Payal Kapadia, Kani Kusruti, Jeo Baby, Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal to co-produce Malayalam film Guptam
All We Imagine as Light director Payal Kapadia, The Great Indian Kitchen director Jeo Baby, and actors Kani Kusruti, Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal are coming together to produce a new Malayalam feature titled Guptam (The Last of Them Plagues). The film is written and directed by Kunjila Mascilamani, who earlier helmed the segment titled Asanghadithar (The Unorganised) as part of the anthology film Freedom Fight.
Guptam was earlier selected for the NDFC Co-Production Market (2024), Kerala Film Market (2024), and Bangalore Literature Festival (2024). The film will also be presented at the CineV Film Markets, Chandigarh, from March 20 to 23, an event where investors will be connected with curated, pre-vetted film projects, fostering cross-industry investment opportunities and bringing compelling South Asian stories to life.
The official logline of Guptam reads: "When her younger daughter disappears in a graveyard, a single mother is forced to move to a conservative, religious, small town in Kerala, India, where she launches a desperate search for the child. Soon, a series of mysterious and disastrous incidents plague the region, and the townsfolk turn against her, convinced she has brought god's wrath upon them. Now, she must fight to clear her name while coping with grief and struggling to care for her surviving daughter."
Speaking about Guptam, Payal Kapadia stated, "When I first saw Kunjila's short film, Asanghadithar, I was struck by her impeccable craft and strong voice. I knew I wanted to be part of her filmmaking journey. As a woman, I have long struggled with the lack of diverse female representation on screen. Reading the first treatment for Guptam, I was certain this was a film I had to produce. A single mother battling a society that sees her as an anomaly is the reality of countless women around us. I grew up seeing women like Sethulekshmi of Guptam. With my experience working with international co-producers, I am confident this project will attract global support. My co-producers bring immense expertise, and together, our diverse backgrounds will ensure Kunjila has everything she needs to realise her artistic vision."
Richa Chadha, who heads Pushing Buttons Studios with her husband Ali Fazal, expressed a strong connection with Kunjila’s script, describing it as one that "exposes the insidious violence against women veiled as ‘culture.’" She highlighted Guptam as a story about a woman whose mere decision to live on her terms unsettles many, a theme she believes "transcends borders." She also shared excitement about working with Jeo Baby, Payal Kapadia, and Kani Kusruti as a co-producer.
Jeo Baby, who previously collaborated with Kunjila on Asanghadithar, recalled being "floored" by Guptam. He described it as "a unique tale of resilience—gritty and moving at the same time," offering a deeply layered portrayal of human relationships through the lens of a witch-hunt.
Kani Kusruti noted how Guptam lingered in her mind, emphasising its relevance in depicting how women’s "small acts of resistance shape larger change, yet remain unacknowledged."
Kunjila's Asanghadithar received a special jury mention at the 2023 Kerala State Film Awards, and in 2024, the University of Calicut included the film in its Bachelor of Arts curriculum.