interview: g aravindan MARATTAM: Do tell us about your film MARATTAM which is under production. This film is also based on the story written by Kavalam Narayana Paniker. The story is of the love (which is more an erotic attachment) which a woman feels towards the Kathakali character in Keechaka Vadham(the killing of Keechaka). The story of the film is different from the original. In the film after Keechaka is killed, a policeman comes to enquire about it. You can say that the film narrative is centred around the earnest enquiry of this policeman into the murder. The film can be divided into three parts. Each part is a version about the murder of Keechaka. The first version of it is told by Koipattiri who plays the role of Valalen in Kathakali. In the play he does kill Keechaka who was a bad man. But he has not killed Kelu, who acted as Keechaka; He cannot even conceive of doing so since Kelu is his friend and a good man. The first part acts out how Koipattiri kills Keechaka. In the film after Keechaka is killed, a policeman comes to enquire about it. You can say that the film narrative is centred around the earnest enquiry of this policeman into the murder. The film can be divided into three parts. Each part is a version about the murder of Keechaka. All the three episodes are rendered differently. The first song is rendered in the folk tune and rhythm of Thampuran Pattu of Southern Kerala. The second version is set to the tune of Pulluvan Pattu, and the third in the style of Ayappan Pattu. So what is the relationship of Koipattiri to Keechaka's murder? We have not made that clear. It is kept as a mystery. The second part is the story told by the wife of Koipattiri. She tells the police that she has committed the murder. But she has killed Kelu. She cannot think of killing Keechaka who for her symbolises the ultimate male whereas Kelu is an ugly and indecent person. She kills him when he makes advances to her. This is acted out in the second part. The third part of the story is told by the Chorus. They killed the artist in Kelu because Kochashan (tutor) from the 'Kalari' (school) tells them to do so. All the three episodes are rendered differently. The first song is rendered in the folk tune and rhythm of Thampuran Pattu of Southern Kerala. The second version is set to the tune of Pulluvan Pattu, and the third in the style of Ayappan Pattu. All the songs are written by Kavalam Narayana Paniker. In this film Kelu appears as 'Kelu' as well as in the role of Keechaka. Both roles are rendered in a similar fashion. Why is that? There is not anything realistic in the film. There are no dialogues either. There is only narrative poetry. How have you concluded this film? As the policeman goes back you hear the drums of Kathakali. A wayfarer tells the police that "today there is Kathakali at the 'Kolathu' (the temple theatre). The story is Keechakavadham and Kelu is playing the role of Keechaka". So is the film a fantasy play? It could be seen as such but we have not treated the visuals like that. The film sounds like Kurosava's RASHAMON which also portrays multiple versions of a death. This film has an overt resemblance to RASHAMON but beyond that there is nothing common. The form, the structural pattern, the narrative and the stylisation etc. are very different. How have you edited this film? I have kept a continuous movement while fusing the three episodes. Most of the shots used in the film are either crane shots or trolley shots. There is no still shot other than that of the policeman who is in a way, external to the story. He asks the same questions as any policeman normally asks for his First Information Report. You have shot MARATTAM for National TV. Has there been any restrictions imposed on you because of that? There is nothing like that... This film is based on Kathakali. So why did you use folk forms in music instead of original Kathakali tunes? Kathakali has its own rigidity. It is not possible to make a film confining oneself to its form. You told that MARATTAM you employed colours consciously? I have not selected the colours with any special emphasis or meaning. Yellow, maroon, white, red, black etc. are familiar colours used frequently in Kathakali, costumes, rituals, mural paintings and rangoli etc. Who are all the actors in it? The actors are from Kathakali and theatre. Sadanandan Krishnamurthy who acted as Keechaka is a Kathakali actor. Kalamandalam Kesavan is Koipattiri. Kavuti is the dance artiste Urmila and so on... You have made this film for Television. Do you think it will be fully understood and appreciated by the people outside Kerala? The film is subtitled in an easy style. There is also not much usage of Kathakali symbols, except in the beginning. I hope the film will be understood and appreciated. | Previous Page | Next Page | | Home | Mail | | History of Indian Cinema | Indian Parallel Cinema | History of Malayalam Cinema | | Malayalam Parallel Cinema | Malayalam Middle-Stream Cinema | | Malayalam Cinema Database |