on a rainy night. They also witness a murder and suspect each other of committing the crime.
“The waiting room had to be a placed in a visually appealing railway station; hence the choice of Thenmala. The original waiting room of the station with its colonial structure was really nice, but it was not spacious enough to function as a shooting base. So we decided to construct a bigger one,” he explains.
The production design was handled by Sashi Perumanoor, a long-term associate of Bharathan. Camera was cranked by Dilshad and editing was by Baiju Kurup. The film marks the technicians' foray into Hindi cinema.
Another significant Malayali on board the film is national award-winning sound designer Shajith Koyeri and Sreejesh Nair. “All my technicians were familiar with the sights and sounds of Kerala, which made the treatment authentic and interesting. Shajith could recreate the sound track and effects very well because he knew every nuance of sound that in the terrain,” he remembers. Music has been directed by Luvv Khush.
The film is part of the hand-made films' package propagated by Sunil Doshi. The earlier films in the package include the much acclaimed ‘Bheja Fry,' ‘Mixed Doubles,' ‘Aamras' and ‘Hulla.'
Sangeeta
