KOCHI:There would be very few things in the world more universal and relatable than hunger. And, for most fortunate folks, it takes a striking step to understand hunger in all its depth. Director Jayan Kottakal just realised that and it took a film, precisely his film, for that.
The director of Vishapp, a feature film that has gone on the floors in Kochi, says a unique promotional tactic adopted by them exposed him to the realities of life. “When I decided to make a movie, I wanted to do something meaningful, something that would make a difference. That’s the idea behind my debut movie Vishapp. It was then we decided to take it one step further and distribute food to over 250 people every day. We began doing it on the day the shoot began. The experience was quite a revelation. There are a lot who suffer hunger pangs but don’t tell the world,” says Jayan.
The team behind the movie, a crowd funded venture, hopes to continue distributing food till the day the movie hits the theatres. “For us, this is a way to connect with the world around us. We are fortunate to have a great team with us. The artists associated with the movie double up as volunteers. They collect fund and distribute food as well,” says the director. The people behind Vishapp have rented out a house and hired a chef to cook for the people.
Street plays
To promote the movie and to create awareness on the topic, the team is also staging street plays. “The play is centred around the recent incident wherein a youth from Attappadi, Madhu, was lynched for stealing food,” says the director.
The movie, however, is set on a different premise. “Vishapp centres around a slum and its people. It is about a young boy who wants to eradicate hunger. It is his efforts towards the same that forms the crux of the movie,” says Jayan Kottakal.The movie made under the banner of Umbrella Productions is scripted by SPS Nenmara. Child actors Dwayne, Hemin, Yash, Asin and Sri Lakshmi play lead roles.