What happens when two crooks land at a place where people have no clue what looting is. Priyanandan’s ‘Njan Ninnodu Koodeyundu’ explores this unique concept where philosophies clink and clash. Dhamanan and Madanan consider themselves small-scale thieves, much harmless compared to the ones who travel in state cars flaunting tricolour flags. The film follows them on their unsuccessful adventures as they reach an unknown village. “The film can be called a satire or fantasy, but the storyline is quite simple,” says the director.
The narrative revolves around the duo’s tryst with something totally unusual. As one of their attempts goes awry, they are left with no other option but to flee. They end up in a strange village where the people follow an idealistic lifestyle. “The houses there have no doors and the valuables are never locked. There is no social divide as the villagers share all material assets,” Priyanandan says about the film that recently bagged the John Abraham Award.
The bizarre circumstances affect the friends in different ways. One wants to rob the village and start afresh at a new place whereas the other thinks of joining this ideal system of life. The conflict that springs from this situation forms the crux of the plot. Priyanandan says it’s not the ideology, but the individual who is wrong. “Njan Ninnodu Koodeyundu means your ideology is always with you, but you are unable to choose or not to see it,” he explains the title.
The freshness in concept and the simplicity in style will be the highlights of the film, says the director. “It’s a straightforward story which directly connects with the audience.” He adds that the most challenging part in the making was to find the correct location, “a village not spiked with electric posts and mobile towers.”
He wanted to introduce a specific culture and no Kerala village looked suitable to portray a community not manipulated by technology. “Finally it was the social activist Daya Bai who came to our rescue and Bapda village in Madhya Pradesh was zeroed in. In the film we are portraying an agrarian community and wanted acres of greenery without concrete structures in between,” he says.
While Vinay Fort and Siddarth Bharatan play the lead roles, Aparna Vinod, Navami Murali, Sreeraman and Sivaji Guruvayoor are also part of the cast.
“Just like a new landscape and system, the film also introduces a bevy of actors, most of them from the theatre,” he says. The film produced by Ajay K Menon and Badal Media is expected to hit screens next month.