I'm zero without my music: Subramaniam

L. Subramaniam was in Kerala as part of the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival.

A conversation with L. Subramaniam is like a beautiful jugalbandi. He begins slowly and melodiously and as you get hooked to it, he shares with you his special moments in a memorable conversation — the best one you have ever had — and winds up leaving you yearning for more. The Padma Bhushan awardee and violin maestro was in Kerala for a concert in Alappuzha as part of the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival named after his father, the legendary violinist who gave the violin a place of its own by separating it from the role of a mere accompaniment in Carnatic concerts. 

“It feels great to be back home,” begins Subramaniam. His father Lakshminarayana was from Alappuzha and his mother was from Tripunithura. “Kerala has a very high cultural literacy. Everyone knows something about music. It’s a pleasure to play for an appreciative audience,” he says. Subramaniam’s is a family of famous musicians — his parents, brothers L.Vaidyanathan and L. Shankar, wives the late Viji and Kavita Krishnamoorthy, children and grandchild. “Music has given me everything, even my family. I met Viji and Kavita due to this music. Now, my children Ambi and Bindu, and my granddaughter Mahati are carrying it forward. I’m zero without my music,” he says. Mahati, now six, performed with Subramaniam in Chicago at an opening concert when she was just three. 

The family is now on a five-continent tour as part of the Global Music Festival. The main segment of the show is Bharat Symphony, which marks 70 years of Indian Independence.

In Alappuzha, along with him, Kavita and Ambi are also performing. Kavita, who was a playback singer with 15,000 songs to her credit, explored her artistic realms after her marriage to Subramaniam. “She has completely expanded her realms to fusion, jazz and global fusion. It has been a pleasant musical journey together,” he says. 

Subramaniam keeps mentioning his father, his guru. “My father created a lot of solo techniques and redefined the approach to the violin. His efforts put all of us in the mainstream. In Sri Lanka, where he was a professor of music at Jaffna College, he took the popular tradition of nadaswaram — chinna melam and periya melam — to regular violin and vocal concerts with the likes of Rajarathnam Pillai and T.R. Mahalingam. His contribution to Sri Lankan music culture is immense. I have always felt that people need to know more about him,” he says. 

The worship was evident when Subramaniam decided to drop his medical career to pursue music and be like his father. “During my second year in MBBS, a German violinist spotted me playing and offered to take me to Germany. My father readily agreed, but my mother didn’t. She asked me to get a medical degree first. I was very disappointed then. Later I realised how insightful she was about the discipline of completion. With the degree, I could do my Masters and later a PhD in music. Also, back in college, I had the privilege of playing with Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar and Palghat Mani Iyer.” 

Chembai said Subramaniam wouldn’t make a single penny out of his medical career, but would be a Violin Chakravarthy, which he indeed became. Subramaniam has composed for hardly six movies, one among them being Ee Sneha Theerathu, a Malayalam movie. Why don’t we see more of his film compositions? “I am busy with my international commitments. Almost 95 per cent of my time is devoted to Carnatic music and global performances. In fact, my elder brother Vaidyanathan is good at composing for films,” he says. 

Apart from his international collaborations, there is the SAPA — Subramaniam Academy of Performing Arts in Bengaluru where 12,000 to 13,000 children, including foreigners, learn music. They have also developed a SAPA Baby Book that has practice lessons for children from the age of three. The school, run by his children, works in connection with orphanages and has also introduced music as a syllabus in regular schools.

Explaining his mission, Subramaniam says, “Every child should get exposed to music to increase their creativity and focus. The aalaapas, ragas, thanam and pallavi are all creative permutations and combinations of the seven notes. Hopefully, we can introduce music as a syllabus in schools in Kerala too.” 

Despite the increased burden to earn a professional degree, music still has takers among the younger generation. “There are always takers for classical music. People still play Bach, Beethoven, Thyagaraja, Shyama Sasthri and Swathi Thirunal. Whatever happens, once they experience the pleasure and contentment of pure music, it will stay. Music will never die,” he assures. 

Asked to pick his memorable show, Subramaniam gives a laugh. He has hundreds to pick from and a lot memorable ones — the UN performance with Yehudi Menuhin, the recording with Stéphane Grappelli, a few projects with his family, jugalbandi with Bismillah Khan, Peace Concert with Stevie Wonder, show with Pandit Jasraj, the one with his granddaughter, so on. You listen to him as if in a trance, keep on yearning for more and more.

 Published in Deccan Chronicle on July 30, 2017

A Polish admirer in Mollywood

 Bartosz Czarnotta's reviews of Malayalam films have many takers online.

Poland, for all Malayalees, is a word that brings a wide grin to their faces, thanks to the famous question Polandil enthu sambhavichu? (What happened in Poland?) from the movie Sandesham. Likewise, for Bartosz Czarnotta, a Pole, Malayalam is a word that makes him happy. “Keralite by heart” is how this cinephile describes himself. A specialist in south Indian movies, especially Malayalam, Czarnotta writes film reviews on the Malayalam movies he watches and has quite a huge fan base on social media. From Prem Nazir to Nivin Pauly, MGR to Vijay Sethupathi, Czarnotta knows every actor and posts birthday messages for them on his Facebook wall. He is so much in love with Malayalam that despite being bound to a wheelchair due to cerebral palsy, he has flown to Kochi twice — in December 2015 and January this year — along with his mother. 

Talking about how it all began, Czarnotta says, “Five years ago, I faced some personal issues and it was MGR who came to my rescue! I immersed myself in Tamil cinema. Its complex links with politics and MGR’s larger-than-life persona helped me overcome the crisis.” Always on his desk is a photograph of his hero — MGR. His tryst with Malayalam happened through MGR, whose biographical movie Iruvar introduced him to Mohanlal. “Lalettan blew me away with his performance as Anandan. The first Malayalam movie I watched was Pranayam. Then came Namukku Parkkan Munthirithoppukal, Dasaratham and so on,” says the young Pole, who also got the opportunity to enjoy the actor’s hospitality in Kochi. “I was lucky to meet Lalettan twice. He is so simple, caring, gentle and easy to talk. He covered the cost of my stay at Travancore Court during my first visit,” he says.

