Experiments with the truth

Kukku Surendran’s Ente Sathyanweshana Pareekshakal delves into the nexus between big money and corporates.

Rays of sunlight flirt with the blinds to create a chiaroscuro effect in a room furnished with wooden furniture that belongs to another period. An elegant tiled house in Kurvankonam in Thiruvananthapuram is the location for the shooting of Kukku Surendran’s

Ente Sathyanweshana Pareekshakal. Still photographer-turned-cinematographer Paul Bathery makes some adjustments to the lights and the screens before he gets ready for a shot featuring veteran actor G.K. Pillai and Suraj Venjaramoodu. In another room, the thespian waits patiently, watching Suraj being turned into an elderly man, complete with a grey wig and myriad wrinkles.

Ente Sathyanweshana Pareekshakal, scripted by actor-writer and director Shankar Ramakrishnan, begins as a light-hearted story of three lawyers, enacted by Rahman, Shankar and Aparna Gopinath. Aparna is the only one who is serious about her work while the two would rather make some money on the side by way of settlements instead of frequenting the courts. “What begins as a routine case leads the three into a maze of big-time wheeler-dealers and the ugly side of ruthless corporates,” says Subil ‘Kukku’ Surendran, the director of the film. This is new genre for Kukku who had made movies such as Oraal, Veeralipattu and Race .

Kukku’s fourth film is completely being shot in and around the capital city. He says it is not a courtroom drama but a fun-filled plot that builds up into a nail-biting thriller. “As soon I read the script, I had a picture of the characters in my mind. As such I insisted Shankar had to be Mahesh. Finally, much against his will, he agreed to act in the film. Mahesh is the grandson of a battle-scarred lawyer Govinda Perumal, played by G.K. Pillai sir. Suraj is I.R. Pillai, Permual’s trusted aide. Every morning, Pillai comes to meet Perumal to seek his blessings before he goes to work. Again, I wanted George to be essayed by Rahman. He has that attitude for the role,” adds Kukku.

It was on the sets of the film that Suraj heard the news of his bagging the national award for the best actor. Even the wig and wrinkles cannot hide his beaming face. He says his character has both comedy and histrionics. “Comedy is my bread and butter and I have no plans of turning my back on comedy or mimicry. But I would also certainly enjoy doing roles that has something to do in addition to making people laugh,” he says.

Shankar adds that in the film, Suraj’s character is an orphan who had been picked up from the streets by Perumal and groomed into an assistant. “Although he is not a lawyer, he knows more than the three young lawyers on account of his experience. At a crucial juncture, it is I.R. Pillai who comes to the rescue of the youngsters,” says Shankar. He adds that the film delves into the nexus between big money and corporates, and politics and business. Rahman has left for the United States after completing his shots for the film. M.G. Sreekumar appears as Swami, a composer, in addition to composing the music for the film.

The film is being produced by Anil Mathew under the banner of Mary Matha Productions.