Gone are the days when Malayalam short films were predominantly about engineering life and cheesy meet-cute love stories. A wide array of interesting experiments is now happening in the short film circles, with filmmakers exploring profound themes and unconventional narratives. With the industry opening up commercially and becoming a more conducive space for emerging talents, short filmmakers are trying to build a potential portfolio. Sanjay Damodhar Renjith, director of the recent hit short Symptoms of Love, can't agree more. "Short films are a great space to exhibit your skills. I wanted my film to have a certain quality so that I could confidently show it to people in the industry. I've seen many making shorts that are nothing like the kind of cinema they'd eventually want to do, maybe because of budget constraints. But I believe it's better if it reflects your original taste and sensibilities, like how Girish AD made short films that were very much in the zone of the features he went on to do."
Symptoms of Love, Sanjay's directorial debut, is about a hypochondriac convinced he's dying, coming across a free-spirited girl who brings a glimmer of hope. Following a successful premiere at this year's International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK), it was picked up by Bhavana Studios for YouTube release. Headed by Fahadh Faasil, Dileesh Pothan, and Syam Pushkaran, the production house is known for backing quality films, and Sanjay considers their nod a recognition in itself. Within two weeks of release, the short has garnered over 60,000 views, which is huge for a film discussing serious themes like mental health and anxiety disorders. "It has been overwhelming with constant calls, even from people I look up to like Soubin and Lijo Jose Pellissery. Soubin spoke for some 30 minutes, discussing in detail each scene, which is a big validation for a beginner."
A fan of crowd-pleasing entertainers, Sanjay says he was keen on making a film that's accessible and yet has a novel element in it. Though the film's writer, Nithin Joseph, Sanjay's childhood friend, had been pitching a few ideas, nothing was "convincing enough" before they landed on Symptoms of Love. "I was hooked by his initial idea—'You're going to die tomorrow, but the one thing that you have craved for all this time has happened today. How'd you respond?' This dichotomy excited me," recalls Sanjay, who cites being heavily inspired by Paul Thomas Anderson's Punch-Drunk Love, including the ending silhouette shot of the lead couple kissing. "It was like a textbook while making this film. We have taken many references from the protagonist in it, who also has social anxiety."
Abey, the protagonist in Symptoms Of Love, is convinced he is dying after suspecting a lump in his body, and Twinkle's sudden arrival in his life means surrendering himself to love. A part of the film's logline reads, "For someone who has spent so long preparing for death, the true danger might lie in learning how to live." Elaborating on it, Sanjay says, "I believe living is an everyday struggle, and for someone with an anxiety disorder like hypochondria, it only becomes tougher. They start believing they are going to die without a proper diagnosis. Even if you take therapy and medication, there are possibilities of this pattern repeating, so you have to keep fighting. From the messages that I've been getting, I realised that a lot of people could relate to this condition. In fact, the line, 'The true danger might lie in learning how to live,' was sent by one of the viewers.”
Sanjay's casting choices were spot-on, and the comments on YouTube reiterate it. Jitheesh Raichel Samuel, a graduate from the KR Narayanan Institute, plays Abey with such careful precision that many have drawn comparisons with Fahadh Faasil. "I also saw those comments, but Jitheesh was not trying to imitate Fahadh," laughs Sanjay. "His traits and body language are naturally like that. Having seen his potential closely, I hope he soon makes a mark in the industry. Ameesha Yashica, the female lead, is also equally talented and has a strong theatre background."
Beyond the IDSFFK selection or the overwhelming response, what relieves Sanjay more is that the film had a proper release. Curiously, this is the 26-year-old’s first work to release, despite assisting on some short films and an indie feature. Pleased to have finally broken the streak, Sanjay says, "We worked on a bunch of projects in the last 2-3 years, but since none of them came out, many thought we were aimlessly wandering around. Even then, my family never bothered me, though I'm sure they were concerned. After the IDSFFK premiere, Amma kissed me, and Achan gave a firm handshake. It had everything they wanted to say and everything I wanted to hear."
