Showrunner and director of two featurettes in Manorathangal, an anthology based on nine stories written by Jnanpith-awardee MT Vasudevan Nair, Priyadarshan’s connect with the film is evident in his conversation.
He turns emotional while talking about his work in the anthology that drops on ZEE5 on August 15, in which he has directed two segments, Olavum Theeravum and Shilalikhitham.
He says reading the screenplay of Olavum Theeravum (1970), written by MT, as a 15-year-old, inspired him to become a director.
Mohanlal in a scene from ‘Olavum Theeravum’
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Priyadarshan says, “Initially, I made my name by helming full-length comedies, then a rare phenomenon in Malayalam cinema. But there were other films in me that I longed to make. I was jealous of filmmakers like IV Sasi, Sibi Malayil and Hariharan who were directing movies that are now considered classics in the language.”
Priyadarshan yearned to helm a script by the veteran scenarist. “But I was a little afraid of him. He rarely smiles and has a serious expression,” he shares.
When he shared his disappointment with Mohanlal, the actor reached out to MT and requested him to consider writing a script for Priyadarshan.
Mamu Koya in a still from ‘Olavum Theeravum’, one of the films in the anthology ‘Manorathangal’
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“MT agreed and we met a couple of times in Chennai. That was when my father fell ill. He told me to immediately go to my father. I remember his words: ‘Cinema will happen again but parents cannot be replaced. Please go to him’. I did go but the project with MT sir did not take off.”
He had given up hope when out of the blue he got a call from Aswathy V Nair, MT’s daughter, a reputed dancer and choreographer. She told him about her idea of an anthology based on stories written by her father. Priyadarsan immediately rushed to meet MT in Kozhikode. They wanted him to be the showrunner as well as direct a film. He also got dibs to choose the story he wanted to direct.
Biju Menon plays the lead in Shilalikhitham
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“MT sir gave me Shilalikitham and I accepted it. I consider him to be my guru. It is like a Dronacharya-Ekalavya relationship. I have read every story of his and his stories have been a lodestone for me.”
Priyadarshan first approached Mammootty to essay the lead role. But for some reason, the thespian declined. Then he cast Biju Menon, Shanti Krishna and Joy Mathew to play significant characters in Shilalikitham. Biju Menon plays the protagonist Gopalankutty who persuades his mother to support his idea of demolishing their ancestral home and selling it.
Priyadarshan says he considers Shilalikitham his best work after his national award-winning feature film Kanchivaram.
Once the directors finished their work, they screened it for MT who shared his opinion about the featurette with the filmmakers. “I also screened Shilalikitham for him. We watched it together with Aswathy. After watching it, he took my hand, held it close to his chest and told me ‘nannayittunudu’ (well done), it has moved me’. My eyes filled. I could not have asked for more!”
Priyadarshan recounts how Aswathy had called him the next day after the screening to tell him about all that MT had enjoyed in the movie, which the veteran had shared with her. “She asked her father why he did not tell me all that directly. He said that his gesture had conveyed all that he wanted to say.”
He adds that even if he retired after a couple of films, he would always cherish MT’s words and that moment.
Priyadarshan got a chance to direct one more story when the producers were keen on a Mohanlal film in the anthology. Aswathy V Nair, creative director of the anthology and MT’s daughter, says they wanted a director with whom Mohanlal would be comfortable with.
Elated, he requested MT to edit the script of Olavum Theeravum and told him why he was keen on directing it.
A still from ‘Olavum Theeravum’
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Olavum Theeravum, directed by the late PN Menon, is a classic that tells the story of Baputty, a timber merchant. It was one of the early Malayalam movies to be shot outdoors. With Madhu and Usha Nandini in the lead, it is a story of another era that portrays a slice of life in Malabar.
“MT sir asked me if the story would have any relevance in the modern world,” shares Priyadarsan who assured him that it would be made as a period film. The director’s enthusiasm is evident when he talks about how MT edited the screenplay for a 50-minute featurette, making it the longest one in the anthology.
Thrilled at the idea of retelling the story, Priyadarshan told Mohanlal he wanted him in the lead as Baputty. He also wanted the entire film to be shot in black and white. “He told me he would certainly do it for me. I also reached out to Santosh Sivan and Sabu Cyril to come on aboard as DOP and art director respectively. Luckily for me, both of agreed. We had just six days to shoot.”
His pride is evident when he adds that they were able to shoot the story within the set time and yet make it a grand visual spectacle. “There is water, there is fire and we recreated every bit of that period. When we were shooting the movie, it was the first Malayalam film to be shot in black and white in the era of colour. By the time we were ready for the release, Bramayugam had been released!”
Priyadarshan says he could not have done it without his long-term associates such as Mohanlal, Santosh and Sabu.
“Madhu sir told me he wanted to see the film. He was all praise for it but he wondered why I had to make it in black and white when colour was already there even in the late sixties when the movie was first made.”
He adds: “My work in Manorathangal is a kind of guru dakshina.”
Manorathangal premieres August 15 on ZEE5