Beyond the Wail

Healing touch

A film about Gujarat riots

Story of hope

“Sahira is a victim of the Gujarat riots and she represents those women who had to live their lives after losing their dear ones. My film is not about the Gujarat riots, but about post-riot Gujarat.

“I had visited Ahmedabad to do research for the film and I met women who could speak nonchalantly about the most gruesome atrocities committed against them or their family members,” says Chandran, who is also the script-writer. The last time Shoukath and Chandran teamed up, the result was the brilliant ‘Padham Onnu: Oru Vilapam,’ which fetched Meera Jasmine the National award for the best actor.

Priyanka is glad that she has got a powerful, author-backed role early in her career.

“I couldn’t have asked for more than a T.V. Chandran film. It is easily the most challenging role I have done so far,” says the former television serial actor who had made a mark in ‘Veyil,’ her first Tamil film.

Biju too is excited about working with Chandran. “He is a director with an eye for detail. Mine is an interesting character; he is a psychiatrist who helps Sahira recover from her traumatic past,” he says.

Cast and crew

The cast includes Suhasini, Biju Menon, Priyanka Nair, Thilakan, Sreeraman, M.R. Gopakumar, Indrans, Praveena, Zeenath, Kozhikode Santha Devi and Nilambur Aysha.

M.J. Radhakrishnan cranks the camera while Beena Paul edits. M. Jayachandran has tuned the lyrics by Girish Punthencherry.

The film would be shot in Wayanad and Gujarat. ‘Vilapangalkappuram,’ produced under the banner of Clear Image.