Consent should be a prerequisite for marriage: Director Ashraf Hamza

A. The idea struck me when actor Chemban Vinod told me that he was eager to know about Muslim weddings and wanted to do a film on the same.

It was then that I realised that Muslim weddings have never been portrayed realistically in Malayalam cinema. So, I tried to document the same. Indeed, the events depicted in the flick are all inspired by real-life incidents.

Ashraf Hamza and Lukman Avaran on the sets of ‘Sulaikha Manzil’. (Supplied)

Q. How did being a native of Ponnani help you in designing the characters?

A. It’s easy for me to set the ambience in a movie based in Ponnani since I know every nook and corner of the place. That’s not the case if I’ve to shoot a movie in another location.

The Muslim characters in my projects mostly hail from Ponnani and other areas of the Malappuram district and are inspired by real life.

Q. Was Thallumala a challenge for you since it also dealt with marriage?

A. I was a part of the scriptwriting team of Thallumala which again is a Ponnani-based story.

There are different types of weddings in Ponnani and celebrations are key ingredients in these marriages. Also, there are different types of celebrations — some of these are violent (like that depicted in Thallumala) and some are cool. But people do participate in them.

Related: Sulaikha Mazil deals with big fat weddings and couple issues

Q. Sulaikha Manzil deals with the inner feelings of soon-to-be-married couples. What were your thoughts while writing them?

A. I believe clarity is essential in any relationship.

In Sulaikha Manzil, Ameen (Lukman Avaran) is confused… Had Haala (Anarkali Marikar) expressed her love for Ameen, he would have gotten clarity on this. But for Haala, love is pure emotion. She tries to profess it as the movie progresses.

While writing this story, I had clarity about these factors and presented the same.

Ashraf Hamza’s latest flick ‘Sulaikha Manzil’ is running successfully in theatres. (Supplied)

Q. Chemban Vinod’s character is asked to get approval from his sister for marriage. Is there a custom like that?

A. As I said, all these are taken from real-life incidents and I do know one such instance that occurred in Ponnani.

I don’t know if this happens everywhere but I heard that approval from the bride is also sought, sometimes even before the wedding ceremony begins. It shows that consent from both parties should be a prerequisite for marriage.

In Sulaikha Manzil, Ameen waits to get consent from Haala and the latter also insists on the same. In the end, her brother is instructed to get consent from her.

Interestingly, the siblings don’t speak to each other for three-four years until that particular moment.

Also Read: For a second, I contemplated committing suicide: Shanthnu Bhagyaraj

Q. How did you decide on casting Lukman Avaran and Anarkali Marikar?

A. I know Lukman and other crew members much before venturing into cinema.

After Thamaasha (Joke, 2019) and Bheemante Vazhi (Bheeman’s Path, 2021), I wanted to do a movie based on Ponnani and Lukman was my first choice. He is a good actor and I thought he was apt for the role.

I saw Anarkali Marikar in a song on Instagram and was impressed with her performance. I invited her to the auditions and she was selected.

Malayalam director Ashraf Hamza. (Supplied)

Q. What is the response to Sulaikha Manzil?

A. The movie got a good response, especially in Malappuram and Kozhikode districts. We are organising special shows and night shows.

During our visits to theatres, we were amazed by the way audiences were owning it up. The film is also getting a warm response in the Gulf.

Q. Thamaasha and Bheemante Vazhi had serious issues. Sulaikha Manzil has humour, too. What can we expect from you next?

A. We all deal with the most common problems in everyday life. Life is a balancing act and I try to capture these small moments in my films.

My future projects, too, will reflect the same. In fact, I’m thinking of trying something new this time.