Going Dog-Sledding In The Snow

The Kochi-based businessman Balram Menon talks about his experiences in Mongolia. On an average, the country receives only five Indian tourists in a year

Photos: Balram Menon going dog-sledding; the statue of Genghis Khan 

By Shevlin Sebastian

The ten Siberian huskies began barking in unison as Balram Menon stepped onto the sled. The time: 10.30 a.m. The place: Gorkhi-Terelj National Park at Mongolia. They set off. On all sides, there was snow and bare brown trees. The temperature was minus 20 degrees even though it was the month of March. Soon, the dogs picked up speed.

The Kochi-based businessman felt thrilled, as they raced through the snowy expanse. “There is a handle which could be used to apply the brakes and control the sledge,” says Balram.

A kilometre ahead was a man inside a jeep. “His job was to keep control of the dogs,” says Balram. “If they see some animals they will get distracted and try to attack them. So, he blows the horn and removes the animals from the path. The Huskies are ferocious dogs but they have been trained to be friendly with human beings.”

Suddenly, the sled hit a rock hidden under the snow and Balram went flying. He had a soft landing on the snow. So he got up quickly and chased the sled and managed to get on.

After an hour came the lunch break. A barbeque was lit and meat fried. “I was feeling so hungry the food was welcome,” says Balram. In the end, he traversed 28 kms before the journey came to an end.

Balram got interested in going to Mongolia when he saw a dog-sled video on Facebook. The page belonged to a man called Bold Purvedelgar from Mongolia. So Balram contacted Bold. “He is one of the few Mongolians who can speak English,” says Balram. “He told me to come to Mongolia and would arrange everything.”

Asked about the temperature, Bold said that it varied from -20 to -40 degrees Centigrade. “He asked whether I could cope with that,” says Balram. “I told him I was prepared for the challenge.”

In the end, Balram had to wear five layers of thermal clothing.

As for the route, since there is no direct flight from Kochi to Mongolia, Balram flew to Colombo. From there, he went to Bangkok, Beijing and then to Mongolia. “It took around 18 hours,” he says.

Apart from dog sledding, Balram tried paragliding. This was at Tsaonjin Boldog Province, around 100km from the country's capital Ulaanbaatar. “We had to walk up a mountain and then run on a flat ground and leap into the air,” he says. “It was very exciting.”

Another highlight was visiting the huge statue of Genghis Khan (1162-1227), the founder of the Mongol Empire at Tsaonjin Boldog. “It is the world's tallest equestrian statue,” says Balram. “The horse is 120 feet high. The statue is made of stainless steel.”

Genghis is regarded as the father of the nation. “While the rest of the world thinks he was a terror, for the Mongolians he is a hero,” says Balram. “He had the largest army in the world and conquered large areas of Asia and Europe.”

Genghis was following a religion called Shamanism, through which you interact with spirits. “Before embarking on a war, he would communicate with the spirits, so that he would get an idea of whether he can win the war or not,” says Balram. “But after the conquest of Mongolia by Russia (1921-24), shamanism was completely destroyed.”

But the traditional food and culture survive. Balram stayed in a tent, called Ger, which is made of horse skin and hair. “It offers a good protection against the cold,” says Balram. “They have small ovens and use horse dung for fire. But there is no electricity, no digital communications and no bathrooms. You have to go out into the forest to do your ablutions.”

The food is unique and different. The staple food is steam dumplings. During winter, they have meat products, so that they can feel warm. And in summer it is cheese. There is also a national drink called airag, which is made from the fermented milk of a mare. “It is highly alcoholic in content,” says Balram. “One sip is enough to send you floating.”

As for the attitude of the people towards Indians, Balram says, “They are very friendly. They feel an affinity because the people of the North-East of India look like them.” 

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)

Making Another Stab For Glory

On July 1, Commander Abhilash Tomy of the Indian Navy will take part in the prestigious Golden Global Race, a solo non-stop event around the world, which has 19 top-class participants. He talks about his new boat and the training preparations

By Shevlin Sebastian

One night, recently, Commander Abhilash Tomy of the Indian Navy set out on his new boat from Goa. He was on his way to Karwar, Karnataka. Very soon into the journey, Abhilash realised that he had forgotten to take a torch. As a result, in the enveloping darkness, he could not use a compass or the auto pilot. He drifted for hours. It was only when the sun came up that he could figure out where he was. Amazingly, he had been on the right track all along.

