A piece of cloth is the bone of contention in Vipin Radhakrishnan’s Tamil film, Angammal. The heroine Angammal does not wear a blouse with her saree. The courageous, free-thinking widow who shows off her tattoos, rides around the village on her moped, smokes beediHe has a demonic mother-in-law for his elder son’s wife and a soft spot for a widower from his village. When her younger son, who is a doctor, insists that she wear a blouse when his urban girlfriend and parents come to their house, Angammal refuses and thus the situation in the family changes.
Vipin’s thought-provoking screenplay without morals is complemented by powerful performances, stunning cinematography and a soothing soundscape. It was screened at the ongoing International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) to a rapturous reception. Angammal is a cinematic adaptation of the short story by renowned writer Perumal Murugan, KodithuniVipin says, “I have been a fan of his work and saw his short story collection during the lockdown. I found the topic interesting. The author also welcomed my idea and told us that it was based on a real incident from his neighbourhood.
at the origin of Angammal‘There is a fight between mother and son. Her son, Pavalam (Sharan Shakthi) not only dislikes her attire but also her stained teeth and the way she speaks. At the same time, the elder son, Sudalai (Bharani Thirumugam) is gripped by the grief of having to sacrifice his dreams for his younger brother. But he understands Angammal better.
Geeta Kailasam in one scene Angammal
Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Vipin explains that even though the short story did not tell about the characters, who were not named, he added nuances and layers to each character. “This was done keeping in mind the possible theatrical release of the film. We wanted a cinematic element to the story,” he added.
He says that that is why no compromise has been made on the technical aspect. Shot in sync sound, the film features a seamless soundscape by composer Mohammad Maqbool Mansoor, sound designer Lenin Valappad and sound mixer PK Krishnanunni. “The producers, Firosh Rahim and Anjoy Samuel, who is also the cinematographer of the film, agreed as did we.”
The filmmaker explains that apart from exploring the mother-son relationship, the bigger picture is about the freedom to live life the way you want, without conforming to societal norms. “Since it’s about a woman, you can probably add a feminist angle to the theme. But the story is about not judging someone and accepting or loving the person for who he or she is,” he says.
Vipin Radhakrishnan Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Vipin, who debuted as a director Ave MariaWhich was premiered at IFFK in 2018, it sees that not being fluent in Tamil was never a challenge while making the film. “I didn’t see it that way because the film can only be placed in Tamil culture. It helped that there were many people in my group who were familiar with the environment. Cinematographer Anjoy has worked predominantly in Tamil cinema. Sudhahar Das, who co-wrote the dialogues and plays a character, and our art director Gopi Karunanidhi, are from Tamil Nadu.
Vipin says that the actors also made his work easy. “The script was flexible and so the actors could make changes and improvise. He understood the tone and so I got what I wanted from his performance. Her self-confidence was her biggest asset,” he says.
Geetha Kailasam, known for her roles Sarpatta Parambarai, Navarasa, Natchathiram Nagargiraadhu and recently Labbar Panthu And AmaranImpressive Angammal Essay with enthusiasm among others. She shines through the scenes when she is fighting an internal battle and is forced to bow to her family’s wishes and sacrifice her hard-earned freedom.
“He has the seriousness to play that role and that is why we approached him. We chose Sharan after seeing his performance Vada ChennaiBharani, who impressed with his character NadodigalEnjoy’s suggestion was.
from still Angammal
Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
remote village of Angammal, Which is a stunning landscape with fields, mountains, vegetation and people, is located in Padmaneri, about 40 kilometers from Tirunelveli. “It took us time to find the location. The original house was slightly modified. The crew and the cast stayed back to soak in the atmosphere,” says Vipin.
The film was premiered at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival in October. “That was a momentous occasion. Shabana Azmi was in a show and she appreciated the character of Geeta ma’am a lot.
An engineering graduate from the College of Engineering, Trivandrum, Vipin says IFFK has been a learning ground for him. “This festival has shaped my journey as a filmmaker. This is the time when Malayalam cinema is getting wider recognition. IFFK is also reaching out to all cinema lovers.
Angammal will be screened on December 18 at 3.15 pm at Kalabhavan.
published – December 16, 2024 04:05 PM IST
