A scene from Padam Onnu: Oru Vilapam

Shoukath’s debut movie based on his short story “Shahina” won sizzling critical acclaim and bagged a few national and international awards. A film that exposes the evils of child marriage and early divorce in Muslim society, Lesson One: A wail was the Best Social Film of the year. It also won the Best Actress (Meera Jasmin) and Best Writer awards. It was given the Best Asian Film Award at the Madrid Film Festival. The film has so far been shown in 28 festivals and has won 15 awards.

In north Kerala, particularly in the Muslim community, girls are married off very early to prevent them from going ‘astray’. Economically backward families opt for Mysore marriage – they give their daughters in marriage to unknown men from the neighbouring province of Mysore. The marital status or age of the groom is immaterial. Women have no say even in their own lives. TV Chandran throws light into the lives of those unfortunate girls through this movie.

This film is the story(set in Malappuram) of 15 year-old Shahina. She is very keen on continuing her studies, but is pushed into a marriage. For Razak, her husband, it is a marriage of convenience, another wife to slave for him and please him, and enough money to make it to the Gulf. Shahina breaks free, but the system eventually catches up with her.

The film is a wail, a wail for humanity and freedom.

Direction & Screenplay: T V Chandran
Cast: Meera Jasmin, Irshad, Mamu Koya, M R Gopakumar
Producer: Aryadan Shoukath
Cinematography: K.G. Jayan
Editor: Venugopal
Art: Abu Pattambi
Music: Johnson
Sound: Krishnan Unni

Other awards and participations

Don Quixote Award for Best Film, Mobyl Award – Bangladesh International Film Festival 2003.
Best Film on Social Welfare, Best Actress – National Awards 2003.
II Best Feature Film, Best Actress – Kerala State Awards 2003.
Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress – Kerala Film Critics Association Awards 2004.
Best Film, Best Actress, Best Camera man – Mathrubhoomi Awards 2004.
Best Screenplay, Best Director – Padmarajan Awards 2004.
Participation at:
Palmspring International Film Festival 2004.
Bangkok International Film Festival 2004.
Cairo International Film Festival 2004.
Indian Panorama at IFFI, New Delhi – 2003.

Meera Jasmine with Tamil actor Vikram (Best Actor National Award)and Mrinal Sen ( won the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award) at 51st National Awards, where she received Best actress award for her performance in Padam onnu oru vilapam

The Newspapers said

Meera Jasmine has been conferred this year’s ‘National Award for the best actress’ for her outstanding performance in the film ‘Padom Onnu Oru Vilaapam’. She surpassed more than 40 nominees, including the likes of bollywood superstar, Aishwarya Rai. With this, Meera Jasmine becomes one of the youngest actress in the entire nation to ever achieve this milestone.

The National Awards Jury said

Meera Jasmine has outclassed her competition. The jury’s was a unanimous verdict and we took little time to arrive at our decision. She was a clear-cut winner among the candidates.

Director T V Chandran has the uncanny knack to narrate serious themes in an engrossing way. He does that in Vilapangalkkappuram, in a highly effective manner. The film has bagged four state film awards and if your idea of film is not just melodrama and buffoonery, here is an honest effort that talks about some stark realities that are happening around us.

Zahira (Priyanka Nair) lives happily with her parents and younger sister in Ahmedabad, until a group of communalists wreaks havoc. After being gang raped, she barely manages to escape from the criminals before they set her ablaze. In a fit of panic, she hides inside a lorry but it takes Zahira to her father’s hometown in northern Kerala.

As Zahira gradually recovers from her pathetic state, with the help of doctors played by Suhasini and Biju Menon, she has to face a new crisis. She soon realizes that in our society most humans categorize themselves only on the basis of religions and castes!

Zahira learns more about the real world, where beastly minds are vying to pounce upon a hapless woman. Even during those tumultuous times, she comes across genuine souls like Gopalettan (Thilakan), who takes care of her like a daughter.

Vilapangalkkappuram succeeds in making the viewers think about the plight of the world around them and such an attempt should be wholeheartedly appreciated. Aryadan Shoukath’s story has been developed into a strong script by the director and he has made it into an absorbing movie.

M J Radhakrishnan’s camera, M Jayachadran’s music and Isaac Thomas Kottukappilly’s background scores helps in setting the right tone for the narration. Manjari’s rendering of the song, ‘Mullulla murikkinmel…’ hits right at the heart of the viewer and conveys the meaning quite convincingly.

Priyanka Nair, as the protagonist Zahira, gives a different meaning altogether to subtle acting. The rest of the cast including Suhasini, Thilakan, Biju Menon and V. K.Sreeraman also gives the right impact to their characters, making the film an engaging fare.

Though the director has gone for rather a conventional narrative style, it has its heart at the right place. It’s a pity that often we tend to ignore such passionate attempts to show realistic and truthful stories on screen. Watch this one as such mishaps as mentioned in the film can happen to any of us!