Aattam editor Mahesh Bhuvanend on National award: I was strongly rooting for the film to win, but this is unexpected

The 70th National Film Awards saw the Malayalam film Aattam winning in three major categories including the award for Best Feature Film, Best Screenplay, and Best Editor. Mahesh Bhuvanend, who won the award for editing, was on cloud nine when we reached out to him for his response. The win was particularly special as it's a result of years of persistence. After toiling in the television industry for over 12 years, Mahesh switched completely to cinema in 2009. It took him another 12 years before he could debut as an independent editor with Madhuram (2021). "It was a long, testing journey, but thanks to my family and friends who stuck with me. It was their support that helped me reach here."

On Aattam bagging multiple awards at the National level, Mahesh said, "Though I didn't expect an award for editing, I was strongly rooting for the film to win in some category. We were disappointed in not winning any award at the State level last year, despite reaching the final rounds in many categories. Later, it was the tremendous response in the film festivals, especially at IFFI, that instilled some hope."

Mahesh, who was referred to Anand by one of the film's actors, Madhan, joined the team two months before the shoot commenced. "It was initially pitched to me as a small film, but I realised its depth when I read the script. Anand had worked meticulously on the writing as it had multiple characters, with each of their emotional journeys being vital." 

Aattam, a gripping chamber drama, explores gender politics and human hypocrisies through a theatre group. It revolves around a sexual harassment accusation made by the sole actress of the group against one of its members and how they act on it. Adding about the challenges in editing such a film, Mahesh said, "It's a film where the character graphs are crucial. If you notice, there isn't a single character whose graph is linear. The challenge was to ensure the fluctuating character shades were effectively conveyed. We took time to edit the film carefully."

While comparisons with 12 Angry Men persist, Mahesh dismissed them and denied taking any references. "Anand was thorough with his vision. Since he had worked with all the actors before in theatre, he knew their potential. My only concern was if their theatre-style acting would seep in, but a 45-day-long workshop helped them all adapt to the new form smoothly. All of them were sincerely devoted towards the project and the results are there to be seen."