THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: While planning to make a film based on Anton Chekhov’s short story ‘Vanka’, director Jayaraj had never thought that it would be interpreted as a movie on conservation of environment. According to the director, ‘Ottal’ - which bagged the award for the best film on environment protection, was in fact conceived as a story on child labour narrated through the life of a small boy. ‘’Though we were focusing on child labour, the nature also had come as another essential factor as the movie was visualised against the backdrop of the scenic beauty of Alappuzha. In fact, thatelement had come as a blessing forus which gifted us this award and we are dedicating this award to the children whoare still being tortured,’’ Jayaraj told ‘Express’. The story is being narrated through the central character Kuttapayi, a child who reaches a cracker manufacturing unit after he lost his parents, where he is being tortured.]
‘’It was a movie made without expecting any awards. We decided to produce this movie after Jayaraj sir narrated the story during a friendly talk. Now, he had gifted us a glad news,’’ says Vinod Vijayan, who produced the movie along with Seven Arts Mohan.