Abijith Asokan: I am more intrigued by unsuccessful films

While scrolling through the newspaper on a regular morning in 2015, following the announcement of the Kerala State Film Awards, a passionate 21-year-old film aspirant Abijith Asokan's eyes beamed at something—the prize money for the Best Children's Film. The Rs 4 lakh cash prize sparked a wild thought in his mind. Instead of building a portfolio for himself by making short films, what if he could make a good children's film at a meager budget of around Rs 5 lakhs that could potentially win the above-mentioned prize and make a name for himself with minimal loss? He soon pursued that calculated risk and ended up producing Kolumittayi (2016), which won the following year's State Award for the Best Children's Film. Looking back on his first production venture, Abijith says, "Despite Kolumittayi winning the award, it wasn't financially rewarding for me. However, I always try to convert my struggles into my next opportunity. Also, I find myself more intrigued and dedicated to watching unsuccessful films rather than successful ones to learn what went wrong."

From his childhood, a visit to the VCD shop near his house was a regular occurrence. Speaking about what jolted him towards storytelling, Abijith says, "My aspiration to become a filmmaker was ignited after watching Amal Neerad's Big B (2007). It offered me a completely new cinematic experience compared to the films I had seen until then. The works of Lijo Jose Pellissery and Alphonse Puthren have also greatly inspired me to pursue cinema without any formal assistance. My learning process has been solely through watching films."  

During his student days, he was deeply involved in dancing as well. It all began when he started learning Bharatanatyam and folk dance in fourth grade. With dedication, he improved his skills and even won competitions at the district and state levels in Kerala. However, he decided not to pursue it as a career due to prejudices around him. After completing his MBA, he never returned to dancing. "Imagine being the only guy among fifty girls during those training sessions. It wasn't easy, and the discrimination I experienced made me question my path," recounts Abijith.  While he used to dance, he also dreamt of becoming an actor and took part in small plays for local theaters. He has played the lead in his upcoming film, Idukki Sambhavam, his third production venture.

As the producer, distributor, writer, and director of Jananam 1947 Pranayam Thudarunnu,  Abijith's journey has been a mix of challenges and triumphs. Inspired by the true story of an elderly couple's marriage in Thrissur, the film delves into a unique love story with a striking lead cast. "Indrans was my first casting choice for the male lead, but it didn't materialise due to our financial constraints, even though his remuneration wasn't particularly high. Later, I had to find another familiar face, leading me to zero in on Jayarajan Kozhikode. For the female lead, I opted for a fresh face and found Leela Samson after being impressed by her performances in O Kadhal Kanmani (2015) and Sillu Karuppatti (2019). I required someone with elegance, akin to her, to effectively convey the underlying politics of the film."

Elaborating further on the politics, Abijith explains, "Even in 2024, after experiencing a life-altering pandemic and catastrophes, inequality based on many external factors still persists. Weddings, being significant events in Kerala, often highlight such discrimination. Therefore, in my film featuring a couple in the twilight of their lives, the female lead had to be fair-skinned and the male lead had to be dark-skinned to effectively convey this message. At that age, many come to realise the irrelevance of such differences that divide people. It was primarily aimed at the younger generation."

To those who felt that Jananam 1947 Pranayam Thudarunnu is the closest Malayalam cinema has got to the MT Vasudevan Nair classic, Oru Cheru Punchiri (2001), Abijith says, "MT sir's film was definitely my major point of reference—considering its focus on two elderly individuals—but I have consciously tried my best to avoid any similarity. I only intended to evoke the same heartwarming feeling from it. If people are reminded of and mention MT sir's classic alongside my film, there's no greater appreciation I could receive as a filmmaker."

Recently venturing into film distribution with Jananam 1947 Pranayam Thudarunnu,  Abijith's long-term goal is now to establish a digital platform. "Too often, many great films struggle to find an audience simply because they lack star power. Hence, I am trying to create avenues for these filmmakers to reach audiences who appreciate quality content," says the filmmaker, adding, "I am heartened by the efforts of the Kerala government in this regard, particularly their initiative to launch a digital platform called CSpace. I sincerely hope that platforms like these thrive." Sharing his admiration for the efforts of Mammootty and Prithviraj Sukumaran as producers and distributors, Abijith adds, "They have been instrumental in elevating the visibility of Malayalam cinema beyond its traditional markers. I hope our cinema continues to push the boundaries."