Plight of the common man

Director Joshiy’s Avathaaram, starring Dileep in the lead, is a light-hearted tale that develops into a social thriller.

Dileep and Lakshmi Menon in a scene from Avathaaram

At the location of director Joshiy’s Avathaaram , the camera is focussed on Manimekhala having lunch in a corner of a room. Young Malayali actor Lakshmi Menon, who is making waves in Tamil, is playing Manimekhala. When the director calls action, the window to her right opens and the focus shifts to the film’s hero, Madhavan Mahadevan (Dileep). Manimekhala seems shocked to see him and looks furious when he starts talking to her.

The cast and crew go in for a rehearsal and Dileep adds some gestures to the original take, which leaves everyone in splits. He then looks at Joshiy for approval, who in turn gives him a thumbs-up.

Avathaaram is the tale of Madhavan, an unassuming mechanical engineer hailing from a remote village called Bison Valley in Idukki. He comes to the city in connection with an accident that happened to his elder brother. The film narrates the events that follow, after he comes to the city. Vyasan Edavanakkad is the scenarist.

The next shot has some close-ups of Dileep. He mouths dialogues, which are meant to pacify Manimekhala. She then has to turn her back to him and hide a smile. “The story starts in a light-hearted manner, but develops into a social thriller on the plight of the common man. Madhavan is an honest villager who has to overcome certain unprecedented challenges,” says Dileep. “There are times when I want to react to certain atrocities and misdeeds in society. And then, like most others, I just confine those worries to myself,” adds the actor.

Lakshmi, who made her entry into films in Raghuvinte Swantham Raziya, is now hot property in Kollywood with hits such as Kumki , Sundarapandian and Pandinadu to her credit. Her character is that of a working woman. “I am planning to balance my career by doing films both in Malayalam and Tamil. I am yet to sign any other Malayalam project but there are several good offers in Tamil right now,” she says.

4B Creations produces Avathaaram . The film is slated to hit the screens during Ramzan. R.D. Rajasekhar wields the camera and Deepak Dev scores the music.