Filmmaker Aneesh Anwar loves music and that reflects in his movies. The four songs in Zachariyayude Garbhinikal, especially the band song, were hits and still linger in our minds. Kumbarasam is perhaps the only movie of his that has fewer songs —two of them. His upcoming venture Basheerinte Premalekhanam has also caught the attention of moviegoers for its beautiful songs — Penne Penne, Pranayamanithu, TV Kandikana Song, and Laila Laila — released on YouTube.
“Songs have always enhanced my movies. Basheerinte Premalekhanam has five songs. All of them will be shown in the movie. The movie is a romantic comedy and at the same time is a musical. The four songs released on YouTube have received a good response,” adds the award-winning director, who has acted in the song Pranayamanithu. According to Aneesh, this movie was a quick project. “I had been listening to stories after Kumbasaram. Then, Fort Entertainment, who bankrolled Rani Padmini, approached me with this story and asked whether I could take this up. I liked the thread. It is a small, feel-good romantic movie,” says Aneesh, asserting that the movie is not an adaptation of Vaikom Muhammed Basheer’s book Premalekhanam.
“The book plays a significant role in the film, which is the sole connection the movie has to the book Premalekhanam. The story unfolds in the mid-80s and revolves around three love stories. If you have watched the trailer, you can see the connection between the book and the characters,” explains Aneesh. Apart from the book, television is another important object in Basheerinte Premalekhanam. TV Kandikkana, the fast number dedicated to television, shows the curiosity of people about television back in the 80s when it was not common in all households. “That is the main thread,” says Aneesh.
The shooting of Basheerinte Premalekhanam was in Palakkad. The lead character — Basheer — is played by Farhaan Faasil, while Sana Althaf plays the female lead. Madhu and Sheela play another couple. The third love story revolves around the character of Manikandan. About choosing Farhaan as Basheer, Aneesh says, “Basheer is not a character showing heroism. He is a simple guy living in a village. We thought a relatively fresh face would be apt for the role and so we chose Farhaan. In the film, Basheer writes a love letter. Thus, came the title Basheerinte Premalekhanam.”