This was a training run in preparation for the Golden Global Race, which will start on July 1 from Les Sables-d'Olonne, a seaside town in France. He is one of three special invitees to take part. The other two are Nabil Amra from Palestine and a Turk, Ertan Beskardes, who is representing Britain. The other 16 sailors are from countries like UK, USA, France, Australia, Netherlands, Finland and Norway.

The race is a recreation on the 50th anniversary of Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s solo non-stop around the world during the Golden Globe Race in 1968.

Asked about the route, Abhilash says, “From Les Sables-d'Olonne, we will cross the Canary Islands, the South Atlantic, then go around the Cape of Good Hope, and onto the Indian Ocean. From there we will go past Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand and the Pacific Ocean, to Cape Horn and then sail up the North Atlantic and finish in Les Sables-d'Olonne.”

The distance travelled will be 55,000 kms and it will take around nine months. Abhilash plans to do about 200 kms a day. What is going to make it difficult is that the sailors will not be able to make use of any technology invented after 1968. So out goes the Global Positioning System, electronic or digital equipment, calculators or satellite-based navigation aids.

So, these days, the 39-year-old is busy navigating using the sun and the stars. “You have to find out the exact angle of the sun and the moon, using spherical trigonometry and logarithm tables,” he says.

To be mentally prepared, he is also doing a lot of meditation, especially the Shambhavi Mudra. This involves gazing at the centre of the eyebrows which allows one to still the mind and experience higher stages of consciousness. “It makes you calm,” says Abhilash. “You no longer react to a situation. Instead, you can view it dispassionately. This will enable you to make the right decisions.”

Having a spiritual bent of mind, it is no surprise that Abhilash's boat is called the Thuriya. “It is a Sanskrit word which means the fourth stage of consciousness,” he says.

As for the boat, it is 32 feet in length, with a width of 10 ½ feet. It is a replica of Sir Robin’s boat and has been made by the Aquarius Shipyard in Goa at a cost of Rs 2.6 crore. Abhilash will need a further Rs 1.5 crore for expenses connected with the race.

Not surprisingly, he has been on the search for sponsors. “So far, the Goa Shipyard Ltd. and Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. have agreed to be sponsors,” he says. “I am in discussions with the Cochin Shipyard and also looking for corporate sponsors.” The Navy has already sanctioned a year's paid leave.

Asked about the key to success in the race, Abhilash says, “Normally, in any race, the fastest guy will win. But since this race will go on for 300 days, the sailor who will perform consistently and avoid unnecessary risks will win. The qualities needed are cautiousness, perseverance, tenacity and a calm mind, especially when there is pressure.”

What will be an enormous confidence-booster is that Abhilash did something similar four years ago. He became the first Indian to complete a non-stop solo circumnavigation of the globe in a boat with sails. “That experience will be a huge plus for me at the back of my mind,” says Abhilash.

Interestingly, so far, less than 100 people have sailed the globe solo and non-stop. So Abhilash is already in rare company. And come July, Abhilash will take part in a race that will be watched keenly by the sailing fraternity all over the world. A chance to make history is beckoning.

“I will try my best,” he says. 

(The New Indian Express, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode) 

The Curtain Falls..... Permanently

Kollam Ajith, who has acted in more than 500 Malayalam films, had just starting exploring his directorial talents when he passed away on April 5 at age 56

By Shevlin Sebastian

In May, 2013, when this reporter had gone to Kollam Ajith's house in Kakkanad, Kochi, he was all excited about his directorial debut, 'Calling Bell'.

With effusive gestures, he described the first scene: a thief, Qasim Bhai, played by Ajith, broke open a locker of a private bank, took the money and fled. But alarms were triggered and the police were able to track him down through the cyber cell. They gave chase.

Qasim ran into a building, in which there were several apartments. He checked door after door, but they were all locked. Finally, one was open and he entered and shut the door. There seemed to be nobody inside, but there was a sound of water falling in the bathroom.

Qasim tiptoed in and saw that the tap was, indeed, open, but the bathroom was empty. Suddenly, the action stopped and there was a message on the screen: 'Some people are dying because of a lack of one drop of water. Water is precious. Do not waste it.'

