Raichal Rabecca: ‘The Tablet explores an important yet under-discussed topic’
Cinema has always had an impact on society, with its striking narratives and exploration on various taboos. Director Aravind Siva's debut film, The Tablet, which had its world premiere at the Bengaluru International Film Festival, explores the taboos and prejudices surrounding people afflicted with HIV. In this conversation with CE, the director, producer S Sai Venkateswaran, and actor Raichal Rabecca, talk about the film, which centers on the journey of a single mother and her son, who has to cross various unsaid social rules, in order to find a tablet for the virus.
Excerpts:
Aravind, The Tablet explores a topic that is still taboo. What was the inspiration for the film?
Aravind Siva: During the COVID-19 lockdown, I was volunteering with an NGO. My work with them led me to speak to HIV affected children and survivors, who told me their heartbreaking stories.
But, when I worked with those kids, I was able to marvel at how their world was a lot joyful even beyond the multitude of problems they have. I learnt that these problems were about how you perceive them. Those kids are happy and at peace, but what changes is how you perceive them. Even though they have to eat medicines and undergo treatment, I have never seen them without a smile or be sad. The adults are sad, but not the kids. So, The Tablet is not about people with HIV, it talks about how people with HIV are treated.
Venkataswaran, what were your thoughts on hearing the story?
S Sai Venkateswaran: Koozhangal was the first film under the Learn and Teach Production banner, in which Aravind worked as an AD. So when we were on the lookout for subsequent projects I was able to listen to Aravind's idea and story, which became The Tablet.
I do not have first hand stories about people with HIV. So, when Aravind was narrating this, I was shocked. In the film, a single mother is afraid to reveal that she has HIV. But that isn't exclusive to the screen alone, as even in this time and age, these incidents are happening in real life. My hope is that The Tablet would bring about some change in how people perceive the issues surrounding HIV afflicted people.
Raichal, did your experience as a doctor help your performance in the film?
Raichal Rabecca: The Tablet explores an important yet under-discussed topic. Awareness about HIV is not there in many countries, due to societal taboos. Especially, in a country like India, since there are a lot of other taboos, people only view this superficially. It is just a virus, like COVID-19. When the pandemic hit, we were able to learn and understand the virus enough to create a solution. But in the case of HIV, there is a lot of ignorance.
So, viewing this as a doctor and psychotherapist what I feel is, fear of death is common in humans. But the fear and panic that this taboo and this label brings about is much more cruel. So instead of focusing on welfare, we only focus and scrutinise the cause of spread.
In the case of my character Kayal, I was able to understand her fear and anxiety as all of us carry some sort of inhibition which causes continuous anxiety within us.
Aravind, apart from the thematic elements of The Tablet, the film also uses a lot of static shots in real locations, that tells a story of its own. Could you take us through the technical decisions for filming The Tablet?
AS: A year before shooting began, we went to Sivakasi and started to live there. After getting a feel of the locations and numerous discussions with the team, the intent behind the shots became clear that we wanted to show that the chaos was only within the minds of Kayal or Prabhu (Hemanathan), and not outside. So we used a lot of static shots. The use of live sound also helped create an immersive experience.
Before The Tablet, you backed films like Koozhangal (2023) and Jama (2024). As a producer are you on the lookout for stories with a certain theme?
SSV: We are always on the lookout for deeply rooted stories which are elevated by the creative excellence of the director. Films should be commercially appealing with creative excellence. They should also impact society, beyond being just images on screen. For example, in Jama (2024) people thought therukoothu was an extinct art. But it is still alive in villages and many areas, and after the film, people were able to realise that it is still prevalent throughout Tamil Nadu.
The same ethos is maintained for upcoming projects too. For example, Pa Ranjith's Vettuvam, which stars VR Dinesh and Arya, is in the works. Beyond that four films are also in production.
Raichal, apart from The Tablet, you are also a part of Thaai Kizhavi. Could you describe working on that film?
RR: I play Suruli, the daughter of Radikaa ma'am's character in the film. But working with such a trendsetter, who worked in both films and television, simultaneously without limiting herself was always inspiring. While filming Thaai Kizhavi, I used to quietly observe her in order to learn from her a lot.
You have played leads, supporting characters, and even appeared in one or two scenes in certain films. What helps you decide to take on a particular film?
RR: The films I want to do are ones I feel have an important story or message to tell. Be it Kadaisi Vivasayi or Meiyazhagan, or even The Tablet or Thaai Kezhavi, I took on roles because all of them had impactful stories.
Now, with my upcoming projects like Jana Nayagan, there is the added advantage of working with someone as professional and industrious as Vijay sir. But the core ideal is the same.