Naithik Mathew Eapen is not new to the concept of film making. Being a student of MA Cinema and Television, at the St Joseph College of Communication, Changanassery, ‘Pranthan’ or ‘The Perverted’ is this youngster’s sixth endeavour in short film making. Asked how this small town boy developed a love for film making Naithik says, “Film making was never even in my agenda. It was something related to music that I wanted to do as ever since I can remember I have been associated with the church choir.”
Naithik was in the eighth standard, a time when Rasool Pookutty or his profession still remained unknown to the common man. He wanted to be a sound engineer and to realise his dream he even opted the computer stream in Plus Two. But when Naithik researched more on the job he understood that it was more of technical-oriented than a creative job. He would have to work to cater to someone else’s likes and dislikes. He would never be able to tell the society what he wanted. It is around that time that Naithik realized, in order to reach to the general public, there is no better tool than cinema and that is how he changed course and opted cinema.
“Cinema in way became a tool for me to communicate to the audience. Films to me are not a mere commercial product aimed at grossing at the box office. But that doesn’t mean I will be making only art house films. Cinema should have something to give to the public, it should have that something that they can relate to and think over,” Naithik says.
Thus it was when Naithik was doing his BA that he first tried his hands at film making. He made a one-minute short film based on Tagore’s poem ‘Where the Mind is without Fear’.
About ‘Pranthan’ Naithik says, “The main character of the film bares a lot of similarities with me.”
Through the film Naithik shows us how in a capitalist society driven by consumerism, genuineness and creativity always takes a back seat while money and time rules.
The story begins by showing the protagonist busy at his desk getting the final touches done on something. But it is hard to make out if it is scarp work that he is doing or an important idea that he was working on. Later we understand that Sharath the main character was getting his master plan ready to solve a major crisis that the state is facing- waste management. But he fails to impress his boss. He is dejected at how genuine ideas which could be worked upon for the larger good of the society does not have takers and cheap products like a baby cry stopper gets an immediate approval in his company. And realizing that beggars can’t be choosers and because money rules he sets out to make some quick buck. In a land that has no dearth of man-gods and where spirituality has the greatest market the protagonist being the smart guy that he is, opts sainthood as a stop-gap arrangement. But soon we see even his ideals are tainted when he gets the taste of good life.“The question that lies before the protagonist is whether to choose luxury and die an unknown or pursue his creativity and forgo luxury,” says Naithik.
Naithik himself has written, directed and edited ‘Pranthan’. He is also the one who has cranked the camera and did the background score.
‘Pranthan’ which was shown at IDSFK is now waiting for selection at Asiana International Short Film Festival in south Korea and Bangalore International Shortfilm Festival.