“Throughout the film, I have placed similar messages,” said Ajith. The subjects included the wastage of electricity, the dangers of alcohol and smoking, and the evils of dowry and casteism. “This is the first time in a mainstream film that such a method has been used,” said Ajith. “Of course, there is always the danger of the audience rejecting it.”

Unfortunately, they did when the film was released.

But he was not deterred as he got ready to work on his next film 'Pakal Pole'. Ajith said that his aim was to make films in the style of his guru, the late Padmarajan, and directors, Satyan Anthikad and Kamal. “They make simple films, and yet there is a moving message,” he said.

Ajith had been deeply influenced by Padmarajan. It was when he saw one of the director's films in 1981 that he decided to join the industry. He went and met Padmarajan, who hired him as an assistant. “But after a while, Padmarajan told me that I should try my luck as an actor because I had expressive eyes,” said Ajith.

To encourage him, Padmarajan also gave Ajith a role in his film, 'Paranu, Paranu, Paranu'.

Eventually, Ajith acted in more than 500 films, mostly, as a villain. Unfortunately, death has snatched away the thespian, on April 5, of stomach-related ailments, at age 56, just as he was embarking on a new career path. 

#KollamAjith #Padmarajan #SathyanAnthikad #Kamal

When The Husband Is Harassed

Even as the Supreme Court has placed restrictions on the use of Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code, it is a weapon that wives like to use against husbands during a marriage breakdown

Illustration by Amit Bandre; PR Gokul 

By Shevlin Sebastian

When IT professional Manesh Nair and his parents saw the profile on a matrimony website, they felt Soumya would be a suitable bride. The caste and community matched and later the horoscopes, too. So, there was no problem in any way. When the pair met for the first time, Manesh liked Soumya. And apparently, so did Soumya.

The marriage took place in September, 2012. The couple went to live in Chennai where Manesh worked. “Right from the beginning, Soumya showed a reluctance to have any sexual contact,” he says. “She stated that she did not want children immediately, and insisted that I use a contraceptive. It seemed she was not interested in having a relationship.”

Manesh felt puzzled and a bit depressed too. Then he began to get suspicious. So, he looked into her resume once again. “Soumya told me that she was working as a chartered accountant in a company at Coimbatore,” says Manesh. “But when I called the firm they said they had no employee by the name of Soumya. Further investigations revealed that she had not even done a chartered accountancy course. My father-in-law was supposed to be the general manager of a company. But that turned out to be false. He had printed a fake visiting card.”

Things went from bad to worse. Within months, Soumya said Manesh and his father had stolen her jewellery. “This was absolutely untrue,” says Manesh. Then she alleged physical violence and filed a complaint under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code. Manesh had no option but to file for divorce. Because his in-laws had filed a case against his father, the latter had to go to court often. “My father has led a life of integrity,” says Manesh. “Now he was being harassed by my wife’s family.”

Soumya’s family wanted Rs 50 lakh as alimony. Then they raised it to Rs 80 lakh. “My life has been a hell for the past six years,” says the Kochi-based Manesh. “And I go through a lot of tension because of Section 498 A [of the Indian Penal Code].”

The law goes like this: 'Whoever, being the husband or the relative of a woman, subjects such a woman to cruelty shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and shall be liable to pay a fine. The offence is cognisable, non-compoundable and non-bailable.'

Businessman Anil Menon, who has had an acrimonious divorce, says, “Section 498 A is a tool that has been misused by women.”

Another one who has suffered is the Thiruvananthapuram-based Soman Nallapat. Frequent verbal spats with his wife, Revathi, caused her to file for divorce. She filed a case under Section 498 A of, citing cruelty by her husband and lodged an FIR.

One morning, at 6 am, the police came and arrested Soman. “My reputation has been destroyed, in the area I live,” he says. Soman spent a day in the lock-up before the bail application came through.

Soman, who works as a chartered accountant in a reputed firm, had bought an apartment in which his wife and he were the co-owners. “But Revathi's parents insisted the apartment be given over to her. Eventually, to buy peace, I did so.” The couple has a seven-year-old daughter.

But now times are changing. “There have been changes in the interpretation and enforcement because of certain judgements by the Supreme Court,” says lawyer Deepak George.

In September, 2017, a two-member bench comprising Justices A K Goel and U U Lalit stated that every complaint under Section 498A of the IPC received by the police or the magistrate had to be looked into by a three-member family welfare committee. The committee members can interact with the duelling couple, personally or through phone or e-mail.

