When a contemporary adaptation of Vaikom Muhammad Basheer's script of Bhargavi Nilayam (1964) was announced, one naturally wondered how an 'old-school' approach would work with today's audiences since the makers were adamant about retaining the charm and look of vintage films instead of opting for a contemporary setting. Talking to us about Neelavelicham, which made its digital premiere recently, its leading man Tovino Thomas recalls director Aashiq Abu conveying his wish to adapt Basheer's original screenplay in the filmmaker's own way.
"The discussion centred on leaving the original alone and doing a reimagining instead of using it as a reference and imitating the same thing. Aashiq Ettan wanted to give the makers of the original the best tribute we can give from this generation. We can't adapt it exactly as it is today, taking into account the nature of the performances back then, which bore a strong influence from the theatre, the usage of some archaic words, and so on... It goes without saying what worked for the audiences back then won't work now. Naturally, we looked into some of Basheer's other works, such as Anargha Nimisham, to bring a novelty factor."
In Neelavelicham, based on Basheer's original story of the same name, we get to see the author's melancholic side. In the film's narrative, an expanded version of the source material, there is an implication that Tovino's unnamed protagonist, a presumed alter-ego of Basheer, is nursing a recent heartbreak. This could be an interpretation of the events in Basheer's Anuragathinte Dinangal, where the protagonist becomes heartbroken after a failed romance with a woman named Saraswati Devi.
In this context, the song 'Ekanthathayude Apaara Theeram' assumes a bigger significance. While on the subject of normally cheerful people surprising us on certain occasions with their gloomy disposition, Tovino uses his own example as a parallel.
"No matter how many jokes you crack, that side of you is switched off when you're going through pain. In my friend circles, I'm very jovial by nature, but sometimes due to certain troubling circumstances, the gloominess creeps in, and I cannot enjoy time with friends. The same can be said of the protagonist in Neelavelicham. This depression is subtle and relatable. That said, we can't compare and say one version is right or the other wrong. Generational differences are also a factor. Also, you have to remember that Basheer remained with the original film and its script throughout; ours is a different interpretation."
Adding further, Tovino says the 'Ekanthathayude...' song conveys the worst state -- "being lonely amidst a crowd." Director Aashiq Abu asked him to get into this mind space by staying alone at a place that had power issues, weak mobile signal, and zero distractions. "Naturally, there was some initial anxiety which took a while to get used to," shares Tovino.
"It felt like doing something new because today, being distracted by our phones and television sets is the norm. Anything else feels strange. But think about the benefits of sitting by ourselves in the presence of nature and our thoughts... Our thinking power increases. These days, we rarely talk to ourselves, which is something we should be doing more often. I mean, we are being distracted by this and that from the day we are born. It's only when someone asks us about what we really like that we start thinking about it. We are always caught in this rat race, constantly chasing an achievement, but isn't true achievement our own happiness?"
Speaking of a melancholic state of mind, I mention the parallel with the protagonist of another Aashiq Abu film, also played by Tovino —Mathan from Mayanadhi. Tovino concurs: “Now that you mention it, the emotion is quite similar, isn’t it?”
Tovino is the third actor to represent Basheer’s alter-ego after Madhu in Bhargavi Nilayam and Mammootty in Mathilukal. So what does Basheer mean to him? “His ideas were remarkable; he looked at everything around him with compassion; he inspired everyone with his ideology. You can tell there was not a false bone in him.”
Tovino found it easier to get into the world of Basheer as he is familiar with the works of the author, introduced first by his father, who had a collection of his books, and got into serious reading once he got to college. Preparation also came in the form of documentaries on Basheer suggested by Neelavelicham co-writer Hrishikesh Bhaskaran.
Tovino also recalls engaging in group reading sessions, digging into Basheer stories like Anuragathinte Dinangal and Anargha Nimisham. (For him, this habit also brings another advantage. "Post Naradan I’ve been trying to improve my diction, and reading aloud by myself or with others helps with that,” he explains.)
The costumes (resembling that of a young Basheer) and locations (a haunted mansion that sports two different looks) also contributed to the immersive experience for him. "We lived in a compound in different houses. Two days before the start of the shoot, our makeup artist Ronex Xavier brought up the idea of blackening my lips a little to suggest the character’s habit of smoking beedis, aside from giving my skin a slightly darker complexion and a peculiar moustache different from the one I had in Ennu Ninte Moideen. So when they took a picture of this new look, I felt good—it helped me transport to a different time."
Off late, Tovino has been trying to learn new things and get rid of his inhibitions when it comes to certain things. For example, he got into Muay Thai upon his instructor’s advice. Tovino also wishes to be more eloquent in the interviews he does out of his home state. He professes his admiration for the way Shah Rukh Khan talks. “He is very witty; his replies are instantaneous. I envy him and wish I could be like him someday. I wish I were more fluent in English so I could talk like him,” he chuckles.
Tovino also wishes actors talked more about their craft in interviews, as he detests an inclination for gossip. He also hopes people get more vocal about social issues. (Recently, Tovino posted a social media statement in which he expressed his support for the wrestlers’ protest.)
After Neelavelicham, Tovino’s solo release is Ajayante Randam Moshanam (ARM), a 3D fantasy adventure directed by newcomer Jithin Laal. The teaser, which focuses on one of the three characters played by Tovino, gives the hint of a large-scale spectacle spanning different eras. Tovino wants the team to take their own sweet time polishing the final product, as he doesn’t want the quality to be affected by a rush job.
"2018 took some time to finish because the CGI demanded more time than expected. The same goes for the music. That’s not the case with ARM. We got plenty of time; we could release it by the year-end or the beginning of next year. There’s no rush. Sometimes, when there is an agreement with an OTT platform to have the film released at a certain date after its theatrical run, it might affect the post-production work and, to a certain extent, the promotions too. Fortunately, in the case of 2018, we got lucky; it got the success it deserved. That doesn’t mean we can do justice to every film that way. I have high hopes for ARM, and I want to do everything properly," he signs off.