Atrocities against women never end, be it in the confines of a bedroom or in the so-called present progressive society. Narrating the woeful tale of a woman who goes through various trials and tribulations is debutant Manoj Alunkal through Ithinumappuram.
“I want to make films with a social message. Instead of presenting a negative subject through positive hope, I want to tell the subject with all its grey shades. And with the present scenario existing in the society where we see only the ascent of rape and abuse cases, I felt a strong women centric subject never loses its relevance,” says Manoj who has penned the script too.
Meera Jasmine who took a brief hiatus after her marriage will be playing the lady lead in the film. “The story revolves around Rukmini Nair, donned by Meera. She is born and brought up in an affluent family but is a girl with ‘Chovva Dosham’,” explains Manoj. Because of her horoscope problem, her family strives hard to marry her off. And by luck they find a match but Rukmini falls in love with Karthikeyan, who works at her home.
Rukmini elopes with Karthikeyan opposing her family’s wishes. Riyas Khan dons the role of Karthikeyan.
Rukmini’s life takes a U-turn from there. Karthikeyan who eyes her family assets, when discovers that Rukmini’s family has abandoned her, turns bad. Rukmini who bears his two kids, is subjected to his ill treatments. “Though she is strong-willed person, Rukmini bears the abuse and domestic violence inflicted upon her by Karthikeyan,” he says.
Quiz about selecting Meera Jasmine for the role, he says, “In my story subject is my hero. After scripting, I felt Meera Jasmine can pull off Rukmini well. She has taken lot of strain for the character and her acting touches our heart,” he adds.
Ithinumappuram also portrays the agony of parents who bring up their kids with lot of dreams and hopes. “Giving the best of everything for their children is what every parent does. But often children when they fall in an affair or something, they disregard the emotions of their family and decide to leave them. Sometimes it might be a happy ending but through the film I want to show about the not-so-happy endings of people in a realistic manner,” says Manoj who feels that good and bad things happens according to our Karma.
Ithinumappuram is set in the milieu of Kuttanad and coir factory employees, the story unfurls in the 1970s-80s period.
Other actors include Siddique as coir factor owner Eepachan where Rukmini and Karthikeyan work, Dhanapalan as a miser moneylender and Sona Nair as his wife, Lakshmi Priya as Karthikeyan’s love interest and Narayanankutty as Dasan, coir factory employee.
The three songs penned by Rafeek Ahammed are composed by veteran music director Vidhyadharan. M J Radhakrishnan has wielded the camera.
Ithinumappuram produced under the banner of Agna Media will hit the screens on August 7.