KOCHI: When posed the question, “what is meant by gender?”, a young boy in the upcoming film B-32 to 44, directed by Shruthi Sharanyam, answers, “... with and without breasts.” The scene captures quite brilliantly the lack of gender sensitisation and body politics in today’s society.
In fact, this very lacking spurred Shruthi on an idea that eventually shaped up to become B-32 to 44, her debut film. However, the writer-filmmaker hailing from Thrissur is no alien to the industry. She made her mark over a decade ago through a string of very popular music videos, especially Charulatha and Baale.
B-32 to 44 detail how a woman’s breasts determine the course of her life. It features six woman protagonists: Malini (Ramya Nambeessan), Iman (Zarin Shihab), Ziya (Anarkali Marikar), Jaya (Aswathy B), Rachel (Krishna Kurup) and Nidhi (Raina Radhakrishnan).
The film was developed by availing funds instituted jointly by the Ministry of Culture and the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC) as part of their women empowerment initiative. According to Shruthi, the scheme “is a big helping hand for women film enthusiasts to follow their passion.”
“Though I had conceived the story way back in 2018, finding a producer was a struggle. Not many were keen to get on board a female-oriented film taken from a female perspective, and one which delves into body politics,” she says.
“After all, we are living in a male-dominated society, where the selling point of a cinema is always the hero. It is also normal for the producer to look up the profit side too, cinema being is the livelihood of many. Hero-centric films are ingrained the audience’s psyche. Changing this pulse overnight is impossible.”
This is where KSFDC funds are very beneficial. “It paves the way for a change,” says Shruthi. She also suggests that the project be replicated in other organisations as well to empower more women to embrace filmmaking.
Remya Nambeeshan, who also plays a role in the movie, was Shruthi’s confidant for matters regarding the film. It was to her that Shruthi turned to in 2018, and whose “thumbs up” that was a key impetus for the project.
The film is an outcome of her observations and personal experiences too, Shruthi says, stressing how sisterhood among women is vital to the uncoiling of otherwise oppressive circumstances. Shot in Ernakulam last year, the film has 75% female participation, on and off the screen.
“Around 30 women were part of the film’s crew — in art, make-up, as associate directors. It was a conscious decision,” Shruthi says, adding that portraying women’s body politics in cinema is “very necessary”.
B-32 to 44 has Sudeep Elamon, who cranked the camera for Janaganamana and Ayyappanum Koshiyum, as the photography director. Sudeep Palanad scored the music. Rahul Radhakrishnan (Ariyippu) handled editing under Mahesh Narayanan’s supervision.
The film will hit theatres on April 6.