There is an old world charm to the street near Thangassery beach in Kollam, where houses are lined up really close together. Lloyd is in animated discussion with Sayippu and Salomy. Felix will join them soon. It’s a scene from writer-director James Albert’s Mariam Mukku , the shooting of which is currently underway at the location.
“The story has been set in this imaginary land called Mariam Mukku , named after the small chapel here. This particular area of Kollam was once occupied by the Portuguese and there is a distinct Latin culture that is evident even now,” says James Albert, who shot to fame as the scenarist of the hit film, Classmates . He himself has written the script for his debut at the helm.
According to him, the film is essentially the love story of Felix (Fahadh Faasil) and Salomy (Sana Althaf). While Felix is a fisherman, who lost his parents pretty early in life, Salomy is the daughter of the rather pompous Sayippu (Joy Mathew). Lloyd (Aju Varghese) has just landed from Chennai.
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“The story has a powerful visual element to it too and that’s what prompted me to don the mantle as a director,” says James Albert.
Fahadh, who usually essays suave characters on screen, looks very different as Felix, rumpled cotton shirt, lungi and all.
“I have not really tried this sort of a rustic role before and I was intrigued by the storyline,” says Fahadh. Felix’s godfather is Mariyan (Manoj K Jayan).
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Sana, who was earlier seen in a brief role as Dulquer Salmaan’s sister in Vikramadityan , plays the heroine. Salomy studied in a convent and is close to Felix.
How does she feel playing the heroine? “I didn’t have too many dialogues in Vikramadityan . But in this film, I was tense initially. However, Fahadh has been very supportive as a co-star,” says Sana, a class 10 student and a popular TV anchor. In between shots, Sana can be found hunched over her books, studying for her upcoming exams.
Joy Mathew too seems pleased with his role. His character walks around with the affected air of an English gentleman and that is the reason why he is called Sayippu (a colloquial term for Caucasians). “He claims that he is related to an affluent household in the locality and is proud about that,” says the actor-director.
Aju too is over the moon. “Lloyd lands up here with some definite plans of his own, but quickly gets caught up in the happenings here.” Pratap Pothen, Irshad, Subeesh and Devi Ajith are in the cast.
Mariam Mukku is being produced under the banner of Sam Big Movies. Gireesh Gangadharan is the cinematographer and Vidyasagar composes the music.
Stills are by Vishnu Thandassery.