By Shankar Raj*
Thiruvananthapuram: ‘Aattam’ (meaning the Play) which won the best national feature film award announced in New Delhi Friday is a story of sexual harassment accusation made by the sole actress of a theatre group against a popular movie star who joined their team recently and comes at a time when the nation is angry over the rape and murder of a young doctor in Kolkata.
In real life, ‘Aattam’ is also the story of 12 young men who nursed ambitions of entering the Malayalam film world. They were all dreamers who had, a few years back, formed a drama troupe. As one of the 12 dreamers told the media: “Acting is in our blood”.
However, acting in dramas cannot be a means to livelihood and so they split and went on with their lives. Only two of them could make it to mainstream movies while the others went on to become Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) workers, tile-laying workers, labourers, painters and mechanics.
It was Anand Ekarshi, who wrote and directed ‘Aattam’, who brought the 12 men together and then thought of a plot for the thriller film which is loosely based on Twelve Angry Men, an American courtroom drama.
The film won the 2023 Grand Jury Award at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles. It was also chosen as the opening feature film at the 54th International Film Festival of India held in Goa and was the opening movie of the prestigious International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK).
“I used to come for every edition of IFFK, but I never dreamed that one day my movie would be screened as the opening film at this prestigious venue,” Ekrashi told the media.
Starring Zarin Shihab, Vijay Forrt and Kalabhavan Shajohn, ‘Aattam’ revolves around a sexual harassment accusation made by Anjali (played by Zarin Shihab), the only woman in the male-dominated theatre group. Anjali accuses a popular film actor, who recently joined the group, of groping her.
Angry at the turn of events, Anjali then leaves the group to join another theatre troupe. The film ends with a telling message where Anjali states that the man who committed the crime and the other men in the team who changed their stances according to their wishes are no different.
The movie is very relevant because when a woman opens up about sexual harassment on social media, a group of men often raises the “not all men” argument and invalidates her experience altogether. ‘Aattam’ proves the fact – ‘yes all men’ with its compelling storyline.
‘Aattam’ reminds us that women are not safe in their homes, workplaces or any public places.
Aatam also bagged an award for best editing.
Meanwhile, Saudi Velakka CC.225/2009 was chosen as the best movie under the Malayalam film category.
In Thiruvananthapuram, the State government announced the 54th Kerala State Film Awards in which ‘Aadujeevitham’, directed by Blessy, bagged the most number of awards with eight. Urvashi received her sixth Kerala state award for her performance in ‘Ullozhukku’ with Beena R Chandran for her role in ‘Thadavu’. Prithviraj was adjudged as the Best Actor (Male) for his performance in ‘Aadujeevitham’. ‘Kaathal – The Core’, directed by Jeo Baby, received the Best Film award while ‘Aadujeevitham’ was adjudged the Most Popular Film.
*Shankar Raj is a former editor of The New Indian Express, Karnataka and Kerala, and writes regularly on current affairs.
