‘Nila’ is inspired by the women in my life, says director Indu Lakshmi

In an exclusive chat with South First, Indu Lakshmi talks about her debut feature film Nila and the characters. Excerpts from the interview:

Q. How did you conceive Nila‘s plot as it deals with a mother, a social worker, and also a doctor?

A. I didn’t mean to conceive the central character as a mother. We always limit our age and possibilities. In my thought process, at every age, we have certain things to do and power surely matters here. There are certainly limitations and the important thing is how we can do things positively.

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Shanti Krishna (middle) appears as Malathy in ‘Nila’. (induzvr/Facebook)

Q. Were there any inspirations?

A. Certainly, there were many inspirations from my own life and the women whom I know.

There are many women around us who are working independently (not just financially but in other aspects too).

Women these days like to be independent and it only represents the fire in them. That fire and their positivity help them overcome any hardships. They inspired me to write Nila.

Q. Tell us about the scripting process.

A. It was a marathon writing; I wrote the script in just 20 days after getting selected by Kerala State Film Development Corporation. I initially wrote it in Malayalam and then translated it into English. It was a big challenge for me.

Q. What were the inputs from late director John Paul who was also the jury chairman for selecting the scripts?

A. John Paul Sir wrote many scripts that inspired me. His stories have an emotional attachment.

He heard my story with love. The narration lasted for about three hours.

When we had a tea break, he shared his experiences as the producer of Oru Cheru Punchiri (A Slender Smile, 2000). It was a reference point for me.

He was a nice person and didn’t give us the tension of reading the script in front of a jury.

I wanted to seek his opinion but he passed away without watching Nila. His death is a great loss for Malayalam cinema.

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Mamukkoya and Vineeth in a still from ‘Nila’. (induzvr/Facebook)

Q. How did Shanti Krishna, Vineeth, and Mamukkoya come on board?

A. I had trust in my script and the lead character Malathy. I somehow believed that Shanti Krishna ma’am would pull it off (Malathy) easily since it was a performance-oriented role.

But I contacted Vineeth sir first and roped him in. After the narration, Shanti Krishna ma’am liked the script and gave her nod. Both actors are extremely talented and have vast experience.

Since I knew them well before the shoot, I shared a good rapport with them.

Similarly, I wanted Mamukkoya for Rahman’s role. I asked him indirectly first and then explained to him the story and his role. He readily agreed to do the role. But it’s really sad that he, too, passed away without watching Nila.

Q. I read that Mamukkoya didn’t read the script. Can you tell us more about it?

A. Mamukkoya sir told me that he would reach the shooting location directly and that was where I met him first.

And yes, he wasn’t given the script. Since he knew the story and his role really well, I briefed him about his scenes only during the shoot. He understood what to deliver and did what he was expected to do.

Needless to say, his performance spoke volumes about his vast experience as a versatile actor.

In a scene, his character Rahman is supposed to sit on the floor. I thought it would be better to get him a chair. But, by the time we brought one, he already sat on the floor. That was his commitment.

Similarly, there are some scenes where Shanthi Krishna’s character starts losing her memory. Here, Mamukkoya’s dialogues, mannerisms, and expressions helped add more details to the sequences and elevated those portions.

Mamukkoya was a jovial person and his counter comments brought smiles to our faces during the shoot. He also danced well. He was an energetic person.

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Indu Lakshmi with music director Biji Bal. (induzvr/Facebook)

Q. Ananya is a big surprise in Nila. Tell us about her character.

A. Since it was a surprise character, I wanted to have an actress like Ananya. I wanted a known face so that people would connect.

I checked with many theatre artists for the role of Nila but finally picked Ananya.

Q. How did you finalise the title (Nila)?

A. “Nila” is a metaphor for revival. Nila has the power to flow when it rains even though it is dry during summer.

For me, Shanti Krishna’s character of Malathy is a Nila. So is Ananya’s character and the rest of the characters in the movie.

The journey of a river or its revival is the essence I had intended for the film.

Q. Tell us about Vineeth’s character (Mahi) who wishes to get back to his work in America but is bound to take care of his mother.

A. Malathy has her own life and so does Mahi (Vineeth). They both (mom and son) are emotionally connected.

However, it’s not the parents’ duty to sacrifice their lives to raise their children.

For example, my children usually stay with me. But during the shoot, they stayed with my husband and his parents. Children are understanding and caring.

Personally, I don’t believe that kids are bound to look after their parents because they have their own life. We all have an individual journey!

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