But Czarnotta doesn’t want to be branded as a Mohanlal fan. “I love Mammookka too. I am not comfortable with being framed as just a Lalettan fan, especially in the context of well-known fan fights over the legends,” he adds. Though he met several actors, directors and technicians during his Kerala stay, his visits had another purpose too. “I am trying to promote Malayalam and to some extent, Tamil movies, in Poland. Till now, I have organised three university screenings of movies — Maheshinte Prathikaram at Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Tamil movie Uriyadi at Wroclaw University and Angamaly Diaries in Warsaw.”
The response was very positive, especially from students, but there is a long way to go. “I am collaborating with some distributors of Malayalam and Tamil movies in Europe and I am trying to facilitate their operations in Poland. Though there is a market for Malayalam movies, the beginning is full of challenges and struggles. Malayalam movies are not known much even among Polish diplomats who have contacts in Bollywood,” he rues. He is also happy that Polish movies are well-received in Kerala. “I am aware that three Polish movies were screened at the recent edition of IFFK. From time to time, I get requests from friends to recommend good Polish movies. So I can smell that, if marketed well enough, Polish movies would find a place in Kerala theatres quite easily,” he says hopefully.

Apart from reviewing movies in the English language, Czarnotta pens poems in Polish too. Two of his works have been published. But he hasn’t found many Polish translations of Malayalam literature. “A vast majority of Polish academic-driven indology is about north and west India. So there are very few translations, I suppose,” he says. However, he has read English versions of many works like Kamala Das’s My Story. Translation is a barrier for him when it comes to movies too. “Lack of proper subtitles is a serious issue. That’s why I miss many old movies. But it is improving,” Czarnotta feels. His favourite picks from the recent past are Drishyam, Maheshinte Prathikaram and Munnariyippu as well as Joker in Tamil. 

He is also aware of the famous phrase Polandine patti oraksharam mindaruth (Not a word about Poland), though he hasn’t been able to watch Sandesham fully for lack of subtitles. Poland, for Kerala, is the country that witnessed the fall of the 40-year-old Communist regime. “Interestingly, in Polish political mindset, Keralites’ attachment to Communism is widely considered as strange and even shocking. In contemporary Poland, there is very little space for Left-leaning politics,” he observes. 

Most of his film reviews lack harsh criticism. Is it part of his soft nature? “I am criticised for that, though avoiding harsh attitude is part of my character. But check my review of Pulimurugan or Kabali. I am not always soft. I am just being honest with my reviews,” he states, adding that he also watches Polish movies. Czarnotta’s Polish write-up about the poetic impressions in Mammootty-starrer Varsham resulted in many of his Polish friends watching the movie. He has a lot more to do. 

“I am trying to bring Sunday Holiday and possibly Richie to Poland. The main problem is that most distributors are reluctant to cover the costs of Polish subtitling, which is mandatory for regular screening of foreign movies in most theatres here. Subtitles will increase viewership,” he feels. 

Czarnotta regrets not being able to meet Mammootty while in Kerala. “I tried to meet Mammookka twice. In 2015, he was unwell and the last time, he was away when I was in Kerala and returned only on the day I left,” he says, adding he is glad that Dulquer Salman commented on his review of Charlie. 

Winding up the conversation, Czarnotta says he can feel how much people love the big M’s. He states, “The immense love Keralites have for Lalettan and Mammookka is something really special. This should be analysed and described in depth, also in a scientific context. I am touched when I experience again and again their profound significance in the collective identity of Kerala.”

Published in Deccan Chronicle on July 29, 2017

Tollywood calling Aish

 The film industry can't seem to get enough of Aishwarya Lekshmi. This model-turned actress will now star in a Telugu film.

It seems as though Aishwarya Lekshmi has consumed Felix Felicis, the magical luck potion that brings one fortune after fortune. The model-turned actress, who is romancing two most-admired stars — Nivin Pauly and Tovino Thomas — in two Malayalam films, has also bagged a lead role opposite Nandamuri Kalyan Ram in a Telugu movie. “Everything seems like a dream,” says the pretty lass, who is still excited. 

Her debut movie Njandukalude Naattil Oridavela, in which she is paired with Nivin, came to her as a casting call. “The makers were looking for girls to play Nivin’s heroine and sister. I went for the audition dressed in jeans and a t-shirt and sported a messy bun. Director Althaf C. Salim was instantly impressed. That was his vision for the character,” she says. She plays the role of a Bengaluru-based techie, who is happy-go-lucky, just like her. 

“I can easily gel with people. So the role didn’t need much homework. But, being my debut, it was difficult, especially the dubbing part,” she says. Njandu... also marks the return of yesteryear actress Shanthi Krishna to the big screen. All gaga about the actress, Aishwarya says, “You have to see her to believe how pretty she is. You can’t even stand anywhere near her. That’s how radiant she is. Though we had no combination scenes, we interacted a lot. She is a gem of a person.” The movie is expected to reach cinemas on September 1. 

In her second movie — Maya Nadhi, directed by Aashiq Abu and penned by Shyam Pushkaran and Dileesh Nair, she portrays Tovino’s love interest. “Maya Nadhi came soon after Njandu. I auditioned twice, before being chosen. The shoot is so much fun and is a big training ground for a debutante like me. I am often unable to believe that I am working with legends like Shyam ettan. It’s so surreal. Everyone on the sets is so supportive and chill. Maya Nadhi is the best thing that has happened to me,” she explains. 

Interestingly, Maya Nadhi and the Telugu movie were offered to her on consecutive days. She didn’t have to think twice before grabbing them. Her parents were tense, especially after the recent controversy over the safety of actresses. “Dad used to accompany me to the sets. Soon, he realised there is nothing to worry about and now I am on my own,” says Aishwarya, who is also an MBBS student. Only the house surgency part is left now. Along with movies, she also wants to do higher studies. 

Right now, Aishwarya is in Chennai, busy with her Telugu coaching classes. She misses her Maya Nadhi crew. “I miss our pep talks between the shots and the fun moments.”

Published in Deccan Chronicle on July 24, 2017

From Annie's food laboratory

Her culinary show is quite a rage, but Annie Shaji Kailas is as grounded as ever.

Speaking from the other end of the phone, she sounded like just another Palakkari with her cheerful dialect, loud voice, frankness and sweet chiding. Annie Shaji Kailas says she has always been “outspoken”. “I always speak my mind, whether people like it or not,” says the mini-screen darling, who hosts a culinary show Annie’s Kitchen, which is running into its second year. 

The show, along with recognition, also brought her trouble. A couple of days ago, her husband – ace director Shaji Kailas – had put up a post on Facebook saying they were getting a lot of calls about a new restaurant in the capital bearing the name of Annie’s show and it was not theirs. “I don’t even want to think about it,” says Annie, adding, “We were flooded with calls. I don’t want to take credit for the fruits of another person's labour. It’s just not fair. That’s why we put up a clarification. The restaurateur too cleared the air by claiming it was named after his daughter and was in no way related to me.” 

