Veteran playwright KT Mohammed and actor Zeenath’s son Jitin made his debut with Malayalam short film
‘Names make up, but the problem is real’. jitin muhammad short film, Badri, begins with this disclaimer. For the first time, the director talks about a topic that was widely discussed during the lockdown – the mental health of children.
Badar, the titular character, is a young boy who lives in an apartment with his parents. Due to the lockdown, she is forced to stay indoors and her world now revolves around online classes and playing video games on laptop and her father’s phone.
His gloomy mood changes when he meets a cute little neighbour, Ambli, a young girl. They become friends over conversation in their balconies. He looks forward to talking with her every day… but the audience is shocked when they find out who Ambly really is.
Haidy and Diya in a scene from the short film ‘Badar’ directed by Jitin Mohammed. photo Credit: special arrangement
Jitin says, “Parents like to assume that we are taking proper care of our kids. But sometimes, I feel like they might be feeling lonely and I feel guilty for that. the story of Badri That concern was born out of it. “
Being a sensitive subject, he developed the story after discussions with doctors and psychologists. Jitin explains in the film that as of March 2020, 1 in 10 children are suffering from various mental disorders as per global studies and a large number of them go unnoticed.
Jitin is the son of popular playwright and screenwriter KT Mohammed and actor Zeenath. Badri It is a family affair for Jitin as their 7-year-old son Hadi plays the role of Badar and 4-year-old daughter Diya has been cast as Ambili. His wife, Salina, acts as Badar’s mother, mother Zeenath plays the role of Badar’s grandmother and friend, Limu Shankar, acts as Badar’s father.
The 19-minute film was shot in his own apartment in Kochi. “Dia was easy to handle as she loves the camera but Hady needed a little push. My wife found it hard to manage them. Since we had a small crew, multitasking was difficult,” he says.
Jitin has dedicated the short to the memory of his father. “I wanted to do something that did justice to the artist that he was,” he says. A graphic designer in Doha, Jitin left that job a few years ago to pursue his passion for art. “The dream was always there. But I always doubted myself and never had the confidence to write or direct anything and put it out to the world because I didn’t want to defame my parents’ legacy. However, once upon a time Later, I got frustrated with my job and left the job.”
It was his friends who encouraged him to write. These included actor Binu Pappu, son of actor Kuthiravattam Pappu. “He was all set to direct his first film on my script last year, but the pandemic forced us to put it on hold.”
acting was a big moment for them random cord, directed by his mother. A thriller, the film is gearing up for release.
Now working as a freelance graphic designer, Jitin is happy that Badri has been appreciated. His mother has posted a touching note about the work. “My only sorrow is that Upps (Father) is not around to see it,” he says.
Watch Badri on Youtube.
.