For more than eight minutes in the nine-minute-twenty-five-second short film, he talks about his love for a girl. He is almost poetic in his expression of love until you notice a small, potted plant on his motorbike.
‘En Ennam En Vannam' by R. P. Shivakumar doesn't lend itself to a traditional genre. It is a love story with a twist; but not one where the actors romance on dreamy clouds, dancing around trees. This is the story of a boy who wins over his girl with a plant. He calls it an ‘eco-friendly' love story.
“Many people propose to the girl they like with a rose,” says Ajaai, who plays the main role, “but I thought I would be different and give her this plant. Even if this doesn't work, I'll live knowing that through this plant our love will continue to grow. This isn't a revolutionary thought. If others did the same thing, not only will their affection grow like the plant, but it will make this city greener.”
ADVERTISEMENT
The narrative is funny, warm and keeps the audience engrossed. The cast, especially Ajaai, are spontaneous. The music is situational and the script, simple and well-edited. Overall, it's a short film worth taking a look at.
“I've had this script with me for more than a year, but it was only over the last two months and three edits later that it took shape. We wanted to move away from the usual cinema narrative and employ something the audience can relate to. In the film, the main character talks like he's conversing with a friend. This is what we wanted to achieve,” says Shivakumar.
ADVERTISEMENT
The film was screened in AVM studios on November 19 and won a lot of praise. “I called the movie ‘En Ennam En Vannam' because everything, from the girl's beauty to his proposal, is from the boy's point of view. It's like telling the world that this is what he thinks and he finds these thoughts colourful,” he explains.
While the cast and set-up were readily available, we faced some challenges in making this film. “Getting permission to shoot was tough and also going through the censors. But the response we've got so far has been encouraging and we plan to send the film to festivals across the globe.”
Visit En Ennam En Vannam's facebook page at >www.facebook.com/EnEnnamEnVannam