Annie had chosen to stay away from limelight during the heights of her stardom following her marriage to Shaji Kailas. Only recently did the couple celebrate their 21st wedding anniversary. How time flies! Yet it seems she was always here, like Sruthi, the naughty tomboy in Mazhayethum Mumbe. “It’s all because people love me like a member of their family. People think of me as their own kochu and remember me in their prayers. Isn’t that great?” she asks. 

So, how does she prepare for the show? “It’s all an experiment. My home is my laboratory. And looking at my family, you might get an idea about how successful the experiments are,” she laughs, adding, “Now, I have to force them all to join the gym.” The kids – Jagan, Sharon and Roshan – are all great fans of their mom’s dishes, but Annie says as parents, they have taken extra care not to spoil the kids. “Yes, we do pamper them with food, but not with money and expensive stuff. They are growing up learning the value of their dad’s sweat. We are training them to live independently without specific demands or rich facilities. We are bringing them up them like how our parents brought us up,” she says. 

The couple’s son Jagan is stepping into film-making with short films. “I am glad. I am very particular about him following his passion with dedication and clarity, but only after completing his studies. Cinema is a highly competitive field, where you may or may not succeed. So you should always have another career option. Shajiyettan is very supportive of his dreams, but first, he needs to complete his studies. He has the best university to learn filmmaking – his dad. He can start off by assisting him, but not with the advantage of being Shaji Kailas’ son. I hope he faces all the struggles to become a successful film maker, without his dad’s backing,” she says. Annie, the starlet, ruled the film industry for three years with 15 movies and people haven’t got enough of her. But she says she will never be back. “I am happy to be known as Mrs. Shaji Kailas. My happiness lies in the well-being of my family and nothing else. This is my world and I am happy as the queen of my home,” she adds. 

About the casting couch allegations in the industry, the former actress states, “During my days, there were no such issues. What happens now in the industry is beyond my purview. My husband never brings movies home and I have no close friends in the industry. My best friend is my husband.” Annie can also never be found on Facebook. “The only book I know is our budget book at home. I am not in the least interested in other people’s business. I just live my life happily with my family,” she concludes.

 Published in Deccan Chronicle on July 22, 2017

Taking the taboo out of period

As a couple of Indian companies implements the First Day of Period Leave' policy, we garner differing opinions on the issue.

Almost everyone would have faced those ‘embarrassing’ classroom moments wherein either they or one of their classmates had to walk out with a huge red blot on their skirt, followed by murmurs and hushed talks. For long, menstruation and sanitary napkins were mentioned in animated expressions, code words and sign language. Not anymore. After Mumbai-based Culture Machine and two media firms in Kerala announced period leave for their employees and girls took to the streets with sanitary pads and placards that read ‘Do not tax my period’, menstruation has been promoted from a taboo term to something that need not be ‘whisper’ed. There are varying opinions on the turn of events. “In Kerala, the first loud voice on period was heard in 2015 during the ‘Happy to Bleed’ hashtag campaign against a sexist comment made by the chief of Sabarimala temple. 

 “Though women are announcing on virtual platforms that they are not ashamed of menstruating, in real life, many can't still bring themselves to talk about it," observes Arjun Unnikrishnan, a third-year law student, who is part of the Red Cycle campaign for menstrual awareness among schoolchildren. He also says the protest against 12 per cent GST on sanitary napkins was farcical. “The protesters writing slogans on napkins that could not be used, while calling it a necessity, seemed hypocritical to me,” he says. However, he feels the period leave announcement, though a positive step, doesn't call for much celebration. “Positive steps might be coming in, but the barriers are still there. People claim to be progressive, but when real issues crop up they turn the tables and show their true colours, like what happened after Kerala announced the first transgender policy in India. The 'friendly' tag was nowhere to be seen when transgenders faced a real issue. That might happen in this case too.

“In my opinion, focus should be on menstrual awareness among boys and girls in schools, hygienic practices like napkin disposal, the health of sanitation workers who handle menstrual waste, and open discussions in the family level. Anyway, I welcome the move and hope other organisations will follow suit. But still, we have a long way to go,” he says. Divya Geeth, coordinator, Kerala Social Security Mission, too thinks that no amount of speaking out can be effective without a change in public mentality. “Every child, irrespective of gender, should be taught about menstruation from class 5. Give them the example of their own mother whose painful physical processes and reproductive mechanism resulted in their birth. I am sure boys will grow up respecting women,” she feels.

Divya moots the idea of providing proper facilities for women. “In olden days, women had the advantage of taking rest even though they were ostracised in the name of impurity during the menstrual cycle. But now, even if a period leave is availed, how many women can stay at home and take rest? There is practically no resting time. Instead, companies should offer a proper resting space, where one can lie down till they feel better, and a clean, spacious bathroom with a sanitary napkin vending machine. Proper facilities are the need of the hour. The same is applicable for schoolkids and teachers; they too need a space to take rest during cramps and pain,” Divya suggests.

Expressing happiness over pioneering the period leave policy, Devleena S. Majumder, president, People & Culture, Culture Machine, says speaking out makes India progressive. “People are becoming more open about menstruation and it makes us progressive as a nation. By bringing in the policy, our idea was to break the taboo. “People never talk about it. Many women face insufferable pain and have to lie about it to avail a leave. With this step, they can go ahead and ask for a legitimate leave. It's a more conducive work environment for women. Of course, there are negative comments and objections, especially when it comes to implementation from other firms, but we don't pay attention to those because so many positive responses are coming in,” she says. When asked if the new policy is practical in Kerala, Sanjay Vijayakumar, chairman, Startup Village, says, “It is definitely possible across the country. And my view is, why not. I think where this becomes important is in large companies with leave policies in place. In startups, there would be no such strict policy, it would be flexible. If someone is ill, regardless of the gender, we request them to stay at home, be healthy and come back. We prioritise health over work. It is a relaxed culture with no regular system of coming in at 9 a.m. and leaving by 5 p.m.” Period leave is not practical in all fields of work, feels actress Lena. “The move is a proof of people speaking out in the open. A lot of cultural differences over the years have resulted in an open mentality among people. So all these are steps are welcome. However, I am afraid steps like these are impossible in the film industry, which functions not a 9-to-5 basis, but on commitment and cooperation. No person can be substituted in a project and so unfortunately, we cannot enjoy such privileges,” she says. Many have commented, especially on social media, that menstruation, being a strictly personal matter, need not be celebrated and a sick leave would have been a better term. To this, Devleena responds, “See, pregnancy is also very personal. But no one applies for sick leave instead of maternity leave. Renaming it won't help break the taboo. Just accept menstruation as a fact.” If one goes by the 'I-am-proud-to-bleed' theory like she says, no more can any big-screen villain taunt a heroine with the phrase ‘blood on the moon’, ‘red letter day’ or’'that month of the day’. Say the word, period.

(With inputs from Cris)

 Published in Deccan Chronicle on July 21, 2017

Partners in flight

Childhood sweethearts Sanjay and Riya are a much-loved travel vlogger duo who go by the name Trip Couple'.

Sanjay Haridas and Riya Tony have known each other since childhood. As they grew up, their friendship blossomed into love and with their parent’s blessings, they got married and flew to the US, where Sanjay worked as a software developer and Riya joined for MBA. Till now, it was just another happy story of two childhood sweethearts. What follows is a wonderful journey of two adrenaline junkies.

Every weekend, the couple, both 26 years old, explore new places, make videos, edit those and upload it on their YouTube channel Trip Couple, which has brought the vloger couple a huge fan base. Speaking over phone from New York, Riya says, “The channel was initially named ‘Kantha Njanum Varaam’. But since people here call us ‘Trip Couple’, we decided to rename it.” 

The journeys happen over the weekends. At times, they spend the nights there. Apart from visiting the place, the couple makes it a point to learn more about the place, explore the food, culture and history. “We go with a schedule. I do the research part by planning the places to visit, the less-explored sites, off-road adventures, food and accommodation. We always try to include in the videos interesting trivia about the places. The shoot, edit, graphics and music are handled by Sanju,” says Riya. 

They have explored Boston, Philadelphia, Napa Valley, San Fransisco, New Jersey, etc in the past one and a half years. The most memorable journey was to San Fransisco where they spent two whole weeks. “That was our best trip. It’s beauty everywhere in San Fransisco. We went to the McWay Falls, Big Sur coast, Muir Woods, Alcatraz Island, so on. Many beautiful spots were not frequented by people as they weren’t featured in the lists of tourist spots.” 

The trip was memorable in another way too. At San Fransisco, a purse containing Riya’s passport and Green card were stolen from their car. Till the new IDs were issued, their travels were limited to the borders. The farthest they could travel was to the Canadian border. Not all trips were fun-filled either. Only with a shudder can Riya recall that scary trekking night in Pennsylvania. “It was a trip full of mistakes. We started trekking in the evening by 7 — our first mistake. After almost two hours, we reached the top and while descending, I almost stepped on a rattle snake. I jumped back and both of us fell down through the thorny bushes. Suddenly, it turned dark and we could sense the presence of wild animals around. We couldn’t think of anything, forget lighting the torch! We ran through the pitch black and reached the starting point in just 20 minutes! So, our next video was titled ‘Travel Tips: Trekking essentials’,” she laughs.

They have so far posted 37 videos. Interestingly, all those are not travel diaries. A three-part series is about the Montauk Project, alleged secret government project conducted as part of developing psychological warfare techniques like time travel, at Camp Hero on Long Island, where they live. “There are a lot of conspiracy theories about the experiments conducted in connection with the project. It is said that a ship was attempted to be made invisible, following which many lives were put in danger. The entry to the site was banned and we couldn’t get permission. But we did some research and made a video on what we came to know.” 

The couple also did a Halloween special video by visiting three haunted places — the infamous Amityville horror house, Lake Ronkonkoma and Pilgrim Psychiatric Centre. “Sanju loves horror stuff and I am scared about those. He planned the trip to bust the horror myths and my fear. Though he preferred a night journey, I didn’t want that. All along the way, people kept on asking us to go back. That trip was very interesting though I haven’t yet got rid of my fears,” giggles Riya. 

The videos were earlier shot on handycam, but later, as the subscribers increased, they invested on cameras, mic and drone and improved the video quality by adding interesting visuals, background score and graphics. “It has grown out of travelogues. Earlier, our backpacks had clothes. Now, it is more equipment and bare essentials. We always ensure packaging the videos in a pleasant manner with colourful visuals and happy presentation. We want to inspire people to pack their backs and distress themselves by exploring the world,” she says. 

The duo wants to globetrot and explore more countries and continents and if possible, stay there and experience the magic the places offer. They are also regretting not having been able to travel across India. During the next vacation, possibly next year, they are planning a big family trip covering many places, especially Hampi, where they had planned their wedding photo shoot that didn’t happen. 

As their vlog description reads, the couple’s motto is: Hit the road, live the moment, tell the story. Theirs is indeed a match made in heaven!

https://www.deccanchronicle.com/lifestyle/astrology/weather-and-prayer-timings-for-tuesday-august-19-2025-1898268

 Published in Deccan Chronicle on July 20, 2017

Movie Review: Hadiyya: A yawn-inducing drama about nothing

The introduction of Sarah as a Mother Teresa-like nun with rouge-reddened cheeks and fake eyelashes evokes a hearty laugh.

Cast: Nishan, Ragini Nandwani, Leona Lishoy 

Music: Sharreth 

Director: Unni Pranavam 

Hadiyya, which comes with the tagline ‘A gift of love’ tries to convey that religion is founded on love and humanity. But, it loses the plot midway, leaving the audience baffled, unable to understand what Unni Pranavam intends to say. 

The movie revolves around an architect named Brahmanandan, played by a stone-faced Nishan; Sarah, the pretty Ragini Nandwani, a nun-turned-babe; and Leona Lishoy, who adds one more role to her series of duds. 

Right from the first dialogue, drama rules the scenes. The introduction of Sarah as a Mother Teresa-like nun with rouge-reddened cheeks and fake eyelashes evokes a hearty laugh. Despite their respective parents agreeing to their marriage, the couple is forced to convert to each other’s religion and so they choose Islam. In the haste to treat all religions with equal importance, the director turns the whole movie into a long-winded narrative. Khadija (Leona), whose story runs in parallel to that of the lead pair’s, suddenly gets pushed to the front and adds to the complexity. Leona puts up a fine performance and is a talent to watch out for, but she needs to be more careful with her choice of movies. 

In her umpteenth role as the aristocratic mother, Urmila Unni delivers a good show as Brahma’s mom. In the humour department, Lukman, Jayakumar and Kottayam Pradeep evoke a few belly laughs. Dharmajan Bolgatty starts to get on one’s nerves with his repetitive acts. If you choose to ignore his cameo in the opening song, Sharreth has done a good job as a composer. His comeback songs, though melodious, are not his best. The two who deserve a special mention are Saran and Devi. They had the tough job of lending their voice to the lead pair. 

Watch Hadiyya if you are impatient to wait for the episodes of daily soaps and want to experience mini-screen drama in one go!

 Published in Deccan Chronicle on July 16, 2017

All eyes on Aparna

Acting is not the only feather in Aparna Balamurali's cap. This girl, who played Jimsy in Maheshinte Prathikaram, can also sing!

Just three years and a handful of movies, yet it seems Aparna Balamurali has been here for a long time. As Jimsy from Maheshinte Prathikaram, she walked into the screen unnoticed and unpacked her bundle of talents. She first won us over with her acting and then with her sweet voice. It seems her first song, Bijibal’s composition, started the winning streak. The latest release Sunday Holiday marks her fifth movie as a singer; this time with a song composed by Deepak Dev. 

“It was so cool working with Deepak ettan,” says Aparna, adding, “The movie had four songs, all rendered by male singers and the makers felt it would be nice to have a female voice. Since they knew I sing, I was offered the chance and I grabbed it. I was very tense about working with such an experienced musician for such a beautiful song. But he was very encouraging and said I sang like a professional. That was a precious comment, coming from a musician of his stature.”

Without anybody noticing, Aparna crooned five melodies, including one in Tamil — all under different composers. The Maunangal song was followed by Thennal nilavinte composed by Shaan Rehman in Oru Muthassi Gadha, Vinnil theliyum by Anand Madhusoodanan for PaVa and now Deepak Dev’s Mazha Padum, the duet with Aravind Venugopal. The Tamil one ‘Mannippaya’ was from Ettu Thottakal, which marked her Kollywood debut as an actress. Laughing, she responds, “I have been very lucky. Singing Tamil was a tad difficult at first, but slowly I got the hang of it and it went well.” 

Music is in her genes. Her dad and mom are musicians. She has been learning music since childhood, first under Suma Pisharody and now under Karthika teacher. How does she rate herself as a singer? “I am not at all satisfied. I have a long way to go. My dream is to perform as a live singer without the help of any techniques used during recording,” she shares.

Music apart, she has two movies coming up — Thrissivaperur Kliptham and Sarvopari Palakkaran. In Sunday Holiday, which has opened to positive reviews, she plays Anu, an independent woman, opposite Asif Ali. 

Movies have changed Aparna’s life a lot, especially in terms of privacy. “I know it is people’s love, but you won’t always be in a mood for selfies. As a human being, you too have mood swings and sometimes say ‘no’. People might take it as arrogance, but that’s not the case,” she states. But there is one place where she is totally at ease – her college in Palakkad where she is a third-year B. Arch student who hangs out with her gang of friends. “There, I am just like any other student, not an actress,” she smiles.

 Published in Deccan Chronicle on July 16, 2017

Untold tale of intersexuality

Eka, the makers claim, is the first Indian movie on intersex community. 

A couple of days ago, on Facebook appeared a poster of a topless woman, with her hands bound together and hairy armpits exposed. It was the poster of Eka, the first Indian movie that discusses intersexuality. In the days that followed, two more posters were released — one showing blood trickling down the feet of a menstruating woman and another depicting her naked lying on her back with a perfect reflection on the floor. The posters carried the tagline: ‘I am intersex. I have a penis and vagina by birth. I want to live’. For the uninitiated, intersexuals are people born with a mix of male and female biological traits. A quick Google search would show that worldwide, only less than 10 movies have discussed the topic. Eka, the makers claim, is the first Indian movie on intersex community.
The model in the poster, Rehana Fathima, plays the titular role in Eka. The movie talks about a road journey undertaken by two colleagues — Eka Sindoori, an intersexual from Tamil Nadu, and Laila, an orthodox woman hailing from Kerala, the freedom they enjoy during the bike ride from Bengaluru, the lives they come across and their experiences. Known for her daring stance in movements like Kiss of Love, body politics discourses and breaking into the male-reserved domain of Pulikkali, Kochi girl Rehana was attracted to the movie for its perspective. Speaking in a surprisingly soft voice for a bold artiste, she delves into the role of Eka Sindoori, the intrasexual.

Stressing that nakedness hasn't bothered her at all, she says, “For me, body is not a sexual object. It is nothing vulgar or something to be ashamed of. I am not someone with the ‘so-called’ feminine traits, especially in my body and personality. What caught my eye were the questions the movie asked about body, sexuality and gender.” 

Like Eka, Rehana too has started retaining her body hair. “Eka does it intentionally to irritate her colleagues. But for me, it's an assertion of my politics of body. Who decides that armpit hair is macho for males and unhygienic for women? Why does a bare chest become sexy for a man and obscene for a woman,” she asks. 

Rehana is happy about the immediate responses to the poster. “People have started accepting crude realities. The change has begun. And I think ‘Kiss of Love’ had a great role in bringing about a change in thinking among Malayalis. I am happy to be a part of the change,” she says. Not that all are receptive; there are intolerant and abusive comments too. But Rehana ignores it with her rehne-do (let it be) attitude. 

Eka director Prince John calls his movie a journey through three states — body, intersexuality and pubic politics. It's also a road movie along three states - Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Sitting at a food court in Marine Drive, Kochi, in earnest voice, Prince speaks about his movie, its theme, the making and the actors. “Intersexuality is a taboo subject and many are still on denial mode about it. It is said that one in around 10,000 births are intersexuals, but their physicality is changed through surgery. However, as they grow up, they have to face the reality and fearing isolation, they refuse to come out and live in agony. In Kerala alone, only three have declared their identity as intersexuals; they are the minorities among minorities." 

The movie has been on his mind for long. “The movie talks about body politics. A body doesn't commit any crime. What makes body a sexual object are the surroundings. A naked body on a mortuary table doesn't arouse sexual feelings in a heterosexual male, but a fully covered body in a ‘favourable’ circumstance does. The contradiction can't be ignored.” 

The characters Eka and Laila develop a very strong bond, something with the warmth of a female bonding and a romantic relationship. “Eka is a bold person who reveals gender identity everywhere but their workspace. The reason for that is an eye-opener to the living conditions of intersexuals. The film deals with pubic politics and breaks the existing concepts of sexuality. It breaks off the male-female binaries and focuses on duality,” he states. 

Apart from Rehana, the movie has on board Anusha Paul, who portrays Laila, and a horde of transgenders. The whole crew is a bunch of passionate filmmakers who have come together for their love for movies and their stance. The shoot has no sets and covers a queer pride march. 

Everything is shot at real places, including real incidents. Showering praise on Rehana for her body commitment, Prince says, “Rehana always surprises me. She lives as Eka.” However, he is surprised that the posters evoked not many negative reactions. "We had expected a storm, but the people received it sensibly and reacted very positively. I am happy that they could perceive it as an art work and not porn. Thanks to the DOP Tony Lloyd Aruja. But I do expect a storm in the coming days. So far, none has blocked it in social media. That itself is a welcoming sign,” he smiles. 

Update: By the time this paper went to print, the posters of Eka have been removed by Facebook, much like Prince had predicted. But the filmmakers say, they will continue to advocate body politics however ‘intolerable’ it is.

 Published in Deccan Chronicle on July 13, 2017 

'She had decided to stop acting'

The brother of the actress who was abducted and assaulted a few months ago recalls the turmoil she went through.

An attack — as brutal as the one on the actress — would have left anyone shattered, but thanks to her family, the young actress decided to fight. In an exclusive interview to DC, the brother of the assaulted actress reveals that she had contemplated ending her career. “Initially, she had decided to stop acting, but we asked her to think about it. Her defeat was what her attackers wanted. We didn’t have to give them that pleasure. This incident is something that could have happened to anyone. She decided to go on with the projects she had committed to — and now, nothing can make us step back. We will continue with the fight,” he says. 

However, the whole turn of events, including Dileep’s arrest, has left them in shock. “We are still in shock. We were constantly kept in the loop about the investigation. But the police hadn’t divulged everything as they had to maintain confidentiality,” he says. Asked if they knew that Dileep was the mastermind in the conspiracy to attack the actress, he refused to respond — “Each word we speak now might affect the case. We need to go through the facts and findings first. Only then will we respond in detail. As of now, it is better to listen to the police version.” 

Speaking from Chennai, he said his sister was alright and was at their home in Thrissur, away from the bustle of controversies. “She had been upset, especially when irresponsible comments came from people she had been close to. But now, she is alright. I hope she will air her views in a day or two,” he adds. The journey hasn’t been easy. Though initially they had apprehensions if the truth would come out, as the investigation progressed, the family had full confidence in the police department. “Reporting a crime is a tedious process. She had to give statements over and over, explain the incidents repeatedly and relive the horror. It was emotional torture. Yet she went through everything saying this shouldn’t happen to anyone else,” he recalls. 

Many online media and a TV channel had attempted to tarnish the image of the actress, but that hasn’t bothered her. Speaking with surprising confidence, he says, “It happens. As the saying goes, even if you beat your mom, people will take sides. Hailing from a family with a film background, we are aware that film personalities have no private life. People are the ones who decide if they should stone us or garland us. Image is inconsistent in the industry; it doesn’t bother us, nor does such fake news.” 

So, are they happy to have made a historical move by bringing in a fearful atmosphere for criminals in the film industry? “Of course, yes! This is not the first attack on an actress. Pulsar Suni himself has been engaged in such criminal acts like kidnapping for years. The victims, out of fear and humiliation, either gave up or quit the industry, making it easier for the criminals to flourish. No one would dare to hurt anyone when they realise the actress is fearless. We are happy that we could bring about a change,” he says. The fighters had a strong backing – from people, both from the industry and those they haven’t even met before. Sounding optimistic, he spoke: “With everyone’s support, she will get over it and continue to take up projects that come her way.”

 Published in Deccan Chronicle on July 12, 2017

Aroor's tech guru

Ebadu Rahman uses his YouTube channel to create a positive impact.

Do you know that adding a missing place, photos or reviewing the bus station you enter would earn you points and badges in Google Maps? Are you aware that you can know the number of times the mail you sent has been read? Has it ever occurred to you that scanning a QR code can automatically update the entry on your Google calendar? A quick scan through the YouTube channel 'Ebadu Rahman Tech' shows you that all these things are possible. 

Ebadu Rahman, the man behind the hit channel, is happy that more and more people are subscribing to his informative tutorials. A tech Vlogger, social media consultant, Facebook video marketing professional and strategy advisor, Rahman shares information on technical subjects - ranging from fixing a water-damaged cell phone to applying online for a birth certificate. “I explain things in simple Malayalam in an interesting way so that people get hooked to the video,” says Ebadu, who, though has been running the channel for over a year, gained popularity in the last three months. He has been uploading a video each day with tips to bring the layman closer to technology. The videos also educate people about various government schemes that can be accessed online instead of facing serperntine queues and red tapes.

Ebadu started off as a wedding videographer, but knew that his heart was elsewhere. He always had a penchant for technology and kept his know-how updated. When Google purchased YouTube in 2006, he sensed that it was a new beginning. “By 2010, I quit videography and focused on YouTube, which has been my passion, career, and life since then. I am a certified YouTube consultant and have worked for various Malayalam TV channels,” he says. He now earns much more than he used to -–both in terms of money and happiness. 

For Ebadu, social media is not for just entertainment. “People here are yet to realise the reach and market of social media. It can be used for so many positive purposes. More than money, what attracted me is its potential for social purposes. Vlogs can be started with a zero budget – you just need a mobile phone. And you can make money by spreading good ideas and not cheap stuff. Be a responsible social media user,” he says, inviting more content creators. 

The YouTube channel is a family affair for the Rahmans - the video is shot by Ebadu's wife Safna and by their son Raihan at times. The graphics and editing are being handled by Ebadu himself. An old cattle shed in their home at Aroor has been converted into a studio where the shoot happens. The family waiting for their little daughter Raima to turn one to launch another YouTube channel – Safna's Tips, about kitchen tips, home remedies and traditional practices people need to know. 

Apart from running his own channel, attending technical sessions and being ready to answer any doubt 24x7, Ebadu also manages over 10 YouTube channels for his clients. Where does he find time for all of this? Smiling, he says, “Actually, I have a strategy for that too. I go with a daily schedule and do not take up anything that affects it. Above all, I love what I do.”

 Published in Deccan Chronicle on July 11, 2017 

Silent pain of specially-abled

The world hardly knows what happens to special children, because they can seldom express their trauma

A recent CCTV footage exposed the torture of a child at a playschool in Kochi, thanks to the conflict between the proprietor and her employee. But not every child, savaged by caregivers, is fortunate. The world seldom gets to know what happens to special children, the most vulnerable and exploited lot because they can seldom express their trauma. 

There was uproar over the news of a 16-year-old special child being assaulted with a cane by a male warden and beaten black and blue blindfolded by the headmistress of a Kochi-based residential school for special kids. Parents of special children, under the banner of ‘Togetherwecan’, a Facebook group, has been campaigning against the illegal and inhumane practices at numerous private therapy centres – of which there is no record – which offer speech and language, behavioural and occupational therapies and special education classes. 

The parent advocacy group filed a public interest litigation at Kerala High Court on May 2 demanding among others standardisation of therapy for neurological disorders by introducing a syllabus, formation of a regulatory authority to check malpractices and transparency by letting the parent in the therapy room. A viral Facebook 10-minute video posted by Ms Padma Pillai, entrepreneur and the mother of a 12-year-old autistic boy, sheds light on the motive of the parent advocacy group which wants to protect rights of the children who are unable to express themselves. 

“All parents who have taken their children for therapy have had bad experiences at therapy centres. Children are being verbally and physically assaulted behind closed doors. Parents are not let in, claiming that children would not cooperate. As long as children can’t communicate what transpires in the room during sessions that last around an hour, no action can be taken. Though the district collector suggested installing CCTVs in rooms, many were not willing. We also talked to special educators and found that the claim about children being non-cooperative is sham. We won’t, any more, let rights of their children be violated,” says Ms Pillai. 

There have been many instances of special children being tortured by inexperienced therapists. In 2015, Ms Preetha Anup’s six-year-old autistic son suffered a fracture at a therapy centre in Kochi. The mother waited outside the room during occupational therapy sessions, little realizing that her child was crying. Only when his arm was fractured did parents realised the torture he was subjected to. “My child had to be operated as his arm was broken. The most shocking response was from the head of the centre, an occupational therapist, who claimed that the child had lesser bone density. We did tests and confirmed that there was nothing wrong with his bones. It never occurred to us that the child was being tortured when he appeared exhausted after each session and kept crying. We were told that it was normal; we didn’t realise we were being cheated,” Ms Anup says. 

More shocking was when they learnt that it was a physiotherapist, who handled the occupational therapy session that went awry. However, they didn’t sue the centre because by the time they gathered the strength to speak up, it was late and there were no chances of presenting evidence. Togetherwecan, in 2015, brought the issues to the attention of the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, which checked the centres, reviewed the complaints and listed out recommendations, including laying down best practices, setting up district-level panels of experts and parents, setting guidelines for therapy centres and bringing all those under a regulatory body. However, the recommendations took two years to get printed as an official order, which is yet to be implemented.

‘Parents are often ignorant, scared’ Many parents, most of them on condition of anonymity, share their bitter experiences and unending shuttling between therapy centres unsure of the best chance for their child to become less dependent on others. “Many are unaware of the proper therapy practices and therapists don’t brief them properly. The helplessness and ignorance of parents are being exploited to the core. They don’t protest fearing rejection and isolation at the centres, faced by many who dared to. Also, there are no ways to know if they are approaching a bogus centre. There is absolutely no monitoring,” says Seema Lal, psychologist and petitioner, who filed the PIL.

 Ms Lal had to bear the brunt for participating in the parent advocacy programme against malpractices and filing the PIL by facing a smear campaign on social media for ‘defaming’ occupational therapists. “These are genuine demands. We don’t want to tarnish any particular centre. There should be a government alternative to private therapy centres,” she adds.

 Health and Social Welfare Minister K.K. Shylaja said strict action would be taken against perpetrators and that only the service-minded should step into the field. However, Seema has a different opinion, “They need not be service-oriented. They can make money, but they should do their job properly. Do the therapy correctly and guide the parents along the right path. Focus on home-based programmes by involving parents and equipping them to handle their kids instead of misguiding them stating that only therapists can help the children. Parent empowerment is the need of the hour. Instead of begging for mercy and attention, they need to realise that therapy and education is the right of their child,” she says. 

‘Transparency is need of the hour’ Mr Joseph Sunny, occupational therapist and director of Kochi-based therapy institute, Prayatna, says transparency at sessions is a must. “Despite our state leading in health sector, early intervention therapy is not given due importance. The only government centre that offers paediatric occupational therapy in the state is Child Care Centre at Thiruvanan-thapuram Medical College; the rest are private institutes. “We need taluk and district-level centres. Many can’t afford private therapy. At our centre, we offer up to 50 per cent concession for the deserving, but that’s the maximum. We too need to pay our professionals.” 

Mr Sunny, also the president of the State branch of All India Occupational Therapists Association, feels it is high time the state government constituted a council to regulate therapy professionals. “Priority should be given to the panel for therapists than centres. Qualified practitioners lack a regulatory body in the state. Outside Kerala, if any malpractice is brought to notice, strict action like derecognition takes place. Our association is doing its bit by collecting details of occupational therapists working in Kerala. 

“Sadly, owing to malpractices of a few, everyone gets branded. There are hundreds of dedicated therapists, but due to isolated cases, everyone’s reputation is tarnished,” he rues. 

 Published in Deccan Chronicle on July 9, 2017

Aluva's latest shining star

Dheeraj Denny, the latest member of a tribe of talented actors from Aluva, talks about his upcoming films.

It seems Aluva has replaced Thiruvananthapuram as the seedbed of M-town’s best. This little town has gifted the industry a huge breed of talents ranging from the Kalabhavan-groomed Dileep, N.F. Varghese and Zainudeen, to latest league of Nivin Pauly, Alphonse Puthren, Siju Wilson, Shabareesh Varma, and Sharafuddeen. The Aluva gang is getting a new entrant called Dheeraj Denny, who is making his debut with not one, but two movies - Sunil Ibrahim’s Y and Abhiram Suresh Unnithan’s Himalayathile Kashmalan. 

Interestingly, both movies are not hero-centric; the lead roles are played by a bunch of newcomers. "But I am fortunate enough to have bagged two diametrically opposite characters," begins Dheeraj, with his dimpled smile. In the suspense thriller Y, he portrays a city guy Arun, who works in an MNC, whereas Himalayathile Kashmalan will see him in the role of a simpleton politician sporting white khadi.

Though a debutant, his face appears very familiar. When asked about it, Dheeraj flashes his dimples again saying, “I have been into modelling since college days and was the face of several brands.” From a theatre-smitten schoolboy, he became a ramp model, which was his only option to stay in the limelight as his college had no space for plays. He walked the ramp for various fashion events and became active in modelling. When a job offer came, he took it up and left for Bengaluru, leaving his heart behind, yearning to be back in the spotlight. 

Soon, he got a call from his friend Vishnu Pradeep who asked Dheeraj to act in his debut short film Engane Thudangum. Dheeraj didn’t think twice and when it came out, appreciations poured in, boosting his confidence. Three-and-a-half years passed with Dheeraj shuttling between his job and passion. Finally, he took a call and chose to stay with acting. He went on to star in short films like Oru Cinemamohi. It was then he came across the casting call for Y and sent his entry. He was called for the audition and later to the acting camp. 

Dheeraj says, “The movie is about three incidents happening over two hours in real time. It’s a gripping, fast-paced narration. The shoot was a great learning platform. I was surprised with director Sunil’s eye for detail; nothing missed his sight, despite the movie having no script.” No script? “You wouldn’t believe. We were just told about the situation and reacted accordingly,” he says, adding that being newbies, the shoot was total fun. The only senior actor in Y was Alencier Ley, who played a cop. “During our combination scenes, his grace was so contagious that you automatically react to his performance. You can’t make a wrong move. That is the perk of working with a senior artiste,” he says. 

Himalayathile Kashmalan — Dheeraj’s next — is directed by his Y co-star Abhiram. Most of the cast were a part of Y. In a role totally different from that of Arun, Dheeraj plays a Youth Congress member in a village. “I observed a lot of politicians and learned the Thiruvananthapuram slang. It’s a slapstick comedy about how a group of fools make a mountain out of a molehill. As the tagline says, it is the story of a bunch of idiots,” he says with a laugh. 

As the movies gear up for release, Dheeraj is in talks for a couple of projects. Hopeful about his upcoming movies, Dheeraj shares, “For both my movies, the whole shooting happened at night. Literally, I am yet to see daylight!”

 Published in Deccan Chronicle on July 9, 2017 

An uneasy journey

Take Off actress Divyaprabha minces no words while sharing an uncomfortable experience she had recently.

These are times when women feel unsafe everywhere, be it their homes, workplaces, streets, markets or even in vehicles. When Kerala Excise Commissioner Rishi Raj Singh suggested that anyone who stares at a woman for more than 14 seconds should be jailed, the same people who voiced support for harassed women were amused, offended and laughed at the officer. “Obviously, they haven’t been leered at,” says actress Divyaprabha, who took to Facebook to narrate an incident she encountered. The Take Off actress was on her way from Pathanamthitta to Ernakulam in a low-floor AC bus when a co-passenger started staring at her. 

She elaborates, “It was a ‘new-gen’ guy who appeared 25. First, I dismissed it as a curiosity of seeing an actress. But I became very uncomfortable as he continued staring at me for more than an hour. I understood his ‘disorder’ and stared back at him. Normally, such weirdos stop once you react, but this guy was unstoppable. I even made my discomfort and irritation evident, but he would take his eyes off me. When the bus halted at Vyttila, I asked him if this was his regular habit, to which he shouted at me: ‘I just looked at you. Did I do anything else’.” 

The response made Divya all the more angry. She reported the incident to the cop at the bus station, but the boy was nowhere to be found. However, she caught hold of him with the help of auto drivers there as he was about to board an autorickshaw. “The guy, hailing from Vadakara, was returning from Gavi in Pathanamthitta. Hope they got to experience the ‘Gavi’ in Ernakulam too,” she says, adding that now she understood the relevance of the 14-second rule. Divya hasn’t lodged any police complaint in this regard, but she chose to write about it. 

“In the wake of recent incidents, I felt that I should let people know that women react if their safety is at jeopardy. Being daytime, he just stared, but what if this was night! I don’t think he knows that I am an actor. This would have happened to anyone. Not everyone would bear with the torture. I usually react to any harassment or ‘approaches’,” says Divya. She admits the situation in the industry is no different. “I have been stared at and have faced misogynist comments, but haven’t faced casting couch,” she says. Another such place is social media. “I get a lot of lewd comments like any actress. In fact, they just need to vent it out on any woman,” she says. 

Currently, enjoying the shooting break of Kammara Sambhavam, in which she acts as the sister of the character played by Dileep, Divya feels that only if women start responding will such incidents cease to happen. She adds, “We have to make our stance clear if we notice any advances, even if it is from our colleagues, friends or a complete stranger. I am sure that still many might not be able to digest how one feels threatened by a ‘check-out’. Maybe they don’t know the suffocation of a woman who is ogled at.”

 Published in Deccan Chronicle on July 8, 2017

A doctorate of honour: Preethi Madambi

 Preethi's family fought all odds to ensure she got an education. And she repaid them by proving her mettle!

Last Friday, in seminar hall of the the Commerce and Management Studies at the University of Calicut, amid loud applause after a PhD open defense, the adjudication committee chairman spoke these words: “From this date onwards, Preethi Madambi will be known as Dr. Preethi Madambi.” That is a moment Preethi can’t forget. “Never ever,” she stresses. The young woman has become an icon of determination and inspiration for fighters after the casual note posted on her Facebook wall went viral. The emotional post depicting the struggles of her father Madambi, a daily wage labourer, to educate his daughters ignoring the taunting relatives and saving every penny, ended with the sentence: Go acha, tell everyone that your girl has earned a doctorate (sic). 

Preethi’s father is no more, but he would have been very proud of his little girl if he was here. “I miss him badly. I was very close to him,” says the girl who hails from Anjur, a village in Kunnamkulam. She hadn’t expected the post to go viral. “I’m not yet awarded the doctoral degree. It was just a recommendation, but that was a memorable moment for me,” she says. Her mother and sister are happy about her achievement, but Preethi says she has a long way to go. Recalling her days as a little girl who rushed home from school to show the full marks on her slate, she says, “Achan was happy that we studied well, but was worried if he could afford to educate us. That was when I cleared the entrance test to the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Thrissur, where I learned till Class XII for free. All my needs – from food, essential supplies to books – were taken care of.” Back home, her sister Silpa studied well and secured admission to an engineering college.

On every monthly parents’ meeting, her dad visited Preethi and they spent time together as he combed her hair and folded her clothes as other kids had their whole family huddled around. “He never brought amma and chechi with him so that he could save the travel expense. Among all those, we were very happy.” She was doing her post-graduation when her dad fell ill, but Preethi looked after her family by working at a parallel college. Her Junior Research Fellowship came then, as a boon. “More than academics, it was monetary benefits that prompted me to grab it. Which job could have brought me Rs 16,000 a month? It was difficult to stay away from home when achan was bed-ridden. But every weekend, I came home and the three of us used to bathe him. He loved it when we washed his hair,” remembers Preethi. All she spoke was about her dad, but the story was about a family of fighters. 

Research too has been tough. She sold off her gold earrings to buy a laptop. Her friends too helped her a lot. People sneered at the girls who preferred education to marriage. She just ignored them, like her dad did, and strode forwards gracefully. She has always been like that – a motivation guru for her friends and students. Now a guest lecturer at TMG College, Tirur, her dream is to teach. “Beyond the subject,” adds Preethi, who wants to become a professor at a government college who motivates, inspires and radiates energy. Pointing at the sad state of affairs, she says, “People say casteism is an old tale. But no, it still exists. As a Dalit, I won’t be accepted as a teacher in any aided college even if I have lakhs to pay. My name will be far down the list even if I can pay Rs 60 lakhs for a teacher’s post in a Devaswom Board-run college. Sadly, I can’t afford such huge money. So, all I can do is to write PSC tests and wait. I am waiting,” she smiles. Confidently, she voices that doctorate is not her greatest achievement. Before writing her off as arrogant, she surprises by saying, “The best is yet to come. I am working towards it.”

Published in Deccan Chronicle on July 7, 2017