As Narivetta continues its theatrical run with scathing content, the film's crew spoke to Mathrubhumi, shedding light on the discussions and deliberations that took place behind the camera before mounting such a decisive feature film.

"See, the film is written by Abin Joseph, who has won several accolades for his previous works. Our idea was to develop a character from upper Kuttanad — to showcase the story of a young man, Varghese, who traverses the terrains of life, addressing the challenges it throws at him and his conflicts. So, in the end, we knew that we needed an intense situation that would altogether shake up our protagonist, triggering an inward journey and stirring his conscience,” says Anuraj Manohar. In the film, this transpires as a form of brutal oppression against the fight for land and livelihood.

“It’s not like we wake up one day and decide to make a hard-hitting film as a reminder or for a social cause, randomly. It involves a whole lot of discussions and deliberations. In my case, to put it out there, I have been largely influenced by the works of legends like I. V. Sasi and Hariharan, who have delivered several socially relevant films — while also taking care of the commercial viability of such endeavours,” the director elaborated on his process.

 

Narivetta, featuring an ensemble cast including Tovino Thomas, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Cheran, and Priyamvada Krishnan, is currently running in theatres. The film highlights how voices of dissent — and the fight for land, livelihood, and dignity — are often oppressed by the mechanisms in place.