Only after the committee submits a report, within a month, can any action be taken. “No longer is a husband arrested as soon as a complaint is filed,” says Sunil.

But P R Gopal, the secretary of the NGO Purushavaksa Samrakshana Samithi, says, “The problem is that the system can be bent because the police are corrupt. So, an arrest can be done.”

Meanwhile, Anil says, with a touch of wit, “It is better to take dowry. In case, the marriage does not work out, you can return the money, which is hers, rather than give some of yours.”

(Some names have been changed)

Fighting for the male gender

The NGO Purushavaksa Samrakshana Samithi was set up in 2011. This is part of an umbrella group of the 'Save Indian Family', which works against the misuse of women protection laws. “We do legal counselling for harassed husbands,” says secretary P R Gokul. “Then we submit appeals and memorandums, on behalf of husbands, to government departments. I believe husband harassment has gone down thanks to the work done by members of our NGO as well as the 'Save Indian Family'.”

Gokul is not a fan of Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code. “In this section, only the rights of wives are protected,” he says. “I believe both husband and wife should have rights, not just the wife. All human beings should be protected. So, this act is principally wrong. And from my experience, about 95 per cent of the time the allegations made by the wife against the husband are false. Too many women are misusing the law.”

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)

#Section498A #IndianPenalCode #husbandharassment #AKGoel #UULalit

Adjusting To A New Country

Jim Goodin, the chairperson of the Mental Health Foundation Australia, while on a recent visit to Kochi, talks about the qualities as well as the problems faced by new Indian emigrants

By Shevlin Sebastian

Photos: Jim Goodin. Photo by Albin Mathew. Dr. Alfeen Varghese (extreme right) with her family

Roshni Vijayasarathi was feeling good. It was January 26 which is celebrated as Australia Day. She was on her way from Melbourne with three friends for a short break at the Grampians National Park, 260 kms away. Roshni, 25, was doing her Master’s in Business Administration at the La Trobe University in Melbourne.

In the car, the group was cracking wisecracks and jokes. The mood was sunny and happy, as Roshni looked out and admired the scenic beauty.

However, suddenly, on the empty road, there appeared a kangaroo. The driver swerved. Unfortunately, the rear end of the car hit a tree with full force. Everybody survived except for Roshni, who was sitting at the back.

“It was a huge blow for Roshni’s family in Hyderabad, who had faced great difficulty to meet her tuition expenses,” says Jim Goodin, the chairperson of the Mental Health Foundation Australia (MHFA), while on a recent visit to Kochi. “It was at this moment Vasan Srinivasan, the leader of the Indian community, stepped in.”

Vasan, who is also the Vice Chairman of MHFA and a commissioner of the 'Australian Multicultural Council' organised the expenses from the Indian community to take the body back to India. Also, a friend of the girl was helped to get an air ticket on the same flight. “Later, we gave counselling to the survivors,” says Jim.

The MHFA does a lot of counselling for Indian emigrants. “Many Indians suffer from SAD: Stress, Anxiety and Depression,” says Jim. “People are stressed because they need to have their workplace qualifications recognised. They have to adjust to the language, culture and food. The food in Australia is very bland as compared to Indian food.”

And there is also a cultural adjustment. “We have a western culture,” says Jim. “Australians, compared to Indians, are not a spiritual people. We are practical and robust and enjoy life to the brim. The Indian people mostly don’t drink or smoke and are vegetarian.”

Australians also have difficulty with the sing-song Indian accent. “And when they shake their heads, Australians are puzzled,” says Jim. “They think they are saying no when they are actually saying yes.”

The Indians use a lot of hand movements when they talk. “Australians don't use their hands very much,” he says. “We are not a flamboyant people. We tend to speak with our mouths closed. We don't pronounce our words very well. We have a nasal accent and a drawl. This is very hard for the Indian people to adjust to. The Indian speaker speaks very clearly.”

So, adjustment is not easy at all. “But since there is a stigma about mental health issues among Asians and Indians, in particular, they do not want to consult a psychologist or a psychiatrist,” says Jim. “There is a feeling that it should be dealt with within the family. But since 45 percent of the population will suffer from some mental health problem or the other during their lifetime, it is important to remove the stigma.”

With that end in the mind, the MHFA has set up 50 Multicultural Ambassadors from countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Japan and Thailand.

