At one of the umpteen honouring ceremonies post his National Award Salim Kumar had a life-defining moment. While the function was underway a differently-abled boy sauntered towards the dais and presented him a one rupee coin. “It will be an understatement if I say I was touched. His face kept haunting me for a long while,” he says. Later he came across a Youtube video showing the footage of a race. “There are some seven-eight athletes on the track and suddenly one of them falls down. Within seconds all the others stop and rush back to him. Later they continue the race with him hitting the finishing point together. They were differently-abled kids and the people we call normal are incapable of such selfless acts. That day I decided to learn more about their lives,” says the actor-turned-director whose debut feature film ‘Compartment’ explores the differently-abled world.
Salim Kumar says though ‘Compartment’ deals with an offbeat subject it’s not a film intended for an art-house audience. “Our society has a tendency to isolate differently-abled kids and their families. They are forced into a particular compartment and are not allowed to step out of it into the mainstream. The film aims to sensitise the audience showing them the pain caused by their aloof and unkind attitude,” he says.
‘Compartment’ chronicles incidents torn out of the lives of Rappayi and Anagha, two children who study at a special school. “It’s a life-long trauma for the parents as well and I think their souls can never rest in peace. For them dying means leaving behind an innocent, helpless soul unprotected. I have dedicated this film to such parents.” Salim Kumar says from the very beginning he was sure that he wanted differently-abled children to play the roles instead of regular actors. “The biggest challenge of the film was not the screenplay or direction but its cast. The entire film depends on the performance of Arun and Angel, who have played the lead pair, along with nearly 200 other kids. This was one huge risk and that’s why I decided to take up production as well,” he says.
He adds that filming was more of a hassle-free affair as he shared an excellent rapport with the children. “I was no outsider there. I was one among them laughing, playing and fighting with them.” He says the children were not given any special training for the film. “They were cast because they looked apt for the roles. I was confident that I could handle them in front of the camera. They are differently-abled which means they have some unusual abilities and I have just tried to bring those out.”
Salim Kumar agrees that he could have gone for a more marketable venture but he didn’t want to compromise with the artistic elements as the director and producer.
“I want my coming generations to remember me as the director and producer of ‘Compartment’,” he says. The film has stars like Suresh Gopi in its cast, but playing ‘supporting roles’. Salim Kumar, Kalabhavan Mani, Kalabahvan Shajoon, KPAC Lalitha and Kochu Preman also appear as key characters.
The film produced under the banner of Laughing Buddha will hit the screens this weekend.
Salim Kumar talks about his directorial debut ‘Compartment’ that hits the screens this Friday