One day when I was shining as a screenwriter for big hit formula films, a famous Malayalam producer came to see me at the Mata Tourist Home where I was sitting and writing. I’m been in the theater watching his films, which have produced many good popular movies. I received him with great respect and love. He told me in the introduction that he had come up with the idea of writing a superhit film because one or two of his recent films did not run so well. I really liked his demeanor and speech. I have heard many people say that the party is a person who is very strict and does not miss a beat. Three or four have committed but I could not say no to him.
A week later he came to see me again with a story thread. Then there was sitting in my room the producer and director of the movie I was looking to do right away. He has heard all the expressions of love and flattery they show me. There was a sentence he said when the people in the room sat for a while and then left.
“Dennis, don’t trust anyone so blindly. In life we can only trust our shadow and mirror one hundred percent. Because the mirror does not lie. The shadow will not quarrel with us. “
I’m looking at him for a moment. Seeing him, I do not think he is saying such a philosophy. But I think his words have a lot of meaning. But I did not take it lightly that day. I am a person who has no faith in superstition and zeal. I have a habit of giving double love back to those who love me. We can not live without trusting anyone. I have had many experiences like what he said later but I have kept them silent without hurting anyone. What could be sweeter revenge as strong as silence.
Although there are a lot of ungrateful people in the film like he said, I have seen very few good people in my travels. Friendships and relationships that are half a century old … I still interact with them most of the day. I’m referring to some of them.
Let’s first come to the filmmaker Kamal …
Kamal is an accomplished filmmaker who has made many great films in Malayalam. Kamal’s third film ‘Appuppan Tadikal in Kakothikavu’ is a thematically new look that deviates from the traditional ways. Kamal’s Unni is a story that has been featured in Malayalam. It seems that there is no other filmmaker in Malayalam other than Kamal, who has made so many different and innovative films. Kamal has won eight awards from the state government for Best Director and Best Picture for films like Perumazhakalam, Nammal, Meghamalhar, Madhuranombarakaat, Celluloid and Before the Rain.
Now let me come to the intimacy with Kamal. It’s a very interesting experience. It can be described as a memoir of the 1981 period.
It was time for me to write the script at Mata Tourist Home. One day I went out and searched Mata and saw my friend Anthony Eastman and two others talking in front of the reception. To see someone is a boogie look with a little white fat and a long beard. The next party is a small boy with short stature. It looks like a sack that encloses with a drawstring. Sometimes it seemed to me that someone would be the brother or niece of the accompanying intellectual. I went to Anthony. After saying goodbye as usual, Anthony introduced me to his companions
Famous screenwriter Kaloor Dennis. Is my closest friend “.
“I’ve heard a lot of names. This is the first time I’ve seen a person,” the intellectual said softly.
“This is Padiyan, a newcomer director. Awaits release after the shooting of Trasam.”
I was introduced to the little boy who was with me.
“This is Kamal. Kakshi is the screenwriter and associate with Padiyan, and Patiyan’s nephew.”
When I heard that, I was stunned for a moment. The screenplay was written by such a small boy. I could not believe it. From the screenwriters and associate directors I’ve seen in the film, it seemed to me that Padiyan had been brought together to save money, as he was the youngest son of a very young boy. Then I went to my room after talking about movies for a while.
Then I saw Kamal in early 1986. That too at the Mata Tourist Home. Now Kamal’s little boy look has changed and he has come to a little maturity. During the talk, Kamal said that he was going to dress up as an independent director and that Mohanlal was the hero and that the film was titled ‘Mizhineer Pookkal’. When I heard that, I became excited. My suspicion was how a newcomer boy who was going to do a film for the first time got a date with Mohanlal.
“Have you worked as an assistant with anyone other than Kamal Padiyan?” I asked.
“Yes, I have worked with Lenin Rajendran, PN Menon, Sethumadhavan, Bharathan, Harikumar, Thampi Kannanthanam, etc. immediately after college.”
When I heard that, I was amazed again. I told Kamal that it was a great privilege to be able to work with such famous Malayalam directorial talents at such a young age. Although his first film ‘Mizhineerpoovukal’ was not a huge success, Kamal’s natural narrative style was especially noticeable.
Although Kamal’s film career began with Patiyan’s parallel film ‘Trasam’, when he first became an independent director, the opportunity arose to make a popular formula film. The sadness of not being able to make a film of his imagination had been lurking in Kamal’s mind for some time.
It was during this time that my friend Kito and I came up with a filmmaker. The driving force behind it was the famous producer KT. കുഞ്ഞുമോനാണ്. Kunjumon and I became friends when we saw Kunjumon on a train journey
“Edo, take a movie with him and Kito. You do not have to spend any money. I can take out the copyright.
“Then why not take it yourself? Aren’t you the one who made the film with the big set in Tamil”?
“That’s right, I don’t have time to go after the heroes here asking for dates,” Kunjumon said.
I had no desire to make a film in my mind. I was not interested at all at first but at Kunjumon’s insistence I consulted with Kitho. Then it was our best friend John Paul who instilled hope in us.
Then everything was in a hurry. The first step is to find a good story. Then John said that there is a novel by Kakkanadan. It is the story of the survival of a concubine. We felt good when we heard that too. When he told the story to Kunjumon, he also liked it a lot. When it came to the idea of who to direct next, I said I could do it with Joshi. Joshi and I are a team that has done a lot of hits.
I talked to Joshi.
“I’m glad I did the filming for you.
When Joshi said that, I was a little scared. Then consult with whom to do it. I mentioned the names of two or three directors, including Kamal. Finally Joshi told him to do it with Kamal. He is the right subject.
I went to Kitto and John Paul and told them the information. Happy for them too. John Paul and I decided to write the screenplay and dialogue.
The whole problem was when Kamal, John Paul and I had a screenplay discussion at Aluva Palace. The story does not move forward. After sitting for three or four days, Talapukanju traveled through many routes, but nothing worked. Finally Kamal said that he could go to Kunjumon and change the story. I went to see Kunjumon. The party does not agree to change the story at all. Kunjumon thought that when it came to the story of a queen, people would break into the theater. If not for this story, then Kunjumon needs a movie. He says to repay the advance. Where are we going to take it. Actors Jayaram, Sumalatha and Sukumaran have already been given an advance. We were in total crisis. In the end, we had to do “Unnikrishnan’s first Christmas” with the same story of Kakkanad. When the picture came out it happened exactly as we thought it would. The film was not a huge success.
There is a tendency in cinema to make up for the loss by taking the next picture if one film fails. But I was not interested in it at all. I realized that filmmaking was not a job for artists. Kamal said that he would do another film but I did not go that route again as I was busy with film again. John Paul said that where we lost we should try to win from there. Yet I was not ready for another episode.
Although our film was not very good, there was no lack of friendship between me and Kamal. Then, at the end of 1993, when I formed the MACTA organization, Kamal was at the forefront of it. Kamal was also the General Secretary of MACTA in 2004.
to be continued…