It’s not simply names that they share, but a startlingly similar fate as well. Kunjiraman, the hero of Kaliyachan, is nothing but a clone of his creator - the maverick bard P Kunjiraman Nair. The film gets its title from a poem by P, a memoir where the borderline between author and character is rather blurred. “The film draws parallels between Kunjiraman the poet and Kunjiraman the kathakali artist,” says Farook Abdul Rahiman, director of the award-winning film.
Rather than going for a prosaic portrait, Kaliyachan gives a fictional twist to P’s life presenting him as a kathakali artist. “Kathakali is no more an art form of the elite, you can connect with it in an instant. Moreover, it offers a canvas filled with rich, vibrant colours,” says the director. Starring Manoj K Jayan and Kalamandalam Sivan Namboodiri in lead roles, it maps the artistic and emotional journey of Kunjiraman as he rises to enviable heights. “On the outer layer it explores the bond between a kathakali artist and his master. But it’s a relationship with many dimensions and the film peels layer after layer bringing out the turmoil,” he says.
There were a string of women in P’s life, but in the film it’s the female lead Devu who carries this streak of wantonness. “Devu is someone who celebrates all sorts of freedom, a character inspired by the poet himself. In the film she is able to tread the roads Kujiraman can’t quite bring himself to. In that sense Kaliyachan has a strong feminist angle as well,” he says. Devu is a fictional character, who you will not encounter while reading his biography and it’s Telugu actress Tirtha Murbadkar who steps into her role. “The film doesn’t over-indulge in the poet’s romantic adventures, rather it focuses on his artistic life and his inner conflicts. It’s also a performance-oriented film,” adds the director. Babu Namboodiri, Manikandan Pattambi and Manju Pillai are also part of the cast.
Farook says he wanted his film to flow out like poetry, lyrical and spontaneous. “Being a film about art, nature and love it deserved such a treatment.” The film has a strong period flavour as the narrative is set in a period from 1930s to 70s. Farook adds he invested more than a decade in the film as it demanded extensive research and background check. “Reading all his works and works on him, finding individuals associated with him and visually adapting his poetry - it all took nearly 12 years,” he says.
Though the film is built on poetry and the classical art form of kathakali, it’s not meant for any niche audience alone. “It’s a story than can be enjoyed by all types of viewers, irrespective of their knowledge of poetry or kathakali,” he says. The film has its camera cranked by M J Radhakrishanan and music composed by Bijibal. Produced by National Film Development Corporation, Kaliyachan will hit the screens this month.