I approached Kumaran Asan by the eyes of director KP Kumaran: Sreevalsan J Menon

In reference to Mahakavi Kumaran Asan’s one hundred and fiftieth start anniversary, Gramavrikshathile Kuyil, a movie on the poet, reaches cinemas on April 8. Directed by auteur KP Kumaran, the movie stars senior Carnatic vocalist Sreevalsan J Menon as Asan. That is the primary movie to be made on the favored renaissance poet of Malayalam., a disciple of Sree Narayana Guru, and likewise a thinker, social reformer and entrepreneur. Born in 1873 at Kaayikkaram, in erstwhile Travancore, Asan’s life was intently intertwined with the wrestle for an egalitarian society in Kerala, the place caste didn’t decide an individual’s life.   

At a time when artistes are being discriminated on the idea of caste and faith, it’s pertinent {that a} movie on a progressive thinker like Asan is being launched.

Director Okay P Kumaran
| Picture Credit score: THULASI KAKKAT

“When Kumaran sir advised that I act as Asan, I used to be taken again, contemplating that I’ve by no means acted earlier than in a movie,” remembers Sreevalsan. Though a little bit reluctant to take up the position, the director made it clear to Sreevalsan that the movie wouldn’t be made if he declined to do it because it demanded somebody who would be capable of act, sing and render Asan’s immortal verses.  

“Then, I needed to rethink my resolution. I trusted his imaginative and prescient and entrusted myself to his route. I approached Kumaran Asan by the eyes of Kumaran sir, a repository on Asan, his works and philosophy,” says Sreevalsan, who has additionally composed the music for the movie. To organize for the position, Sreevalsan was additionally given a two-volume compilation of Asan’s works by the director.  

Carnatic vocalist Sreevalsan J Menon as legendary poet Kumaran Asan in KP Kumaran’s movie Gramavrikshathile Kuyil
| Picture Credit score: Particular Association

The movie is ready over the last six years of the poet, after he needed to give up the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP), of which he was the secretary for 15 years. By then, a lot of his nice works had already been written.

“We contact upon completely different elements of Asan’s life by his poetry and his work. The movie focusses on the internal turmoil of a person who was a trailblazer. Asan was a nominated member of the Sree Moolam Praja Sabha, the primary legislative meeting in Travancore.  Now we have recreated parts of his speech whereby he spoke in regards to the want for illustration of youth from ‘backward communities’ in authorities jobs,” says Sreevalsan.

The speech was shot in VJT Corridor in Thiruvananthapuram, which was then the Legislative Meeting constructing.

“What an artiste goes by is analogous, no matter whether or not you’re a musician, filmmaker or author. The sentiments overlap and I may relate to it. The discrimination, injustice, bouquets and brickbats, the awards…It was all just like what each artiste goes by even right this moment,” provides the vocalist.

The title of the movie is from a poem by Asan. Choose verses from his well-known poems akin to ‘ Chinthavishtayaya Sita’, ‘ Duravastha’, ‘Chandala Bhikshuki’ and ‘ Karuna’ and snippets from different poems have been rendered by Sreevalsan.

Primarily shot in Perumbalam, Aluva and Kalady, the digital camera has been cranked by KG Jayan and Santhosh Raman. KP Kumaran’s spouse M Santhamma Pillai is the producer of the movie.  

Within the meantime, Sreevalsan, who plans to show director in a few months, says his work with the auteur enabled him to get nearer to his imaginative and prescient of being a director. “I used to be capable of perceive cinema’s aesthetics, and to take a detailed have a look at the completely different approaches of administrators and the way they deal with a story. It was a studying expertise to work with him. Kumaran sir isn’t solely a educated particular person  but additionally an affectionate particular person. I cherish the prospect I set to work with him,” observes Sreevalsan