“ The Ambassadors try to tell people that there is nothing wrong with seeking mental health solutions,” says Jim.

When asked about the type of mental treatment that is provided, Jim says, “For people who are not at the sharp end of the spear, that means, they are not suffering from schizophrenia and other serious illnesses, it is usually talk therapy with a psychologist. For people that have a higher rate of depression, usually medicines are prescribed but then that is the role of the psychiatrist.”

The Ambassadors also talk about the benefits of multiculturalism. “We encourage communities to be cohesive, connected, caring and concerned,” says Jim. “We don't want violent communities. We want a tolerant and gentle society, where all the people can live and work together peacefully. This is important because we have people of Islam, Buddhism, Christianity and Hindu faiths, apart from 30 other religious beliefs.”

But despite the niggling problems, Indians in Australia are thriving. Along with the Chinese, they are one of the most affluent communities in the country. “Many of them are MBAs, Information Technology experts, engineers and doctors and are highly skilled and motivated,” says Jim. “We are fortunate in Australia that we have the most talented people who are coming from India. Australians now have the belief that if you want a job to be done well, we should get a well-educated Indian to do it.”

And there are more and more Indians in Australia, at 5 lakh and growing annually at 10 percent. “But we are happy about that,” says Jim. “Without multiculturalism, Australia will not be able to retain its global competitiveness. We need all the talents that we can get.”

Integration needs intent

By Dr. Alfeen Varghese

My husband Ajit and I, along with our children Adrian and Audrey, who are originally from Bangalore, migrated from Scotland to Australia in 2008 in search of a better work life balance. We were quickly welcomed into the local school community and embraced by the local church family. We sought the services of a relocation agent who helped us find a comfortable rental property, got our children involved in a number of extracurricular activities which included swimming, karate, tennis, football, basketball, music lessons and dance.

Having such a wide range of extra-curricular activities, we soon got exposed to a wide variety of families from different sections of society. We had no problems integrating into the Australian society as we were able to learn from the locals as much as we were appreciated for our contributions. 

We are currently co-owners of our medical practice in Victoria and have 12 doctors on board. We are also sponsors for a local soccer club, cricket team and cancer organisation raising funds for our community. We offer scholarships to a local dance school to promising students. 

We have come to realise that integration happens with intent. Embracing the new culture without rejecting our own values and culture has helped us to adjust to our life in Australia.

(Dr. Alfeen Varghese is a general practitioner as well as a motivational speaker) 

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)

Travels In The Wild

Wildlife photographer Thomas Vijayan, who won a prestigious award from the Smithsonian Museum, talks about his experiences

By Shevlin Sebastian

It was late afternoon at the Bandipur National Park in Karnataka. Wildlife photographer Thomas Vijayan was travelling in a jeep. On the branch of a tree, he noticed a group of grey langurs, with their long tails hanging down. The animals were making squeaking sounds. Suddenly, a baby monkey jumped down and caught the tails of two of his relatives, and used it like a swing. He wore an open-mouthed grin. The others smiled at him.

Thomas immediately took a few shots. But within a few seconds, the baby jumped onto a branch. “I was glad I was able to shoot it because there was so much life in that movement,” says Thomas. “Two of the monkeys seemed like a brother or sister, while the other looked like the mother.”

Unlike most animals, monkeys are comfortable in the presence of people. “They don't particularly care whether there are human beings around,” he says.

This particular photograph, which Thomas titled, 'Fun Time', has won a few awards. In August, the Toronto-based architect had travelled to Tokyo to get an award from the prestigious Smithsonian Museum in New York. “The judges said that they liked the story-telling in the picture,” says Thomas. In May, Thomas won the 'Highly Honoured' award at the Oasis Awards in Italy. Earlier to that, he won the 'Popular Choice' of the BBC Awards. This is regarded as the Oscars in wildlife photography.

But the animal that he likes to shoot the most is not the monkey. Instead, it is the tiger. “I admire its strength and beauty,” he says. “So far, I have images of more than 150 different tigers from all over the world.”

He has been able to take the difficult-to-get photos of new-born cubs, and live kills in the wild.

Asked the attitude of tigers to humans, Thomas says, “Almost all the big cats, including the lion, cheetah and tiger are scared of human beings. Nevertheless, it is better to keep a comfortable distance. If you have a good lens, 200 feet is a good distance to keep. It is important to not go less than 50 feet. If a tiger comes across you unexpectedly, you should not make any fast movements. Just remain where you are, until it is sure that you are not a threat.”

