The announcement of this year’s State Film Awards is special for writer and scriptwriter Unni R.
Not only has he won the award for the best scriptwriter (which he shares with Martin Prakkat) for Charlie , Ozhivu Divasathe Kali, which won the award for the best film, is based on a story by him.
“The two films are very different from each other and it makes me happy as a writer that two such different stories have been selected – Charlie , a mega hit, made on a huge budget, and Ozhivu Divasathe Kali , a small film made on a modest budget,” he says over phone.
His voice conveys his restrained happiness. Charlie ’s non-linear narrative that wove in and out of Charlie’s and Tessa’s lives, telling an unusual boy-meets-girl story, won many hearts and eight awards.
He has crafted scripts, to acclaim, critical and otherwise, for Anwar Rasheed’s Bridge , in the portmanteau film Kerala Café ; Kullante Bhaarya in 5 Sundarikal and Munnariyippu . He has a come a long way from his film debut, Big B .
In an interview, a while ago, he had said that films and literature were two extremely different worlds and that he was comfortable among words, in the realm of literature.
“A film is a collaboration of a team of people with a common vision. Writing, literature, is not like that. It is not a comfortable space but it is one that satisfies me. I write a few stories a year, that is enough…it satisfies me.”
This award-winning author’s works are not easy; each story is nuanced and layered. The film too has some of that layered-ness.
But with each successive film, right up to Charlie , Unni has gained ownership of the film space as well; this year’s award is a validation of his talent. Charlie’s box office run was proof that not only the serious-literary types but also the masses do enjoy his stories.
At the time Charlie was being made, he had told this reporter that he would only write scripts for his stories. A resolve born out of an unfortunate experience where he, unwittingly was part of a film, which it later came out was not original. That experience stung, “I found that out much later along with everyone else. I have to bear the burden of a plagiarised film.”
His literary writing gives the impression that he might not be a fan of commercial cinema but he is. He makes case for commercial films, “Why not? What is wrong with commercial cinema and why look down upon them?” Indeed.
Ranjith’s next Leela is inspired by Unni’s story by the same name. The filming for which is on. Ranjith has scripted the film due for release later this year.
Asked about Ozhivu Divasathe Kali’s theatre release, Unni says he hopes the award would see that happen soon.
