Malayali filmmaker scripts success in Tulu
After bagging the award for the Best Feature Film in the Tulu language category at the 68th National Film Awards in 2022, filmmaker Santhosh Mada’s debut work, Jeetige, on Wednesday marked yet another victory when it clinched the Karnataka State Award for Best Regional Language Film.
Though the work was released in 2022, the state award comes a few years late on account of a pandemic-spurred hiatus in award distributions. But Jeetige is no less deserving of the honour, however late the latter may be. Truth be said, it could not have come at a more opportune moment.
Indeed, Santhosh’s latest Tulu Film, Pidayi, came runner-up in the Kannada Film Award category at the 16th Bengaluru International Film Festival held last week. It marked yet another milestone for Tulu cinema and for Santhosh, a Malayali filmmaker rooted in Karnataka’s cultural landscape.
“Jeetige holds a special place in my heart. It was after much struggle that we finally produced the film. So any recognition for the work is also a recognition of our hard work,” Santhosh tells .
Pidayi is the first-ever Tulu film to be selected in two competitive categories at the festival — Chitrabharati (Indian) and Karnataka Cinema.
On beginnings and inspiration
“I was born and brought up in Mangalapuram. Later, I moved to Manjeswaram. Surrounded by Tulu-speaking communities, I developed a natural affection for the language. So, when I forayed into filmmaking, I decided to make one in Tulu; to build a multicultural backdrop with the best of both worlds — from Theyyam and Bhoothakkolam to Yakshagana and Kathakali,” Santhosh says.
The inspiration for Jeetige stems from Jayaraj’s Bhayanakam, which portrayed the impact of World War II without directly showing the war. Santhosh's film, which is set against the backdrop of the Covid pandemic, follows a similar narrative style.
The film was also inspired by a real-life incident — Japan’s quarantining of 3,500 passengers aboard cruise vessel Diamond Princess after a Covid outbreak.
On breaking taboos
Pidayi, which means “came outside”, explores (and challenges) the longstanding taboo surrounding menstruation. The film follows a newlywed woman struggling with the tradition of staying in a separate room during her menstrual period.
“As a child, I was puzzled and found the practice of isolating menstruating women unfair. Through Pidayi, I wanted to challenge this societal norm whilst also providing a nuanced understanding of cultural traditions,” Santhosh shares.
What sets the film apart is also its devotional music. It was penned by renowned poet and musician Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri, who is also Santhosh’s uncle.
“My uncle has always been a heroic figure to me. After my mother’s passing in 2001, I lived with him for over a decade. It was he who introduced me to director Jayaraj, whom I later assisted in filmmaking,” Santhosh reveals.
‘Need due recognition for Tulu’
Shot predominantly in Manjeswaram, a Kerala-Karnataka border village, Pidayi has also inspired aspiring Tulu filmmakers. “Only about 100 to 150 Tulu films have been made in the past 50 years. But these recent awards have reinforced the importance of Tulu cinema,” Santhosh says.
Santosh also emphasises the need to see Tulu recognised as an official language. This, he feels, would grant it greater recognition. “Tulu-speaking communities are small, yet we have seen many from the community excel in a wide range of fields. Take, for example, cinema. There’s Aishwarya Rai, Shilpa Shetty and Sunil Shetty...,” Santhosh remarks.
That said, Santhosh, having made a mark in Tulu already, now plans to foray into Malayalam cinema as well, and has few projects in the pipeline already.