She is the first woman director in the Malayalam film industry to deliver a blockbuster, but Anjali Menon does not want to be labelled a ‘woman filmmaker.’ Of late, she has been more into activist mode as one of the founding members of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC). Close on the heels of the state government’s first-ever film conclave, the screenwriter-filmmaker opened up on the upcoming film policy, the kind of change WCC hopes to bring in the industry, and of course, her cinematic journey so far, in a conversation with the TNIE.
Excerpts
Having organised a film conclave for the first time, the state government is all set to bring out a film policy...
The government plans to address a slew of concerns raised by many. Consultations have been held with more than 75 organisations to hear their opinions and find solutions. Creating such a space itself is a great initiative.
Being a director and a WCC representative, what do you want the policy to highlight?
We did a lot of research on different reports, judgments, POSH Act, and their practical implementation... identifying issues and looking into appropriate solutions. In places like Japan, South Korea, South Africa, Australia and the UK, women groups/academicians have studied issues women face in the film industry. Based on those, remedies were suggested.
Do women across film industries worldwide face similar issues?
Yes, very very similar. Power, corruption, sexual harassment, and a lack of space for redressing grievances are all common issues. That’s why solutions too have to be similar. It’s the first time this is being approached in a systematic manner. I’m glad all organisations were given equal space. It’s a first for WCC, which otherwise is rarely included in industry discussions.
From what was earlier a creative space, has Malayalam cinema now shifted to being an industry with an increased awareness on work ethics?
Yes, awareness is seeping in slowly. For a long time, they didn’t feel the need for that. When change happens, a lot of resistance is bound to arise.
How good or bad is Malayalam cinema when it comes to women?
There are industries far worse than Kerala, with no space even to speak up. At the same time, there are better industries too in India. We feel optimistic when young producers are eager to comply with regulations like forming internal committees.
An often-heard narrative is that compared to others, the Malayalam industry provides much better working conditions and that WCC and Hema Committee villainised it needlessly…
If so why do so many people complain at the open forums and write to WCC with issues? These are not women’s issues but labour issues. This is a creative field. Creating narratives is part of the job. Resistance comes in many forms... some people say a straight NO. A few others try to weaken our movement. Some others resist by completely ignoring, or manufacturing a narrative. We have started countering all such narratives. When a survivor comes forward, the existing system makes it so hard for them. They continue as nameless, faceless entities, unable to present their own perspectives. Their narrative gets erased, while everyone else gets to have a narrative. Survivors’ narratives were missing for long. WCC’s biggest contribution is keeping the survivor’s narrative alive. Even the word ‘survivor’ – it was always ‘victim’ earlier – emerged only in the past seven years. Calling them survivor, not victim, is in itself a big shift.
Is it true that many actors lost opportunities after becoming WCC members?
One does become unpopular, not just in terms of getting jobs... your whole circle may change. There will be many who are uninterested in those taking a stand, many who think working with such people is risky. Being a writer-director, I speak from a privileged position. My risks are different. I’ve to ensure the safety of everyone on my set.
While choosing an artist, do you look at them as an artist or an individual? As a director, do you have an issue with casting someone who has faced MeToo allegations?
When I make a film, the process of making it is equally important to me; not just the success of the film. It’s a process where so many people work together... a creative collaboration. I’m very particular in making sure that in such a space, negative experiences don’t happen. So, if I’m really worried that someone’s presence may compromise safety, or harm my crew in any way, I wouldn’t cast him.
Even if that actor is the perfect fit for a character?
Even if they are perfect, I need to see whether they are perfect for my process. Often, it so happens that an actor’s process differs from mine. Ensuring the safety of both my crew and my process is my responsibility. If I sense any such threat, I prefer to keep it at bay.
Won’t that rule out the possibility of someone evolving?
There are people who’ve been in difficult situations, who’ve acknowledged their wrongdoings, and tried to reform. That’s different. We can’t punish someone forever, if they genuinely try to change. But one has to first call things out. Only then there is space for growth/transformation. You can’t create space before accountability.
Google describes you as the first woman filmmaker in the Malayalam industry to deliver a blockbuster…
(Smiles) That’s Google’s terminology. My career and work are parts of who I am, but not the whole. I am only sure that I won’t be the last. I want many to be there, many more. My gender is part of who I am, but when I direct, I don’t think, “I’m doing this because I’m a woman.”
You have an issue being tagged a ‘woman filmmaker’?
Yes, I do.
But that tag has inspired many women in Malayalam cinema…
I know... which is why I eventually stopped resisting. But the truth is a film doesn’t become a hit because it’s made by a woman. A film becomes a hit because audiences connect with it. That’s a gender-neutral space.
