Call of the native

A few years ago, Jeswin Jose and his friends from Wayanad moved to Kochi seeking job opportunities. Kochi opened new avenues before them but deep inside they missed their native — its simplicity, calmness and greenery. Whenever they catch up with one another, they would reminisce those good old days. On one such occasion when they were travelling back home on a vacation, and when those bitter-sweet childhood memories sprung back to life, one among them narrated a nightmare he had had: of his brother slipping into the water while playing on the bank of a river. That ignited the spark of Choondal, a 10-minute short film directed by Jeswin.   

It is the story of two children who go out for fishing in a rivulet, skipping a day’s class. Frilled with humour, this award-winning short film portrays innocence, inquisitiveness and the joy of childhood. And most important, the need to be in touch with the nature. “Our childhood was all about exploring nature,” says Jeswin.  “Nature was the best teacher for us. It taught us the dos and don’ts and instilled confidence in us. However, the current generation lacks it. Their world is shrunk to apps and games. This short film is a gentle reminder to all of us to look at nature.”

The screenplay of Choondal is by Arun James while Adarsh Sadanandan cranked the camera and edited the film. The lead roles are brought to life by Saran Stalin and Stephin Jose. Music is scored by Brightil Sabu. Other members in the crew are Jimmy Davis (colourist), Jaiwin Jose, Arjun V Mohan (associate directors), Jomy Joseph (sound effects), Rajesh KR (sound mixing), and Aswin G. Ashok (VFX)

The film was shot mostly in Wayanad a year ago and a few sequences in Kannur. It was screened at various festivals and has won many awards in different categories. “The responses were overwhelming. For adults, watching Choondal was nostalgic. At one venue, a man came to me and told he had such an experience in his real life,” recalls Jeswin. Choondal will be released on YouTube on June 5, World Environment Day.