THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Winning the Best Malayalam Film honour at the 72nd National Film Awards has added another accolade to ‘Feminichi Fathima’, a film already celebrated by critics. Set in Ponnani, the film transforms the story of an ordinary family into a compelling experience.
The film is written and directed by Fazil Muhammed Edappal. It stars Shamla Hamza, who had made her debut as the lead in ‘1001 Nunakal’, alongside Kumar Sunil. The film had previously won two major honours at the Kerala State Film Awards, with Fazil receiving the Best Debut Director award and Shamla winning the Best Actress honour.
At the heart of the story is Fathima, an ordinary young woman who breaks free from the constraints of patriarchy. Ironically, the label “Feminichi” is bestowed on her by her husband after she begins asserting herself. The film unfolds around a bed, using it as the central narrative to explore gender, relationships, and personal freedom.
As the film celebrates its latest achievement, Fazil says the recognition is a vindication of his belief that strong content always matters. “I have always believed in content. I’m happy that this belief has received such recognition,” Fazil said.
According to him, most actors in the film are ordinary people from Ponnani. The technicians who worked on the film were also largely his friends, making the project a deeply personal effort.
He also recalled the criticism he faced when he chose ‘Feminichi’ as the title. Many had objected to the word, arguing that it carried negative connotations. “People told me not to use it because it was a negative word. Today, seeing people use that very word with pride makes me happy,” he said.