So far, Thomas, who is originally from Kottayam, Kerala, has travelled all over the world, including places like the North Arctic, Antartica, Alaska, Tanzania, Kenya, Japan, Russia, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Indonesia.

Some time ago, he had gone to the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia, where he took photos of the critically endangered crested black macaque.

And in February, Thomas went to the Altai Mountains, in central Asia. The temperature was -30 degrees Centigrade. All around there was a vast snowy landscape. Not a single tree could be seen. Thomas was shivering despite wearing six layers of clothing. Thomas had come to the area to shoot the Pallas's Cat.

It has been categorised as 'Near Threatened' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It took Thomas ten days of waiting till he got the exclusive shots. A relieved Thomas says, “I have never experienced so much cold and been in such a remote place. It has been an unforgettable experience.”

When Thomas flew home to Toronto, he got the thrilling news that he has been ranked second in the Top 100 Photographers on the web, in terms of popularity, which is brought out by the German photo lab Xxlpix.

Like most wildlife photographers this is a passion as well as a hobby. “I feel recharged after each trip,” he says. “There is no luxury in wildlife photography. It makes a man very simple.”

Meanwhile, when asked about his favourite camera Thomas says he prefers the Nikon D5. “It is good for low-light shooting,” says Thomas. “Most sightings of animals, especially tigers, are in the early hours and at the end of the day when they come to water holes to quench their thirst. D5 works best in these conditions.”

Asked for tips for young photographers, Thomas says, “Always respect the animals especially because we are travelling in their home areas, like a forest. Too many youngsters make a lot of noise. They should think of the welfare of the animal at all times,” he says. “So, one should move silently and use the big lens.” 

Doing A Perfect Job

COLUMN: LOCATION DIARY

Make-up artist Renjith Ambady taks about his experiences in the films, ‘Thanmatra’, ‘Palunku’, ‘Paleri Manikyam’, ‘How Old Are you?’ and ‘Take-Off’

Photos: Renjith Ambady; Mammootty in  ‘Paleri Manikyam’

By Shevlin Sebastian

Before the shoot of ‘Thanmatra’, make-up artist Renjith Ambady went with director Blessy for a script-reading at veteran actor Nedumudi Venu’s home in Thiruvananthapuram. As Blessy was talking about Venu's role, as Mohanlal’s 70-year-old father, Renjith did a trial make-up on Venu.

“Venu Sir did not pay any attention to what I was doing because he was focused on listening to the script,” says Renjith. Thereafter, the visitors were invited to have tea and snacks in the dining room. “On the wall, I saw several black and white photos of Venu Sir’s family,” says Renjith.

Suddenly, two family members of Venu asked Renjith whether he had ever seen Venu’s uncle. The make-up man shook his head and said, “This is the first time I am coming to Venu Sir’s house.”

Then they pointed at a photo of an uncle. He looked exactly like the way Venu did after the make-up session. “It was amazing, to me, to see the likeness,” says Renjith.

Renjith had a similar amazing experience on the sets at Kattapana for Blessy’s ‘Palunku’ (2006). He did the make-up of Jagathy who plays a lottery seller. When Renjith was growing up in Paravur, he had seen a lottery-seller who had sparse hair, but kept combing it all the time. So, he made a similar wig for Jagathy.

After the shoot, Jagathy asked the stills photographer to get him a large print. Renjith then asked Jagathy whether he took stills of the films he had acted in. “I was curious to know since he has acted in more than a thousand films,” says Renjith. Instead, Jagathy said, “This is the first time I am asking for a still. I like this wig a lot.” For Renjith it was a supreme moment. “It was almost like I had won a national award,” he says.

Another actor who was impressed with Renjith’s work was superstar Mammootty, when they worked together for the film, ‘Paleri Manikyam’ (2009).

Mammootty played three roles, of which one was of a feudal landlord called Murikkum Kunnathu Ahmed Haji. For this role, Mammootty needed to wear a wig of white hair. But he did not like the idea of applying glue and attaching the wig to the forehead. So Renjith had to think of another way.

For days he could not find a solution, till, one day, inspiration struck.

