As much as she was bold, Kamala Das was humane too. Her compassion for fellow beings, outright frankness and unparalleled talent has made her a colourful celluloid material. As director Kamal readies himself to portray the life of Malayalam’s famous writer onscreen, anticipation runs high. In the director’s own words, the movie will be a mix of realistic and fictional situations.
And, Jayasurya Das, son of the the legendary writer, says he is sure that the biopic Aami will be as beautiful as her life. Adding that he can’t wait to see his dear mother’s life unravel on screen, Jayasurya shares with Express his excitement over the project and the trust he places on director Kamal.
Q) Did director Kamal consult you on the project?
Yes, we were in constant touch from the beginning. When he approached me, I was very enthusiastic. Since I was the custodian of the copyrights, I was actively involved in the scripting process, too. I am promoting the movie on social media, as well. I would love to see Amma’s life unravel on screen.
Q) There is so much hype associated with the project as her life had its share of controversies. Will the movie be a faithful adaptation of the life?
The movie will reflect her life, but, of course, it has a fair amount of fiction, too. The director will take his creative liberty as we have to deal with the commercial aspect. It is an ideal mix of real life and fictional elements. The movie will be a humane one, just like the humanness in her nature. It will have the right amount of commercial flavour too.
Q) Do you think Kamal can do justice to the writer’s life?
Yes, very much. Kamal had the script in his mind for the last five years. He has done a very good job. The talented director that he is, I am sure that he has invested a lot of time and energy on the subject and it will reflect on the movie.
Q) Did you interact with Vidya Balan who will play your mother onscreen?
We met and spoke at length about her. Vidya is someone who can play her perfectly. She shares the elegance and grace which Amma had. And, her
acting skills are beyond doubt. She has an eye for details and is reading a lot about the author Kamala Das is. I am sure she can do a great job.