Tulu talkies shine bright

Thirty-year-old Surya Menon claims he has always been a storyteller. “I would make up my own stories and narrate them at school. As a child and adolescent, I loved reading and would immerse myself in short stories and novels every chance I got,” he begins. It’s a good thing then that he went on to become a filmmaker who is currently shining the spotlight on Tulu, a beautiful language spoken in the coastal belt of Karnataka, with the film Kudla Cafe.

Having premiered at the recently concluded Bangalore International Film Festival, the film is set in Mangaluru, director Menon’s own hometown. The plot follows the lives of three estranged friends who return to the town where they grew up following the death of the owner of Kudla Cafe, a spot where they spent their best years, bonding over coffee and discussing life’s many curveballs and victories. “Once they get there, they realise they must save the cafe from a loan shark who is determined to demolish it and build something glitzy and modern in its place. It’s a theme that’s very close to my heart. I see so many heritage buildings being torn down to make space for modern monstrosities. I firmly believe that old buildings need to be preserved and sometimes, you need to hold on to history,” explains the Mumbai-based filmmaker, who is making his directorial debut with this film.

As a child growing up in the bustling city that is Mumbai, Bengaluru and Mangaluru were the two ports of call during his summer vacations and it was during one such holiday that his enchantment with films began. “It was actually in Bengaluru that I watched my first film at a theatre. Since then, I have always been fascinated by the medium. I think it’s the best way to tell a story. And it’s a humbling experience to capture the audience’s attention and have them pay attention to your work,” enthuses Menon, an only child who has no connections in the film industry. “My dad is a businessman and my mum, a homemaker.

Living in Mumbai, I was raised on a variety of cuisines. But South Indian food is what appeals to me the most,” he reveals.

Currently living between Mumbai and Mangaluru, he shares how he adapts to the two vastly different places. “Mumbai is so fast-paced but having lived there my whole life, it doesn’t take too much getting used to. Mangalore on the other hand was a complete surprise. I didn’t think I’d get accustomed to its quiet simplicity so easily. I just love it there,” he says.

Happy with the reception of Kudla Cafe, Menon is already prepping for his next Tulu project, which is set for a December release.