A documentary by Ananthakrishnan Gopinathan, delves into the making of the film

Thespians of Aattam, ‘Bhagavathi’ by Project Malabaricus hails the power of women through the legend of Muchilottu Bhagavathy Theyyam

alayalam film Aattam has been making waves since its release. It was a story created for the cast, its director and writer Anand Ekarshi has stated clearly in several interviews. Even as the movie bagged laurels at all the fetes it was screened, it was the unusual cast that was the cynosure of all eyes.

Members of the citybased theatre group Lokadharmi, the actors come from different walks of life and socioeconomic backgrounds. What unites them is their passion for theatre and the art of acting.

Just after its Indian premiere at the MAMI (Mumbai Academy of Moving Images) fete in Mumbai and before the cast and crew left for Goa, where Aattam was the opening film of the 2023 International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Anand roped in Ananthakrishnan Gopinathan to shoot a documentary on the making of the film, its cast and their experience of working in the film.

Ananthakrishnan explains, “Anand ettan wanted to do a documentary on the lives of the actors and how it led to Aattam.I know that all of them became part of Aattam through Lokadharmi. So, I wanted to get into their personal lives and their struggle to make a mark as actors. That is how the documentary happenned.”

Thespians of Aattam, a 65minute documentary, uploaded on YouTube, takes viewers through the

Melebrating the legend behind Muchilottu Bhagavathy Theyyam is ‘Bhagavathi’, a music video by Sithara Krishnakumar’s band, Project Malabaricus. The versatile artiste, known for pushing her boundaries as a performer, musician and singer, renders a powerpacked track, backed by arresting visuals.

‘Bhagavathi’, according to the band, is ‘the tale of unwavering strength that is named woman.’ “There are so many legends associated with Muchilottu Bhagavathy and there is one particular story that I have always loved to hear. I wanted to compose a song based on that, mainly because it is relevant,” says Sithara.

The legend is about this young scholarly girl from a reputed family whose erudition did not go down well with male scholars, especially because of her gender. When a public debate was organised to find a groom for her, no suitor could defeat her. Therefore, the men hatched a plan to humiliate her and, eventually she was ostracised following which she self immolates. By then the community realises that she is a goddess and deifies her as Muchilottu Bhagavathy. Another legend goes that she is a part of Lord Shiva.

CA universal scenario

“The song is more about the story of that woman than the spiritual side of the legend. Circumstances might have changed but situations remain the same because, even now, being a successful woman is not easy. There are two extremes — society either deifies a woman or relegates her to the margins. This has been happening across the world,” says Sithara.

The song has been written by her journey of the actors as they make their way from the stage to the screen. Candid takes during the shooting enhance the conversations as each actor explains what brought them to Lokadharmi and their organic growth as actors in theatre and Aattam.

It is also a deep dive into the craft of filmmaking and the dynamics of the cast and crew on a set. Watching how a frame is planned, the way a director visualises a scene written on paper and how the actors translate that into action is a captivating look at the teamwork behind a film. Although there are many documentaries on the making of internationally renowned films, such works are rare in Indian cinema. For instance, The Shark Is Still Working is an interesting work on the making of Steven Spielberg ‘s iconic Jaws. Ananthakrishnan says although the shooting of Aattam was completed in 2022, it premiered in 2023. “Once the film started getting good reviews, the cast became confident. Just before they left for IFFI in Goa, in 2023, Anandettan came up with the idea of a documentary,” says the director.

As the actors attend the grand premiere of their film, the excitement is palpable on their faces as they walk the red carpet with other celebrities. The husband, Dr Sajish M, a cardiologist, who has his roots in Karivelloor in Kannur, the land of Theyyams, where one of the many temples dedicated to Muchilottu Bhagavathy is located. “He is familiar with the legend and the world of the Theyyam. That is why I wanted him to write about it. It is the first time that he has written a song for me,” says Sithara.

The video, set in Payyannur, is directed by Sumesh Lal and shot by Mahesh SR. Sithara says that the team did its research and interacted with the people before the shoot.

“Once the song was ready, we wanted visuals to go with it and that’s how the music video happened. However, this is not a documentation of the Theyyam. We are presenting only the story and have taken certain elements from the Theyyam, such as the poykannu [metallic, seethrough eyes]. It is believed that she hides her grief and anger behind those eyes. The Bhagavathi Theyyam is not ferocious or aggressive like some other Theyyams,” she says.

Sithara adds that there are several challenges involved when you place Theyyam, a ritualistic art form, in a popular medium.

“We can’t recreate the grandeur of the art form. The team has tried to create a work that is close to the concept and we believe it has come out well,” she says. documentary also maps their confidence by the time they are in Goa.

Although the shooting of the documentary commenced only in November 2023, the actors themselves had been shooting the process of the film to document it and remember the landmark film in their lives. Ananthakrishnan has used the clips to give viewers a close encounter of the actors’ preparation for the film.

The documentary has Anand explaining how it was Vinay Forrt who motivated him to think of a script that would accommodate all the 11 actors in the troupe. Right from the time Anand develops the story idea and the scripting to the casting, auditioning for the female actor and the rehearsal camps, it is evident that this is a movie that

(Top) Sithara Krishnakumar with members of her band, Project Malabaricus; a still from their music video, ‘Bhagavathi’.

She had watched a full performance of Muchilottu Bhagavathy Theyyam at the temple festival before working on the project. “The detailing is out of this world. I can never explain the experience in words. It is such a beautiful work of art and is above religious boundaries,” she points out.

Sithara stresses that her band worked a lot on the musical structure of the composition. “However, it is not influenced by the music of the art form. Thottampattu (ballad sung before a Theyyam performance) and the sound of the kuzhal (a wind instrument) are used in the backdrop. ‘Bhagavathi’ is a melody that has been given a contemporary soundscape,” she says.

Sithara, who won the State Film Award for the best playback three times, holds that these are exciting times to be an indie musician with the kind of encouragement being received.

“I have been part of a medium like cinema and have always longed for a space in the independent music scene. The acceptance is overwhelming. Earlier, at our shows, over 70% of our songs were from films and the rest our original songs. But that ratio has reversed and the six of us [members of the band] are thrilled when people ask for the songs we have made,” she says.

The video features Sithara and the five members of her band, Liboy Praisly Kripesh (rhythm guitar), Vijo Job (lead guitar), Ajay Krishnan (bass guitar), Midhun Paul (drums), and Srinath Nair (keyboard).

‘Bhagavathi’ is streaming on YouTube. celebrates the camaraderie of the actors.

“When I talked to them, they were very open and welcoming; all of them gave me an idea of what unity in diversity means,” observes Ananthakrishnan. The lack of a hierarchy came as a revelation for the director. Right from the seniormost actor to a newbie, each of them had the same space to talk, discuss and share their ideas. “They interact on equal terms; age and social constructs don’t intrude into that space.”

Selvaraj Raghavan VR, a former headload worker, is the seniormost of the lot. His deep interest in theatre brought him to Chandradasan, the founder of Lokadharmi. He talks about the rigorous acting workshops and how they honed the actor in him. The

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