The first look of Manju Warrier in her next, Udhaharanam Sujatha promises to be a treat for cinephiles. The actor has gone for a deglam look for a tale of a woman’s struggle to survive.
According to director Phantom Praveen, the movie will bring back to reel the Manju we saw in Kanmadam.
“Udhaharanam Sujatha is all about Manju. She plays a woman from the lower rungs of society, who does odd jobs in households for survival. And, Manju has sunk her teeth into the character quite well,” Praveen adds.
The director, however, maintains that Sujatha isn’t a bold character but the struggle to survive gives her a bolder aura.A family drama, Udhaharanam Sujatha is high on emotions, hence very relatable too.
Another highlight is that Manju plays the mother of a 15-year-old. “She plays her age, a mother. Though there are other characters, like Mamta Mohandas and Joju George in prominent roles, Manju owns the movie,” says Praveen.
Going de-glam
According to the director, Manju ditched make-up up for her role. “She wanted to look the part of a slum-dweller. In fact, Manju went one tone darker to play Sujatha, because she wanted to look the part,” says Praveen.
The movie was shot in Chenkalchoola colony in Thiruvananthapuram. Though there were rumours that the crew faced many hindrances, they termed it as baseless.
“We never had a more cooperative shooting location. In fact, women were so supportive. Manju spent time with them at their homes. All the rumours about hostile situations are untrue,” adds Praveen.
The shoot, taking place at Thiruvananthapuram will wind up by June 12.