KOCHI: In the late evenings, when the wind is cool and the earliest stars appear high in the night sky, Selvaraj Raghavan VR would give himself a neck-shake and head to Lokadharmi Nadakaveedu — a small, dedicated theatre group in Kerala’s Kochi.
For years, this 63-year-old headload worker would spend his days hauling heavy loads and his nights performing on the stage.The weight of his labour was lightened only by his love of acting, a passion that would soon propel him and ten of his fellow theatre actors into the spotlight of Indian cinema. They all found themselves on the set of Aattam — a Malayalam-language film by debutant director Anand Ekarshi — that won over audiences and critics alike, and swept three national awards on August 16. Best feature film, best screenplay, and best editing. The story of Aattam is as compelling behind the scenes as it is on screen. This movie, centred on the dark consequences of male chauvinism, features a cast drawn from everyday life.
Jolly Antony, 42, works as a tile layer. Aji Thiruvamkulam, 60, is a painter. Santhosh Piravom owns a veggie shop & drives an auto. Sijin Sijeesh operates a motor-winding workshop. Sudheer Babu, 48, is a drama teacher.
Unconventional film: Aattam’s actors paused their day jobs to step into roles
Sanosh Murali is a percussionist. Prasanth Madhavan works as a tour operator, and Madhan Babu K is a govt employee. Selvaraj recalled the moment that changed his life. Before filming began, director Ekarshi called him out of the blue and asked how much he would need to leave his job for a month to work on the film. Selvaraj modestly quoted Rs 25,000, and to his amazement, the next day the money was deposited into his account.
“It was like something out of a movie,” said the actor, who had played a small role in the 2010 film Kutty Srank starring Mammootty that also won the national award. Selvaraj, along with his friends, paused their day jobs to step into roles that required nothing more than their real selves. Their real names even became their character names in the film. “Anand Ekarshi and (actor) Vinay Fortt gave us a crash course on how to adapt real life into cinema,” said Piravom. “We’ve shared decades of friendship, and this film grew out of our love of theatre and storytelling.”
The creation of Aattam was unconventional, just like its cast.
Ekarshi, a psychology postgraduate, crafted the film with influences from Iranian filmmakers like Asghar Farhadi and the minimalist, psychological plays of August Strindberg.
His aim was to retain authenticity, using fewer locations and simple costumes to build a world that feels grounded and real.
The story revolves around the aftermath of a woman’s sexual assault in a hotel, exploring how the crime sends ripples through the lives of those around her. Zarin Shihab, who plays the lead character Anjali, initially focused on uncovering the mystery of who committed the crime.
“But during rehearsals, I realised that wasn’t the point. The story shows that it could be anyone. It was a cathartic experience, both as an actor and a person,” she said. Unlike the rest of the cast, Shihab and co-star Kalabhavan Shajohn were not regulars at Lokadharmi Nadakaveedu. Yet they found themselves deeply intertwined with the group’s ethos. For Selvaraj and his fellow actors, the success of Aattam has been deeply fulfilling. As Aji put it: “Financially, theatre isn’t viable, but we do it for passion and the satisfaction it brings.” And now, these amateur actors have shown that passion, perseverance, and a stroke of serendipity can turn ordinary lives into extraordinary cinema.
For years, this 63-year-old headload worker would spend his days hauling heavy loads and his nights performing on the stage.The weight of his labour was lightened only by his love of acting, a passion that would soon propel him and ten of his fellow theatre actors into the spotlight of Indian cinema. They all found themselves on the set of Aattam — a Malayalam-language film by debutant director Anand Ekarshi — that won over audiences and critics alike, and swept three national awards on August 16. Best feature film, best screenplay, and best editing. The story of Aattam is as compelling behind the scenes as it is on screen. This movie, centred on the dark consequences of male chauvinism, features a cast drawn from everyday life.
Jolly Antony, 42, works as a tile layer. Aji Thiruvamkulam, 60, is a painter. Santhosh Piravom owns a veggie shop & drives an auto. Sijin Sijeesh operates a motor-winding workshop. Sudheer Babu, 48, is a drama teacher.
Unconventional film: Aattam’s actors paused their day jobs to step into roles
Sanosh Murali is a percussionist. Prasanth Madhavan works as a tour operator, and Madhan Babu K is a govt employee. Selvaraj recalled the moment that changed his life. Before filming began, director Ekarshi called him out of the blue and asked how much he would need to leave his job for a month to work on the film. Selvaraj modestly quoted Rs 25,000, and to his amazement, the next day the money was deposited into his account.
“It was like something out of a movie,” said the actor, who had played a small role in the 2010 film Kutty Srank starring Mammootty that also won the national award. Selvaraj, along with his friends, paused their day jobs to step into roles that required nothing more than their real selves. Their real names even became their character names in the film. “Anand Ekarshi and (actor) Vinay Fortt gave us a crash course on how to adapt real life into cinema,” said Piravom. “We’ve shared decades of friendship, and this film grew out of our love of theatre and storytelling.”
The creation of Aattam was unconventional, just like its cast.
Ekarshi, a psychology postgraduate, crafted the film with influences from Iranian filmmakers like Asghar Farhadi and the minimalist, psychological plays of August Strindberg.
His aim was to retain authenticity, using fewer locations and simple costumes to build a world that feels grounded and real.
The story revolves around the aftermath of a woman’s sexual assault in a hotel, exploring how the crime sends ripples through the lives of those around her. Zarin Shihab, who plays the lead character Anjali, initially focused on uncovering the mystery of who committed the crime.
“But during rehearsals, I realised that wasn’t the point. The story shows that it could be anyone. It was a cathartic experience, both as an actor and a person,” she said. Unlike the rest of the cast, Shihab and co-star Kalabhavan Shajohn were not regulars at Lokadharmi Nadakaveedu. Yet they found themselves deeply intertwined with the group’s ethos. For Selvaraj and his fellow actors, the success of Aattam has been deeply fulfilling. As Aji put it: “Financially, theatre isn’t viable, but we do it for passion and the satisfaction it brings.” And now, these amateur actors have shown that passion, perseverance, and a stroke of serendipity can turn ordinary lives into extraordinary cinema.
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