He must have been there in Mollywood for some years, but Bipin Chandran has marked a space as a writer with the mega success of Prithviraj-starrer ‘Paavaada’. The audience and the industry alike are showering praises on him for the unusual flair, fun and flavour of the screen play.
However, Bipin Chandran has many more sides to him than a film writer. A teacher by profession, author of a few books, including one on Mammootty, Bipin is also an actor, cartoonist and a stage personality. Excerpts from his chat with Chandrakanth Viswanath as his latest film scripts a thumping success across the state.
Of your seven projects, four were with debutantes and most of the directors are your friends. Is this a deliberate choice?
I am happy with working with new faces. Aashiq Abu and Martin Prakkat were my college mates. I was part of their cinema discussions from then. So it was easy for me to communicate. I could fight or argue with them. I don’t think I could do this with an established director. However, there are many advantages while writing for a a veteran because you get an instant fame.
You used to write short stories. However, Paavada is your first story for the screen. Do you find it difficult to write stories which suit films?
Certainly, it is difficult for a newcomer to convince a director. The story of Paavada was with me from 1996. But, nobody was ready to take that. Then, the projects I landed in were had some sort of story or a thread. So I could take off with a script.
Your dialogues are noted for its rustic and crude flavour, be it in ‘Best Actor’ or ‘Paavada’. How do you find this?
I write dialogues that suit my characters. But, it is true that the dialogues I write for rustic characters became trolls. I take it from real life situations. When I wrote dialogues for Best Actor, it was for the character not aimed at posterity. I must say I have a liking for the style of Joseph Panadan’s dialogues who taught us plays when we were students at Changanassery SB College.
Did you ever feel dialogue writer is a thankless job?
Yes. It was a thankless job earlier. But, the situation in 2016 is different from 2006. Now, the role is much valued.
What about your next project ‘King Liar’ which you pen the dialogues?
It is great to be part of the Siddique-Lal’s comeback movie. I am honoured to be associated with them. They are masters when it comes to dialogues and their words are trolled by people who are not even born when these films were released.
What role did Mammootty, whom you authored a book, play in your film career.
I did not write the book for get into movies and it didn’t help me to get a movie either. But, it helped me familiarise with Mammootty, the man. Only when I met him with the oneline that he learned that I am a screen writer.
“Oh. You write scripts too?” He exclaimed. After I read the script to him, I got calls from some senior directors. I am sure those calls were the result of his good words about me.
You are a voracious reader and has an fairly good academic background. So, is this the type of films you wish to be part of in future?
I am not apologetic about what I am doing, rather I enjoy it. You can get a story published without much effort. But, for making a movie a you need money. So, I wish to make films with popular appeal.
Most of those who seek fortune in Mollywood are flocking to Kochi. But, you stick to your native village, despite being beckoned by the city.
I won’t shift to Kochi. My writing is the product of my life in my village. I have not gone much beyond three places, Kochi, Ponkunnam and Changanassery and everything in me comes from the triangle.
Bipin, a teacher of Malayalam at Government HSS, Edakkunnam Kottayam, is married to Deepthy and the couple lives at Ponkunnam with their sons Aadithyan and Abhayan and his mother Ambika Devi.