Paravan, the mythical bird is worshiped by the tribes of Western Ghats. And what happens when an outsider enters the forest to trap it - Ra Prasad’s Arani, the fire inside explores this intriguing scenario. A film built on Padmarajan’s noted short story ‘Kunjan’, Arani zooms into the wild interiors and the life of its inhabitants. “The film is basically about an individual engaged in a life-long hunt,” says the director.
A simple and straight narrative, it’s woven around a nameless man and woman. “The man is a settler who comes there to trap the bird and sell it,” says Prasad. He marries an adivasi woman, but all their babies are stillborn. Each time he crosses eight hills to dispose their bodies. But finally the woman delivers her ninth baby atop a rock and the infant shows signs of survival. “There is a blend of fantasy and violence, something you usually encounter in Padmarajan stories,” he adds. The film doesn’t star any mainstream actors and the main roles are handled by Sheril, Pradeep Mekkara, Madhu Master, C R Rajan, Arifa and Karthika.
Prasad says filming in the forest was a real challenge and the members of Kani tribe were quite helpful while the crew was shooting in Idukki. “The title song of the film is sung by Leela Soman Kani, the tribal chief’s wife,” he adds.