Shyamaprasad's 'Rithu' set for release

23 July 2009


Thiruvananthapuram: National award-winning director Shyamaprasad, who has churned out noted films based on literary works, has come out with his new Malayalam film 'Rithu' (season), this time on a different track. 'Rithu,' set for release on August 7, is based on a screenplay by freelance journalist Joshua Newtonn, unlike his major earlier movies.

'Agnisakshi' (1999) was based on a novel by Lalithambika Antharjanam, 'Akale' (2004) was based on Tennessee Williams' play 'Glass Menagerie' and 'Ore Kadal' (2007) was based on a novel by Sunil Gangopadhyay. All the films have won national and state awards and were shown in international festivals.

"My new work is a 'youthful film' and it talks about the new, earning generation and their value systems. It can be called a modern-day morality film," Shyamaprasad said. But 'Rithu' is unlike the contemporary films on youth, says the director. Though the story-telling is fast-paced, it has many layers, and picturises seasons that happen in the young people's relationships with friends and parents.

"Seasonal changes in relations affect the youth in many ways. Some face changes with courage, others just cannot cope with them," he says.

'Rithu,' Shyamaprasad's sixth film, tells a buddy tale that blooms in the landscape of a small Kerala town. It is about three childhood friends, who grew up in the same neighbourhood and studied in the same school and college, weaving up their dreams about life together. Once they become IT professionals, the three part ways in search of jobs.

The techies return to Kerala after three years to realise their dreams, but find themselves caught in different worlds with different ambitions, personal journeys and changed perspectives. Each finds that beneath their camaraderie, they have actually outgrown their old selves. Their lives now transformed with time, there are unexpected collisions of interests.

All the actors in the film are newcomers. The lead roles are handled by Nishan, a product of the Pune Film Institute, and Rima, a former Miss Kerala runner-up. Model Asif Ali plays the third character in the film.

Journalist K. Govindan Kutty and film director M.G. Sasi also play important roles in the film.

Shyamaprasad says the film has an engaging story which will not keep a distance from the audience. Music carries forward the film enhancing narration and the mood of situations. The film has five songs and all the songs, except one, are sung by newcomers.

Rahul Raj is scoring the music. "When translating a work to screen, I am following the world within myself and it becomes just another story," he says.