“The character wears a Muslim cap,” says Renjith. “So, around the cap, I stitched the white wig. During the shoot, all Mammootty Sir had to do was to wear the cap. So there was no need to paste the wig. Mammootty said, ‘This is a very good idea. Where did you get it? On Google?’”

But there were tough moments too. Just before the shoot commenced for Manju Warrier's comeback film, ‘How Old Are you?’ (2014), directec by Roshan Andrews, Renjith was travelling at midnight towards Kuttikanam to reach the location of ‘7th Day’. Unfortunately, he hit another car and fractured his right hand. So he immediately called Roshan and said that he would not be able to work in the film, as it would take one month for his hand to heal.

“But Roshan Sir said that the plaster could be removed after two weeks and I could start working,” says Renjith. But after a fortnight, when the plaster was removed, the bone had not healed. Again the plaster was put back on. After another week, the plaster was taken off and again the doctor discovered that the hand had not healed. In the end, Renjith’s assistants did all the work.

Then last year, because of a persistent pain in the ligament of his leg, which was caused by an accident a long time ago, the doctors decided to join the bones with a screw. “As a result, I could not work for three months,” says Renjith.

Just after he recovered, he got a call from the makers of ‘Take Off’. But when he arrived at the set, producer Anto Joseph smiled and told Renjith, “In the early discussions, when your name came up, everybody felt that you would not be able to commit to a long shoot and that you would go away now and then to work on other films. But when we heard that you had been home for three months, we felt that since your leg was still healing, there was very little chance you would have got another movie quickly. So, we felt that you will be with us throughout.”

The shoot lasted for a year and it turned out to be a fruitful one for Renjith. He has just won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Make-up Artist for ‘Take-Off’. 

(The New Indian Express, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode)

Working With The Stars

Kalaripayattu master K Sunil Kumar Gurukkal talks about his experiences of working with Padmawat stars Ranveer Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor as well as other Bollywood, Mollywood and Hollywood stars

By Shevlin Sebastian

At Subramanian, a town in Karnataka, Mollywood superstar Mammootty was standing with a six-feet-long urumi (a type of steel whip, with several strands) in his hand. Three hooligans approached him with swords. This was during a shoot of the film, 'Mammankam'. Kalaripayattu master K Sunil Kumar Gurukkal stood to one side watching keenly. He was choreographing the kalaripayattu moves.

As Mammootty swung the urumi, an opponent lunged forward. Unfortunately, his sword grazed the back of Mammootty's hand. “Mammootty Sir started bleeding,” says Sunil. “The nerves had been cut. And there was a large swelling.”

The shoot was stopped at once. Crew members rushed to get ice. Soon, it was wrapped in a piece of cloth and pressed against the back of the actor's hand. Medicines were given. However, within half an hour, a grimacing Mammootty resumed shooting.

As all this was taking place, Sunil’s mind went back to a few months earlier when he was at the Reliance MediaWorks Studio at Film City, Mumbai. Bollywood star Shahid Kapoor was wielding the urumi and, like in Mammootty's case, somebody hit him on the back of the hand. “Thankfully, the injury was not serious,” says Sunil.

In fact, for about six months, Sunil would regularly go to Mumbai to impart training to Ranveer Singh and Shahid for the fight sequence between the two for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film, ‘Padmawat’. “I had worked extensively with Ranveer earlier for ‘Bajirao Mastani’,” says Sunil. “So he picked up the moves very fast, as did Shahid.”

Sunil was all praise for the two stars. “They were completely dedicated and focused,” he says. “Once, because of a tight shooting schedule, Ranveer came at 5 a.m. to the studio to practice.”

Sunil has worked with other Bollywood stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, and Ajay Devgan apart from heroines like Deepika Padukone and Kareena Kapoor.

For all of them, he has a basic teaching method. “In the beginning, we teach a lot of animal postures,” he says. These include the varaha (wild boar), simham (lion), sarpam (snake) and gaja (elephant). “These are warrior postures,” he says. “Thereafter, I teach them the forward and backward movements. Then there is training with the swords and the Urumi.”

Sunil had also made a foray into Hollywood through Jackie Chan's film, 'The Myth'. “The shoot was in Shanghai,” says Sunil. “Through research, the film-makers came to know about kalarippayattu and got in touch with our branch head in Thiruvananthapuram, Satyanarayana Gurukul who informed me.”

Sunil was much taken up by Jackie. “He was flexible and knew many martial arts,” he says. “Jackie learned quickly.”

