KOCHI: Tholava in the fisher language means oar. It is also the name of the short film by Justin Athanas, who belongs to the fisher community. With Tholava, Justin attempts to shine a light on the many travails of his people and bring the troubles faced by them to the forefront.
Be it the various hindrances faced by the children while continuing education and how they are forced to take up the oar when things get hard or the many women who are rendered without a husband when the ocean claims the life of a fisher, Tholava explores every aspect of being a part of the fisher community. Shot in a matter of four months just before the second wave of the pandemic, the film is a brilliant effort from the side of fishers telling their story in the most authentic form, in their own language.
“A lot of women are left widowed when the ocean claims the life of a fisher. Many children are left fatherless and the family slips into poverty. Life is hard for them and it is an issue that has to be discussed. Apart from this, we also want to highlight the need to teach swimming to one and all. It should be made mandatory in schools. If you do not know swimming, don’t even come closer to the ocean,” says Justin, who directed the short.
The story talks about how a youngster is forced to take up the oar and abandon his studies. The protagonist doesn’t know swimming and the story ends on a tragic note. Justin wrote the story when he was working in Abu Dhabi and had only hoped to release it as a book. But when he came to Thiruvananthapuram, a month before Covid hit, he felt the need to tell the story on a bigger canvas with visual elements. And that’s how the short came into being. Tholava has been shot in three locations namely Poovar, Kovalam and Karumkulam. When Justin wrote the story, it was pure fiction. But when he came home he found that real-life incidents centred around the story had already occurred.
Except for the cameraman, editor, and music composer, every other crew is from the fisher community. The story and direction are by Justin. Pramod Mohan is the director of photography, editing and DI is by Sandeep Fradian while music is by Balu Mavungal. The cast includes Virgin S, who works as a lifeguard at Poovar, Thadeus, Unniyarcha, and so on.
Justin says that shooting the movie came with its own challenges as a lot of time had to be spent in the sea. “Although I never took up the oar, I had ventured out into the sea when I was young. So I was used to the sea. But a few of the technicians weren’t. But I am happy that it has been well received by the community. They are asking me to make more movies on the fisher world. And that is exciting,” he says.
The movie which has been shown in various international and national short film festivals has earned many accolades already. The short which was released on YouTube on November 21 has garnered over 13 k views in a matter of six days. The movie is produced by Joy Solomon. Justin’s next film will explore the effects of drugs on youngsters in the community. All he wants to do is tell stories of fishers and the community. “There are a lot of stories rooted in the coastal areas. I want to tell these stories to the world in the most authentic form,” says Justin. Film won the bronze medal for best director at short film festival by Indian Film House