KOZHIKODE: Mamukoya, the actor who has been a perfect resonance of the typical Malabar accent, will be heard mouthing a new vernacular soon. 'Byari', the first film to be produced in the Beary language spoken in Mangalore, coastal Karnataka and in the adjoining parts of Kerala starring Mamukoya, will hit the screen on June 9.
Under the banner of Thanneer Films, the movie is directed by noted Malayali dramatist Suveeran and is produced by Altaf Hussain, a native of Mangalore. "Some of the movies in Kannada have told the stories of the Beary community. But none has made an attempt to make one in Beary language," Altaf told 'Express'.
The movie depicts the tradition, culture and language of the Beary community. It portrays the misuse of 'Iddath' (marriage) and 'Talaq' (divorce) in the Muslim community. Actor Mamukoya, who portrays the 60yearold Muhammed, a meat shop owner in the movie, said, "it is one of the strongest characters he played on silver screen. The movie sends a strong message against an outdated custom.
When asked about the preparation he made to present the character, the actor said, "I acted in front of the camera as if I was that character himself". He also shared that he felt a slight difficulty at the time of dubbing, which was resolved with the help of Riyas, assistant director of the movie. The movie was actually planned with the late Malayalam actor Murali. Unfortunately, it could not be worked out, said the actor.
The story of the movie is written by Irfan Chokkabettu and dialogues by Ibrahim Tannirbavi. Produced at a cost of `60 lakh, the movie was received well at various film festivals including those held in New Delhi and Thrissur.
According to Mamukoya, the role in the movie may help to instil confidence in film directors to approach him with serious roles. "The appreciation from many Kannada film makers makes me very confident to accept such characters," he said. Mamukoya's character Muhammed is the father of Naadira, the female lead in the movie played by noted South Indian actress Mallika.Altaf said the story was woven around a real life incident and the starcasting was a deliberate attempt as the language has some resemblance with Malayalam. Popular actors of Malayalam cinema including Majid, Ambika Mohan and K T S Padanna have also acted in the movie. The song is sung by playwright singer Manjari. However, director Suveeran who is in Dubai, was unavailable for comment.