Kerala Cafe is a collection of 10 short films filmed by different directors and technicians while Ranjith steers the overall idea and concept and also produces the film. I have to start this post with a disclaimer. The only other movies of similar nature I’ve seen are Paris, Je’ t aime & New York, I love you. Thanks to Joshua who made me see the former, the movie was very good while the latter wasn’t a laudable effort.
Ranjith is a prolific script writer and director who over the past decade or two exhibited expertise in writing scripts to cater to the masses and also scripts which tread the line between art and popularity rather carefully. Some stories he has written / adapted for the screen are lilting and poetic. The list of directors comprises people who direct popular mass entertainers and people who make sensible movies that appeal to the class audience. The central theme of Kerala Cafe is journey (yatra) and all short films incorporate this into their theme.
Nostalgia is the first short film starring Dileep, Navya Nair directed by M Padmakumar, shot by Anil Nair based on a poem Naaduvazhikal . Two minutes into this short film you are shaken by the contrast of feelings in the protagonist played by Dileep who is an NRI from Dubai visiting his hometown in Kerala. Navya Nair plays his wife is the cynic in the frame who sees through Dileep’s actions. Sudeesh plays the role of Dileep’s friend in his hometown who works as a waiter in Kerala Cafe.
Island Express written and directed by Shankar Ramakrishnan has been shot on film by S Kumar. Based on the derailment and loss of 100+ lives when the Island Express derailed from the Peruman bridge in Kollam district of Kerala, this film brings together characters who have lost a loved one on that ill fated night. Sukumari, Maniyan Pilla Raju, Jayasuriya, Prithviraj, Rahman, Geethu Christie and Kani play warm roles in this short, each one having lived through the loss visits the accident spot. Maniyanpilla Raju plays the role of the engine driver from the night of the accident, to even attempt to describe all the subtle emotions on his face would be an exercise in futility.
Lalitham Hiranmayam is the next short directed by Shaji Kailas, stars Suresh Gopi, Jyothirmayi & Dhanya Mary Varghese. Rajesh Jayaraman writes the story while GSujith Vasudev captures the visuals on film. Suresh Gopi and Jyothirmayi are a married couple with a girl child, disaster strikes in the form of a confession Suresh Gopi does to his wife about an affair he’s been having with Dhanya Mary Varghese. This short was the one big surprise to me personally, I never expected Shaji Kailas, known for mass masala entertainers, to demonstrate skill and craft in narrating the travails of a man torn between love in a manner that is poetic and subtle devoid of swooshes one is normally used to associate with his name.
Mritunjayam is a story by Ahmed Sidhique, directed by Uday Ananthan, shot by Hari Nair. It’s a thriller, an IB officer seeks the help of his half sister to crack a case of murder in a haunted old anchestral mansion. Thilakan as the custodian and Rima Kallingal as his granddaughter light up the screen. Anoop Menon plays the IB officer and Meera Nandhan plays his half sister. This short is full of solid thrills, be prepared to get spooked. Audiophiles can use this short to setup sound levels on their sub woofer.
Happy Journey stars Jagathy Sreekumar, Nithya Menon and Bindhu Panicker’s voice. Written and directed by Anjali Menon, this short has been shot by MJ Radhakrishnan. A lecherous co-passenger played by Jagathy get’s the experience of his life when the teenager he’s been feeling up on a journey from Ernakulam to Kozhikode (Calicut) turns out to be a suicide bomber or so she says. There is palpable tension if you don’t double guess the direction the narrative is going.
Aviraamam written and directed by B Unnikrishnan, shot by Shamdat is the story of Siddhique and Shwetha Menon. IT businessman Siddhique is neck deep in dept due to the the recession. One fine morning he decides to take his life after packing off his wife and two kids to their grandparents house. There has to raw sensuality when Shwetha Menon is on screen in a Ranjith production, there is. However at the end of this short the difference between a good and bad actor is shown when Siddhique and Shwetha are shown on screen, one excels in conveying remorse, pain and the other leaves us confused.
Off Season is directed by Shyamaprasad, written by Joshua Newton, shot by Azhagappan. Suraj Venjaaramood narrates the story of a Portuguese couple which sorts of gives out an accurate picture of the backpacking foreigners we keep bumping into on trains and buses, the types that dont drive into a 5 star hotel the moment they land. This short is the funniest in the whole bouquet.
Bridge is a story by TR Unni, shot by Suresh Rajan and directed by Anwar Rasheed. It takes us in parallel through the life of a kid and an old lady. The kid adores a kitten with whom he plays, his Dad throws the kitten out of the house causing heartbreak to the little fellow. On the other side of the bridge is Saleem Kumar and Kalpana, dhobis by profession. They struggle to make ends meet and Saleem Kumar’s mother is getting too old to manage in a poor man’s house. The title is probably an allusion to the connection it makes to two different strata or segments in society.
Makal directed by Revathi is a story by Deedi Damodaran. Canned by Madhu Ambat, this short is a story of adoption, exploitation of the girl child where the naive and gullible are taken for a ride by the well heeled. One cant have anything less when someone as capable as Revathi is wielding the megaphone I guess.
Puramkaazchakal is an adaptation of CV Sreeraman’s story by Lal Jose, Vijay Ulaganathan plays the role of cinematographer. Sreenivasan takes a bus to Chalakudy via Malakkapara. Midway through the journey joins Mammootty, who appears impatient and arrogant much to the irritation of the crew and passengers. Mammootty is the only superstar in India who doesn’t distract me from his role, any role he plays I see the character and not the star. In a master stroke of a narrative this is the best short in the whole collection to me.
A big thumbs up to Ranjith for this fine effort, this is a laudable effort and needs to be encouraged in the interest of good cinema.
