The kitchen of a big, old-fashioned, tiled house, at Karikkamukalam in Kozhikode, is the focus on Anil Easwar’s movie camera. Watching the frames on the monitor is director Sibi Malayil. Dressed in a simple settu mundu and green blouse, Sithara is preparing payasam, while Meena Ganesh, attired in the traditional garb of an elderly old Muslim woman, is peeling a potato. Remya Nambeesan, in a green and maroon salwar, just looks on.
Nothing much happens in this scene from Saigal Padukayanu , the shooting of which has been in progress over the last couple of weeks in and around Kozhikode city. “I felt Kozhikode was the ideal place to set the story in. Music, the Hindustani variety to be precise, is a major theme in this movie. When it comes to Hindustani music and ghazals, Kozhikode is the first city in Kerala that comes to your mind,” says Sibi.
Saigal Padukayanu , he hastens to add, is not a pure musical. “There are five songs in the film, but it is a drama basically. There is also a message for society,” he says.
T.A. Razak, who has scripted the film, takes over. “We are focussing on a major social issue that Kerala faces today. We are keeping the story under wraps as we do not want the plot to be revealed at this stage. As often is the case, it is the women at home who have to pay a heavy price for the mistakes their men commit,” he says.
The first time Razak and Sibi teamed up, they had come up with Kanakkinavu , which was a powerful film that championed communal harmony. That was nearly two decades ago. Their next film together was Ayirathil Oruvan , in 2009.
“This film is mainly about the life of Chandrababu, whose father is a Muslim and mother a Hindu. He has inherited his passion for music from his father,” explains Sibi, shortly after the kitchen scene is complete. Chandrababu is enacted by Tom Shine Chacko. A couple of days later, Tom is all set for action on the premises of Hotel Maharani. The scene features him and Sithara, who plays his mother, travelling in an auto rickshaw. “I was excited when I was offered the role by Sibi. I had grown up watching his films like Kireedom and Kamaladalam . My role in this is easily one of the best in my career,” he says.
Remya also admits that she is enthused about essaying Deepa, wife of Chandrababu. “I get to portray a woman who goes through difficult situations in life. And I play Deepa in different stages of her life,” she says.
The other important female character in the film is Sujatha, played by Sithara. “I decided to do the film primarily because it is directed by Sibi, with whom I have never got an opportunity to work with though I have been around for the last three decades. I also liked my character, which is very different from the mother-type characters you would find in our films. Besides, I also play Sujatha when she is 20,” she says.
The cast includes Siddique, Hareesh Peradi, Koottikkal Jayachandran, Santhosh Keezhattoor, Rajesh Sharma and Divya. Lyrics by Rafeeq Ahmed have been by M. Jayachandran. Stills are by M.K. Mohanan.