And he was a warm-hearted person. Once Jackie was travelling in his trailer during an off-day. He spotted Sunil and his brothers Anil and Gopakumar, along with the dancers of the Kozhikode-based CVN Kalari Nadakavu walking along a sidewalk following a shopping trip. “He stopped the vehicle and beckoned for us to join him,” says Sunil. “Then he dropped us to the hotel. I was amazed that a Hollywood superstar could show such humility.” 

A Perfect Goal!

Debutant director Zakariya and Nigerian actor Samuel Abiola Robinson talk about 'Sudani from Nigeria', the football film that has become a runaway hit

Photos: Nigerian actor Samuel Abiola Robinson with director Zakariya; Samuel with Soubin Shahir 

By Shevlin Sebastian

On Saturday, a man stepped out of Padma theatre, in Kochi, after seeing 'Sudani from Nigeria'. He sat on his bike, rode out onto crowded MG Road, but was soon hit by another bike. Later, he called up the film's debutant director Zakariya and said, “In normal circumstances, I would have shouted at him and got angry. But I was in a different mood after seeing the film. I just asked him, 'Are you okay?' That was the impact of the film on me. I wanted to tell you this.”

When Zakariya heard this, he was moved. He is getting a lot of calls – from well-wishers, friends, relatives and members of the Malayalam film industry. Asked whether he ever felt during the 36-day shoot whether the film would be a hit, the Malappuram-based Zakariya, who had come to Kochi for a brief visit, says, “I felt that only 40 per cent of the people would like the film. One reason being that there are no stars, except for Soubin Shahir, and no heroines.”

But Zakariya admits that Soubin is the fulcrum of the film. “His acting is brilliant,” he says. But when Zakariya first went and meet him at his home in Fort Kochi and narrated the script, Soubin was non-committal and just said, “We will do the film.”

The story is inspired by the Sevens football that is an unique part of the culture of Mallapuram. “Every year, there are lots of Sevens tournaments in the region,” says Zakariya. “There is a lot of interest and drama surrounding these matches. But what makes it exciting is the presence of so many players from Africa. In one team, you can have three Africans. There are more than three hundred players and they stay in ordinary houses and lodges. So the idea of doing a film about these people was the inspiration behind 'Sudani from Nigeria'.”

And the person who played the African player in the film is the 6' tall Nigerian called Samuel Abiola Robinson who did not have much experience of playing football.

So, he had to do a lot of training on football grounds where the Sevens tournaments took place. “I also trained at the HiLite Mall in Kozhikode, where they have a place for football training on the terrace called Forza Nets.”

Samuel had to do other training too. “My character has an injury while playing,” he says. “So I had to practise on how to walk on crutches.”

And he had some nerve-wracking moments. There was a scene when he had to jump into a pond at Kozhikode. So, he went to the deep end and waited. When Zakariya shouted, “Action,” Samuel jumped in. And went right to the bottom, which was about 12 feet deep. “Although I know swimming, I panicked and remained down for a few secs, struggling for air, before the people on the set realised I was in trouble,” says Samuel. “So they quickly dived in and pulled me out. It was an embarrassing moment for me. I was actually so close to the shore.”

But all this has been made up by the reaction to the film. “It has been overwhelming,” says Samuel. “They keep saying, 'I love you Sudu'. And that has become my name. Everybody keeps calling me that. I feel blessed to be part of this film. I feel very welcome.”

Not surprisingly, Samuel is a fan of all things Kerala. “The people are very kind and have this huge family network and kinship with each other,” he says. “There were numerous occasions when we would be filming somewhere and some random family would come to the set and invite us for dinner. I was amazed by their kindness. In Nigeria, people are very independent and it is 'every man for himself'. So, this was a refreshing change for me.”

Indeed, the movie is a refreshing change, portraying with great simplicity and deep emotion the Muslim life in Malabar. And Zakariya has highlighted one aspect that nobody seems to know about: the poor treatment of stepfathers by the children of the first family. “When I would walk down the streets, I would see these stepfathers wandering from place to place. It would seem as if they were in some form of internal exile.”

But the audience is not in exile from the film. Instead, they are flocking to the theatres as word of mouth and social media are sending the film to stratospheric heights. “This is going to be one of the greatest hits in recent times,” says a trade analyst. 

(The New Indian Express, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram)