Jalasamadhi wins big at Chilean film festival

Filmmaker Venu Nair’s Jalasamadhi has won seven awards at Chile’s South Film and Arts Academy Film Festival. Starring MS Bhaskar and Renjith Shekar Nair, it was awarded Best Socially Conscious Film in addition to Best Director and Best Producer for Venu Nair.

Jalasamadhi also won Best Cinematographer for SB Prajith, Best Background Score for Kilimanoor Ramavarma, and Best Editor for PC Ram.

Based on the lesser-known practice of senicide, the film is set in a fictional village on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border.

Venu had told us earlier that the film reflects on life, death, and human nature. “When the most senior person in the family becomes a financial liability, he/she is killed by their family members. Sometimes it is carried out after making the person unconscious and sometimes it’s forced,” he explained.

Shyam Krishnan and Akhil Kaimal, two newcomers, play a local activist and Bhaskar’s son, respectively. Renjith Shekhar Nair, who made his debut in Ottamuri Velicham, plays a negative character in the film.

Jalasamadhi, which is based on a story and screenplay by author Sethu, previously won the Best Audience Choice trophy at Bhutan’s International Film Festival and, later, Outstanding Achievement award at Singapore’s World Film Carnival.