Isn’t a woman director’s experience inherently different? No male director has had to write a script while pregnant or shoot with a three-month-old baby like you did…
(Smiles) Yes. I do understand where the tag helps... it helps inspire women. Beyond that, I don’t want to compete based on gender. I’m trying to succeed in a gender-neutral space. Box office doesn’t have a gender. The only way to break the ceiling is through audience acceptance.
Could you take us through your filmmaking process?
When I make a movie, the intent is always to reach people and find acceptance. People began to notice me after one particular film became a hit. The film I made before that was a commercial failure. I was a woman director then too. My self-evaluation doesn’t depend on box office numbers. I’m a filmmaker. If the film is accepted, great. If not, that’s okay too. I just keep doing my work.
What was the experience like before ‘Bangalore Days’ happened?
It was tough in the beginning. Many doubted my capabilities. Before people believe in you, you have to constantly prove yourself. Some openly told me I wasn’t a great filmmaker and questioned my decisions. I told them: this is my film and I want these shots. But one good shot was all it took. And all were on board. Some women actors told me they felt a kind of freedom they’d never experienced before. It’s about conditioning.
Does a woman filmmaker face more hurdles than a male filmmaker?
Yes, she faces them until she makes a hit movie. A male filmmaker will easily get the chance to make the next film even if his first flops. But that isn’t the case with women.
After ‘Bangalore Days’, did things become easier for you?
Much better. People started showing interest in producing my films and I too got the benefit of the doubt... for instance, the feeling that maybe she is right. There is also greater investor confidence.
How do you prefer to be known as, a screenplay writer or a director?
I started writing because I love being a director. I’m always the first one to reach my film set. I really enjoy being on a set. I want to be at a new location each day. It’s like when one’s painting... you forget time and space.
Have you always aspired to be a commercially successful director?
I just want to make movies that people can connect to. That’s all I want… to connect with people. Film is just a medium.
Your films carry a nostalgic tone and seem rooted in personal memories. Is that a reflection of how you see life?
Must be (smiles). What you are will reflect in your films.
People raised outside Kerala can relate more to ‘Manjadikkuru’…
There are many aspects to being a migrant. We’ll always have a hybrid identity. I cannot say I’m a 100% true Malayali as I haven’t spent much time here. I was born and raised elsewhere.
How’s your filmmaking process?
I think in English. My first script is always in English. My draft itself is a screenplay with dialogue. At first, some scenes come to me. I write only those scenes. Then I think about how these connect, and about how the character graph will develop. Writing is very instinctive. When the first draft is almost done, I start thinking about its structure. I like to play with the structure. When it gets into a certain shape, I convert it into Malayalam. I have now started writing Malayalam dialogues as I can hear them clearly in Malayalam (smiles).
In your films, inanimate objects often take on emotional or symbolic roles. Is this a conscious creative choice?
I am a sentimental creature. Wherever I go, I collect things. My son teases me. We call it treasure. When he comes home, he asks me if I got anything today... it could be a leaf or a stone.
Also, male characters often appear fragile or vulnerable, expressing their emotions unabashedly. Is that a conscious choice?
I like the vulnerability in men. When we make a film, we create a world we want to see… it’s a window to our heads. I like sensitive people. There is no gender there. I like real, expressive humans. The struggle to express oneself is beautiful and witnessing that in another person feels intimate. I think we make it hard for men by always portraying them in a certain way. They need space to be sensitive. So, as a woman, when I create a male character, I show what I find most attractive. It’s just a part of the process.
So, you don’t like alpha males or macho men?
No, I prefer sensitive people (smiles).
Speaking of ‘Backstage’, female friendship is a rarely explored topic. Why did you focus on mending a broken relationship rather than showcasing an existing friendship?
In female friendships, resilience is a huge factor. A space one can return to, even if we think it’s lost… I think that’s really lovely. I haven’t seen that in many places. I love watching people take emotional risks. It’s heartbreaking when one person reaches out and the other refuses to accept it. I feel happy when someone cries after watching my movie. I’m someone who really treasures friendships. The idea was to show resilience… that no matter how far apart you are, there’s still intimacy.
These days, does your activist avatar take the upper hand over your creative side?
I think the whole WCC experience has been remarkable. When we joined, we hadn’t really thought much about it. But once within, we found ourselves among strong, vocal, opinionated women. Inside WCC the work structure is more lateral with hardly a hierarchy.
All have their opinions and express them freely. I’ve learnt a lot from the people I work with, especially academicians and teachers like Asha and Didi. They teach in a gentle manner... how to communicate without being violent even in disagreement, how to create space for someone and still hold on to your opinion. So, yes, maybe that experience really motivated me and maybe that’s why these stories happened.
