Manjusha Radhakrishnan
| Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT
Listening Manjusha Radhakrishnan describe the method of designing the costumes for Saudi Vellakka, one will get an concept of the size of effort that went into it. Also that the State Award for Best Costume (2022) didn’t come simply. The work that goes into designing the look of a movie like Saudi Vellakka, with a narrative rooted within the lives of normal people, is extra advanced than choosing designer labels and clothes off the rack.
“The characters in the film are regular people, who don’t shop for clothes often and would probably wear what they have for years together. The film shows a period of 10-15 years, the clothes had to ‘age’ likewise. It was not an easy task,” says Manjusha. It meant ‘ageing’ the garments by bleaching and washing them a couple of instances. Close consideration was paid even to the footwear — they had been sandpapered to look their ‘age’. “It was a blessing that director Tharun Moorthy and the cinematographer Sharan Velayudhan Nair were on the same page, especially with the colour palette.”
Although every thing turned out effectively for the movie ultimately, regardless of the delay in launch, there was some heartbreak to start with. Actor Saudi Gracy or Gracy John who was to essay the lead position of Aisha Rawther on whom the crew had finished a glance check succumbed to COVID-19-related problems. The demise was a shock to your entire crew. “It was heartbreaking. Although I had met her only a couple of times, we were in constant touch over the phone.” The demise additionally threw the crew right into a tizzy as they needed to discover an alternate Aisha.
Manjusha with Devi Varma
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
When Devi Varma, who essayed Aisha’s character finally, got here on board they needed to rework every thing. She was additionally explicit about what she wore. “Devi amma did not wear synthetics, she always wore a neriyathu [upper cloth of the Kerala set-mundu]… I had to factor in all these things when I designed for her. She had to be comfortable. Voile fabric wouldn’t do, we had to use handloom with motifs of cottons saris printed on them and then ‘aged’ them by bleaching. The dyes used were also natural,” Manjusha says.
She designed the look of every actor in such a method that it mirrored the character’s persona. “Aisha’s son Sathar [Sujith Shankar], for instance, has no identity of his own, so I dressed him in loose shirts with checkered prints. We had a discussion with one of Tharun’s cousins who is a lawyer to get an idea of how lawyers dress in court, we wanted to stick as close as possible to reality.”
Manifesting the award
“I manifested this award when I was doing the film and afterwards too. Tharun kept telling me that I would land the award, I also felt that it [the State Award] would be mine. When the announcement came last Friday I couldn’t believe it. My TV had conked and I was watching the announcement on my mobile phone. When the Minister mentioned my name, it took some time to sink in; I was in a daze for a couple of days,” she provides.
Designing for movies was by no means a part of her plans. In truth, she has her personal label, Label Vastramika, which she retails on-line and by way of exhibitions. An opportunity supply as a stylist for a 2017 quick movie Kaatil led her to the movie business. Manjusha relocated to Kochi in 2016 after a stint in Switzerland. A trend design graduate from the Madras Institute of Fashion Technology, she labored as a designer-partner for a cousin’s enterprise in Bonn and Zurich. “When I relocated to Kochi, my plan was to start a stitching unit but here I am…” says the 38-year-old.
She took the appearing path to movies. “That is how I began my journey, but that is done. I enjoy being behind the scenes more,” she reveals. She has acted in movies similar to Sunday Holiday, Vijaysuperum Pournamiyum and Ente Mezhuthiriathaazhangal.
After Kaatil she labored as stylist and actor for Vidhu Vincent for a number of authorities advertisements, and turned costume designer for Vidhu’s Standup. “That was my second film. My first film, the one that prepared me for the film industry, was Sakalakalashala (2019) directed by Vinod Guruvayoor. It was my first film as a costume designer.”
But the movie that acquired her recognition was Tharun Moorthy’s Operation Java. Some of the opposite movies she has been costume designer for are Wolf and Neymar. A undertaking that she is working on is Turkish Tharkam.
