Rain of romance

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We have come across infinite love stories, but the promos of ‘Annayum Rasoolum’ create an impression that it cannot be the routine boy-meets-girl caper. The film, featuring Fahad Fazil and Andrea in the title roles, looks anything but a soppy and sugar-coated drama. “Yes, there are no cosmetic elements and cliches, but it builds up to something beautiful,” says Rajeev Ravi, director.


Rajeev says romance is an eternal subject and when portrayed in the right mode nothing can be more engaging. “What two lovers share is beyond beautiful. No narcotic can give you the high love creates. In ‘Annayum Rasoolum’ I have tried to capture that intensity and poignancy.”


The film shows how Anna, a salesgirl, and Rasool, a taxi driver, meet and are caught in the wild fire of love. Santhosh Echikkanam, who has penned the screenplay, says the film has an amazing fineness. “I wouldn’t call it an extraordinary love story; the highlight of the film lies in the treatment which definitely is out-of-the-box,” he says. He also adds that the film is not just the tale of Anna and Rasool, but also deals with some others who are part of their lives. “The narrative doesn’t swing back and forth between the lead pair, nor do they claim all the reel time. The frames are all filled with characters just as in real life. There are nearly 60 characters in ‘Annayum Rasoolum’.”


Rajeev says there is no commercial interest in casting Andrea and all he wanted was a dusky girl with I-am-one-among-you looks and body language. “Anna is not a teenager, but a mature woman who is nearly the hero’s age. Her life is marked by certain drabness and her expressions should reflect that. We wanted a mature face with a tinge of sadness in the eyes and Andrea fitted the bill perfectly,” explains Santhosh. Fahad’s Rasool is an energetic youth, but with his share of sorrows. Ashiq Abu plays the role of his elder brother while filmmakers Ranjith and P Balachandran are also part of the cast.


The storyline is set against the charming cultural vivacity of Fort Kochi and Mattancherry. “In most of the films Fort Kochi and Mattancherry are shown as the dark underbelly of Kochi. Just like Madurai is treated in Tamil Films, we give Mattancherry and Fort Kochi a crude and dark tinge. We often underrate the rich cultural heritage of the places,” says Santhosh.


Another highlight of the film is its music handpicked from the local soundscape. The songs, which are essentially folkish in nature, were sorted from the umpteen Arabi-Malayalam ballads popular in Fort Kochi and Mattancherry. “We have used a song by Mehaboob Bhai who was nothing less than a legend for Kochiites and another song with a sharp political angle,” says Rajeev. The film produced by Seven Arts Mohan and Vinod Vijayan under the banner of D Cutz Film Company hits the screens this Friday.

Annayum Rasoolum


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