Nivin Pauly, Anaswara Rajan and Dhyan Sreenivasan in Malayalee from India
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Film director Dijo Jose Antony narrates the story of two unemployed children in his third movie Malayalee from India, which launched on May 1. Dijo explains that, as the title hints at, it’s the story about a Malayali in a fictional village in Kerala.
Political satires have a particular place in Malayalam cinema with films reminiscent of Panchavadippalam and Sandesham changing into cult classics. Dijo’s Malayalee from India aspires to be a political satire. The movie has its moments due to an in-form Nivin Pauly but it surely falters and splutters at a number of locations. Nevertheless, it’s a laudable try to speak about the present political situation in Kerala and the divisive politics that has lured many.
Talking over cellphone, Dijo says Alparambil Gopi, Nivin’s character, has many of the traits we affiliate with the typical Malayali. Gopi’s politics is correct of centre and he lives off his hardworking mom and sister in Mullakara, a village that’s a microcosm of the State. Shot in Palakkad, the movie is the “life story of Gopi”.
“We created a village that has many of the elements of rural areas in Kerala. You cannot keep apart a Malayali and politics. So, it is a village that has its share of those who support all kinds of politics,” explains Dijo.
Working with scenarist Sharis Mohammed for the third time, Dijo has roughly retained the identical crew that he labored with in his sophomore movie, Prithviraj-starrer Jana Gana Mana.
Dhyan Sreenivasan and Nivin Pauly in Malayalee from India
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
“Cinema is a team effort. There is a comfort zone while working with a team that I know. That takes care of a certain set of aspects during the shooting,” says Dijo, who made his directorial debut with the sleeper hit Queen (2018). Sharis had written the story of Queen with Jebin Joseph Antony.
The director asserts that he desires to work with completely different themes. Since Malayalee from India was “worlds apart from Queen and Jana Gana Mana, I was eager to direct it.”
“When Sharis shared with me the story of Gopi, I felt that Nivin would be ideal as the laidback youngster. Nivin burst into laughter when he heard the story and came aboard the project enthusiastically,” says Dijo.
As Nivin and producer Listin Stephen have been already discussing a challenge, Listin agreed to supply it underneath his banner, Magic Frames, provides the director.
Dijo Jose Antony (proper) on the location of Malayalee from India
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Dhyan Sreenivasan essays Malghosh, Gopi’s greatest buddy. Anaswara Rajan, Manju Pillai, Shine Tom Chacko and Salim Kumar are in the solid.
The director says he goals for freshness in his films, whether or not or not it’s in the solid or theme. He feels the casting of Nivin and Anaswara as the lead pair can be attention-grabbing as each have been appearing collectively for the first time.
“It is a typical idyllic life in a village but for Gopi’s and Malghosh’s politics, which land them in trouble. One particular incident, sparked by their ignorance and hot-headedness, culminates in violence and that becomes a turning point in his life,” says Dijo.
Gopi is pressured to flee overseas for his security and he’s pressured to removes the filters of polarisation that clouds his imaginative and prescient and sees the world anew.
With eight songs, all scored by Jakes Bejoy, it’s clear that Dijo, a techie-turned-filmmaker, has not turned his again on his days as a music director. “Of course not, it was music that brought me to tinsel town. I had a band and had participated in live shows. Jakes was an inspiration. But it was when I directed Queen that I realised how much I enjoyed being behind the camera.”
He believes that it’s music that offers allows him to work as a director too.