Think Anarkali and you are thrown into a world of star-crossed love, its tragic spirit still unbroken by the tides of time. Love buried alive is stuff lores and legends are made of, and it’s only normal to expect a dazzling romance from a film titled Anarkali. “It’s not easy to define the genre of Anarkali, but the film has a beautiful love story at its core. I would it call it a mint-fresh blend of romance, suspense and adventure,” says director Sachy, about his film all set for release.
Kavaratti lies just 218 nautical miles from Kochi, but the island bears no resemblance to the port city. The film, starring Prithviraj and Biju Menon in the lead, is set in the unexplored terrains of Lakshadweep. “The USP of the film will be its visual appeal. There has been many films set against the backdrop of sea, but Anarkali will introduce you to an all-new sea. The lagoons, separated by reefs, lent a greenish tint to the water, making the topogrpahy exotic,” says Sachy who goes on to add that he picked the island not for any cosmetic purpose. “The backdrop is just like a character. It’s certain situations and incidents in Kavaratti that take the narrative forward. The people living in Lakshadweep are generally very naive. The sub jail there is in total dilapidation because there are no convicts. The crime rate is very low, and there hasn’t been any suicides.”
The film is basically woven around two naval officers - Shantanu and Zacharia played by Prithviraj and Biju Menon. “Shantanu, a Sub Lieutenant, falls in love with Nadira, the daughter of Rear Admiral Jaffer Imam who hails from a Nawab family in Lucknow. Priyal Gor and Kabir Bedi step into the roles of Nadira and Jaffar and they have only Hindi and English lines in the film,” says Sachy. Some unfortunate turn of events forces Shantanu and Zacharia to end their navy life and take voluntary retirement. “When the film begins Shantanu is in his late thirties, working as a deep sea diving instructor in Kavaratti. Zacharia works as the headlight operator at the light house there,” adds Sachy.
Mia George appears as another key character, Dr Sherin Mathew, the medical superintendent of the island. “It’s a position that comes with a lot of responsibility including taking care of medical evacuation using choppers,” he explains. Suresh Krishna and Sanskriti Shenoy step into the garb of two local characters Atta Koya and Dua. “Dua, a medical student discontinues her course after three years,” he says. While Sudev Nair appears in another important role, five directors including Shyamaprasad, V K Prakash, Madhupal, Renji Panicker and Major Ravi are also part of the cast.
Adventure will be another highlight of the film as it features many an under-water sequence. “We haven’t used any body double in the film and Prithvi underwent professional training for the role,” he says. The film, produced by Rajeev Nair under the banner of Magic Moon Productions, will hit the screens this Friday.