A few years ago, Soorajj S. Kurup was at a circus when he spotted two dwarf performers. After the show, he went to them and found that they were a couple. They talked to him about their life, struggles and experiences. Their story touched him. Later, when he decided to don the director’s hat for a Malayalam movie, he had no doubt about the story he had to tell and that became Moonnara.
The movie is led by Arumughan and Manju, who portray the three-and-a-half-feet tall dwarf couple Mani and Achu, who quit the circus to live together, doing menial jobs in an apartment complex. “The couple is attacked and mocked by many, but they live happily until a dark incident wreaks havoc in their peaceful life,” explains Soorajj, who has also penned the script for the film.
In what he claims to be the first Indian movie about a dwarf couple, Soorajj unveils a suspense thriller. “Usually, films about such people are either tear-jerkers or are laced with humour. Mine too talks about the issues they face in society, but not as an emotional narrative. Moonnara is fast-paced, thrilling and a feel-good movie that fills one with optimism,” adds Soorajj, the son of I. Sasi, who has worked as an associate director in M-town for over five decades. However, he had a tough time hunting for the lead pair.
“Arumughan, based in Alappuzha, had earlier acted in Ordinary, Athbhuthadweep and Kutteem Kolum. Finding him was easier. But for the three-and-a-half-feet heroine, we searched everywhere. Many applications came but we couldn’t find the apt one. Manju’s was the last application. And at first sight, I knew this was my Achu. Manju had no acting background, but I told her that I didn’t want acting. She just had to behave and she did it quite well,” he feels. Moonnara also has on board actors Hareesh Peradi, P. Balachandran, Krishnakumar and Ambika Mohan. The movie is in the final stages of shooting at its Coimbatore location.
After wrapping this up, Soorajj, a self-confessed hardcore Ajith fan, will work on his half-done Tamil movie Thala Pole Varuma. “The movie starring Thejus is about an Ajith look-alike. The movie was stalled three months ago when the producer met an untimely demise. It was during the schedule break of that movie I planned Moonnara. Also in the pipeline are a Tamil movie and a Malayalam movie for which I am penning the script,” he sums up.
