Writer-director Anjali Menon is on a roll with her twin releases in Malayalam 'Manjadikuru' (her directorial debut that won several international awards) and 'Ustad Hotel' (based on her script) opening to rave reviews and getting her noticed instantly.
Both films are return-to-roots, slice-of-life films that have appealed to the young and old. If Manjadikuru is about the memories of a childhood spent with the grandfather, Ustad Hotel plays off as an interaction between the generations.
You may remember Anjali as the director of the 'Happy Journey' segment of Kerala Cafe. We caught up with her Anjali for an interview.
Q:Why do you think your films are being received well? Is there anything you decided to do about the kind of stories you want and how you want to tell them?
I am obviously thrilled with the audience response. To my surprise, even industry folks who were sceptical about my writing now say ‘Just keep writing this way’. My writing is just instinctive — not something very planned or regimented by any brief. Most of my writing is based on what goes on in the world around me and my responses to it. Simple stuff that anyone would connect to.
Q:Why was there such a huge delay in the release ofManjadikuru?
Manjadikuru ’s postproduction was put on hold for a while due to producer-related issues. Our wonderful crew and cast had put in tremendous effort into the film and we owe it to them to bring their work to the audience. Little Films India took over the project and once we completed the film in 2012, it was released.
The single biggest challenge was to ensure that the film stayed alive despite whatever negativity came its way. It’s easy to walk away when things get into trouble. But it takes a certain tenacity to stand by one’s work and protect it. Today, when it runs for over 25 days or people write in to say ‘Thank you for Manjadikuru ’, we know we were right.
Q.What is the kind of cinema that inspires you and what do you want to be associated with in future?
A film needs to infuse me with some feeling when I watch it, and a bit of that something should remain with me when I leave the theatre. That’s the kind of cinema I’d like to watch and be part of.
Q.There’s always been a disconnect between festival films and mass entertainers. So How do you decide where you want to pitch your film between these opposite poles?
I believe many of these films are categorised as per audience perception rather than content... be it Happy Journey (Kerala Cafe), Manjadikuru or Ustad Hotel , I have worked with exactly the same process — all of them are lifelike stories with warmth, humour, identifiable characters and spaces. A simple fact is that films with better marketing and distribution are being termed more commercial.
Q.What has the twin releases resulted in for you? What are you working on next?
Suddenly, I am not the only one excited about my work. I feel there is huge encouragement to continue writing and directing without compromising. I hope to find fresh subjects and like-minded people to collaborate with.
By the end of the year, I should be directing an urban romantic comedy that I have written myself.
