Angammal's journey: A lockdown spark to theatrical release
The film took shape in Padmaneri near Kalakkad in Tirunelveli, where Vipin and his team stayed for three months
Vipin Radhakrishnan
CHENNAI: It was when filmmaker Vipin Radhakrishnan read the Malayalam translation of Perumal Murugan's Kodithuni during the Covid-19 lockdown, he decided that it deserves to be widely known, immediately sensing it needed a cinematic adaptation. “A son returns to the village after becoming a doctor and something as small as his mother not wearing a blouse triggers insecurity – that impulse to change someone to fit our idea excited me, because this is an ever-relevant theme."
The film took shape in Padmaneri near Kalakkad in Tirunelveli, where Vipin and his team stayed for three months. The region’s landscape, their conversations with villagers, and the real-life reference for Angammal reshaped the screenplay. “The initial screenplay was far different from what it evolved to be on location in Padmaneri. We didn’t want it to be an ‘artsy’ film; we wanted everyone to enjoy it, so it had to gain a cinematic tone.”
Even the actors, Geetha Kailasam, Sharan Shakthi, and others enhanced the screenplay with dialogue improvisations. "Once we saw Geetha's range, we even added more angles," Vipin shares.
Though an indie project, Vipin was certain that it should have a theatrical release, from the beginning. Director Ram became a mentor, later recommending the film to Karthik Subbaraj and Stone Bench Films, who supported its distribution. In Kerala, Bhavana Studios is presenting the film.
Angammal also won laurels at the New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) and the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. “During screenings in Mumbai and New York, people laughed even without understanding the language,” Vipin recalls. Actor Shabana Azmi praising the film was another happy moment.
Vipin says Angammal aims to quietly nudge viewers rather than preach. “If it sparks even an internal discussion, we’d be happy. The real challenge is getting people to the theatres – marketing decides profitability,” he says.
Angammal is Vipin’s second directorial venture, the first being Ave Maria (2018). A new Malayalam project is on his mind, but only after he finds some space and rest.
