| ‘Arabikatha,’ set against a political backdrop, focusses on expatriates in the Gulf and their bitter-sweet existence. |
Unlike the success stories or the tales of the underworld, this is a story about people like us.
While scouting for locations in Dubai, I happened to visit a labour camp. I am sure that if I had taken up a job in the Gulf, I would have been living in one of those places,” feels film director Lal Jose.
But cinema came to his rescue and Lal Jose’s latest film, ‘Arabikatha,’ is a sort of tribute to those thousands of nameless Keralites who eke out a living in the Gulf. But the film is not a grim documentation of the labour camps or the under belly of glittering Dubai. ‘Arabikatha’ celebrates the lives of those workers who reach Dubai to chase their dreams.
Great expectations
‘Arabikatha,’ which was released yesterday, had been in the limelight even before the first scene was canned. The theme, the director, the cast and the location promised to make it a film to look forward to. And when the director is someone whose previouos film, ‘Classmates,’ had set a new record at the box office, expectations naturally run high.
“Usually, when I act or write a film, I am tense when it is released. But this time it is different. This film has so much relevance today that I feel it has to do well,” says Srinivasan who dons the role of the hero, Cuba Mukundan, in the film.
“I was enchanted by my character Cuba Mukundan and his travails in a rapidly changing world where pragmatism reigns and idealism is often questioned. Given the murky political scene in Kerala now, I feel the film acquires more relevance. The film does not preach, it does not offer solutions and there are no high-decibel statements or muscle-flexing hero. But it reflects our aspirations of how a politician should be,” feels the actor.
Srinivasan and Lal Jose are all praise for scenarist Iqbal Kuttipuram who has delved into the world of non-resident Keralites in the Gulf and sensitively narrated a tale that is seldom seen on the silver screen.
“We have had stories set in the Gulf. But unlike the success stories or the tales of the underworld, this is a story about people like us. But my film is not a tearjerker or a documentation of incidents and lives. Each character has been well etched out and represents the societal mosaic in Dubai. It is a lively entertainer that unfolds the story of a staunch Communist who is caught between his ideology and reality,” explains Lal Jose.
And it is this dilemma that also gives the film its punch. Lal’s films, hits or flops, usually have a strong underlying thread of humour and a slick narrative. ‘Arabikatha’ is no different. Shot in Kerala and Dubai, the film has a huge star cast that includes Nedumudi Venu, Jagathy Srikumar, Indrajith, Jayasurya, Samvratha Sunil and Salim Kumar. However, the surprise is the heroine Chang Shumin.
“She is like any other intelligent woman. Although she speaks only Chinese in the film, she is fluent in English and so communication was never a problem. While watching the film, it is hard to make out that it is her first film. After the first few days, she was in sync with the crew and the cast. Moreover, ‘Arabikatha’ reflects the multicultural society of Dubai and so she blended in with the film,” says Srinivasan. Mukundan’s friend in the film is Anwar, a Communist with a golden heart. Says Indrajith, who is in Kolkata for Blessy’s film ‘Calcutta News,’ “I have worked in six of Lal Jose’s film but I believe that this is my best role among his films. After the dubbing was over, the director told me that it was also one of my best performances. It is completely different from ‘Classmates.’ It is proof of the director’s versatility and expertise in tackling such a complex theme. Set against a political backdrop, the film has a gripping story line, comedy and lilting music.” Sreenivasan feels it is the story and the treatment of the theme that makes the film different from other Lal Jose films. “There is a lot of humour. When Mukundan is forced to go the Gulf to repay a debt, he dreams of planting the seeds of his ideology in the sands of Arabia. But on reaching there, Mukundan’s beliefs takes a beating as he struggles to find his footing in the desert sands,”says Srinivasan. Lal avers that since there is hardly a household in Kerala that does not have a relative or a friend working in the Gulf, his film is bound to appeal to every viewer. “Each of us has heard stories of people whose dreams turned into a mirage. However, we prefer to focus on the stories of the handful of people who have made it big there. But for every millionaire, there are thousands of anonymous workers who are forced to live away from their families and endure many hardships to support their families. What they sacrifice is their youth. This is their story and ours too.”
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