Kodava film, Paarane, talks about identity crisis

Kodava film Paarane’s first look poster and teaser will be released tomorrow by director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan of Sexy Durga fame. The film digs into the identity crisis in the border area of Karnataka and Kerala. It is an experimental film by Shreelesh S Nair, who is a Keralite currently residing in Bengaluru. Interestingly, it is made in Kodava, a language which is rarely explored.

“The film is titled after a village named Paarane located in Kodagu, and the story is based on the struggles of existence and identity faced by the people,” says the debutant director. “Paarane explores the land and culture of the region, and has people revolting against the invaders who try to encroach on their native land to safeguard their motherland. This is the theme of my story,” explains Shreelesh.

Made with a shoestring budget of 3.5 lakhs, the film features mainly non-professional actors and was shot without a written script. “We cast people from the village of Paarane, and filmed around Coorg district with sync sound,” says the director.

Paarane has been nominated for a couple of festivals. “A Kodava langauge film making it to film festivals for the first time has definitely excited the team. It has been nominated at the Indonesia Film Festival and a small festival to be held in Berlin,” Shreelesh tells us.