Has that experience also transformed you as a filmmaker?
There are many experiences that shape you… this is definitely one of them. It hasn’t completely transformed me as a filmmaker, but it has made me more interested in the dynamics between women. Working so intensely with so many women is rare for me. I never thought I’d last this long in such a space. But it’s been a positive experience, so it has lasted.
There’s a rumour your next film is with Nazriya Nazim…
I too heard so… (chuckles).
Film reviews are a hot topic these days. Can reviews affect movies?
It does affect. First-day perception definitely does. I don’t think banning them is a solution. We need proper reviews. Filmmakers get genuine feedback from balanced reviews. It’s a reflection of your work, a communication from the audience. It is needed to acknowledge that the audience is an important part of the fraternity.
Filmmakers who influenced you…
I really adore Padmarajan sir’s works… my all-time favourite. I also like Gulzar saab’s works… very poetic. (Krzysztof) Kieslowski is another favourite. They all tell stories with intimacy.
What do you have to say about films like ‘Kerala Story’?
I haven’t seen the movie. But I think authenticity is the key; movies that are not authentic are problematic.
Political correctness in films is now much-discussed…
It’s a confusing space for me. As a filmmaker, you want to show the real thing. I think we should avoid glorifying certain negative things. That’s where I would draw the line. We are a society in which movies have a major influence. In such a society, glorifying negative things is not good, particularly when it’s a movie for family consumption… movies that will be watched by children. I think you need to be careful. On the other hand, there are movies which try to portray certain realistic truths. At times, such movies could be disturbing and shouldn’t be kept for family consumption. Pushing everything under the ‘U’ certificate... glorifying things by saying that it happens in our country... is problematic.
What’s the relevance of the censor board? There’s a perspective that censorship is unnecessary…
In an ideal world, there’s no need for censorship. But the way content is consumed in our country, I don’t know whether we are mature enough to have no certification at all.
You are a filmmaker who works with your own scripts. Is that because you feel it is tough to direct other people’s scripts?
I don’t know. Only now am I working with another writer. I loved the writing, and both our sensibilities are aligned. I’m excited as I’m interpreting another person’s writing. It seems easy, but I can say so only after directing it. Currently, another director is writing for me and I’m writing for another.
There have been reports about disputes within WCC. Are Manju Warrier and Vidhu Vincent still part of the collective?
Vidhu Vincent has officially resigned from WCC. Manju Warrier is a member and participates in meetings from time to time.
Many people who stepped forward with sexual harassment allegations in the light of the Hema Committee report have withdrawn complaints. Won’t these torpedo WCC initiatives?
If there is a system to handle this, such a crisis can be averted. If there is a system, I can work with anyone. Our fight is to build a system. If there is a system, the producer will benefit the most. People should be aware of what to do and what not to. Now, people are aware to some extent, but that wasn’t the case seven years ago.
The MeToo movement came at a time when a lot of women were taking up behind-the-camera roles. There now seems to be a tendency to keep them away to avoid ‘risk’…
If you have a system, you don’t have to worry about any of this. If unnecessary activities are prohibited, if there’s a POSH clause in employees’ contracts, they will report if required. There’s a mechanism to look into false allegations too.
As a filmmaker, what’s your vision?
I just tell stories. I don’t have any long-term vision. I want to live... storytelling is part of my life. There may come a time when I don’t make cinema, I may move to another medium. Who knows? Storytelling is something I know I’ll be doing all the time... in which medium, I don’t know. Cinema is currently my favourite medium. I share stories that have touched me. It’s building connections... I’d love to connect with an audience. When someone, unknown, and from a faraway, unseen country writes to you after watching your movie, it’s such a beautiful feeling. There’s a thread that connects all of us.
Many young women want to enter cinema, especially behind the camera. What would you say to them?
Don’t listen to anyone, just follow your instinct. In our social context, the hardest part is getting permission from everyone to enter the industry. You have to come into this medium for the right reasons. Don’t listen to anyone who says you can’t do it. Be well-defined about your goals. Observe, learn and be professional. And dont worry about pleasing people and trying to be the good girl. Do what it takes to protect yourself and take creative risks rather than just fall in line with what others expect of you. You need to have an original voice. More than anything, believe in yourself.
Don’t listen to anyone who says you can’t do it. Be well-defined. Otherwise, even if you’re a very good girl, it’s going to be very difficult. Also, I don’t think being the good girl really helps (laughs out).
TNIE team: Cithara Paul, Anil S, Aparna Nair, Unnikrishnan S, Parvana K B, Varsha Somaraj B P Deepu (photos)