The recent flood has been a great lesson for all Malayalis. It has taught us the value of humanity and strength of unity. For director Jude Anthany Joseph too it was the same. A native of Athani, he had a first-hand experience of the calamity, which subsequently led him to come up with the movie 2403 ft. “I was at my home. Initially, I didn’t move out as my place was safe during the flood that came just before this huge deluge. But things changed by early morning. By 1.30 am, water started entering the backyard and by 6 am it flowed inside our home. We quickly stacked household items onto the upper areas and left. I dropped my parents off at my sister’s place. My wife and child were at her place. I couldn’t travel to their place,” Jude recalls those frightful moments.
His phone and vehicle got damaged and there was no power. “I thought life was going to end then. But I overcame. Then, I had to start everything from scratch because the water had messed up everything.” At first, like everyone, Jude too saw only the dreadful side of the disaster. The wind of change it brought to people’s minds struck him later. “It built my confidence. I realised I could overcome a difficult situation. Hence, I thought I would present this positive side as a movie. 2403 ft. will focus on this, not on the disturbing side,” says Jude.
“During the floods, there was no religion and party, no rich and poor. We were all just human beings. No one bothered about who entered their place. Instead, everyone cared for each other. The media, police, army and everyone worked together to help the affected. Even those, who have been labelled useless by society and always blamed for spending their time on the phone and social media, too proved otherwise. Help poured in from outside the nation. In a nutshell, the flood showed us the stre ng th of unity and taught us that people are not how we perceive them to be. It also showed us our real friends,” says Jude.
What about the fishermen who saved many lives? “A major part of the movie will be about them,” says Jude, who asserts that 2403 ft. will be an emotional and technically brilliant movie. Award-winning cinematographer Jomon T. John handles the camera, while Mahesh Narayanan does the editing. The story is written by John Manthrickal and the director. Music is by Shaan Rahman. Other details, including the cast, will be revealed soon, says Jude. “Pre-production works have started. Writing is almost over. Now, I cannot say the exact time when I will start the movie. It should be done carefully and neatly.” The director wants to make an inspiring movie that documents the aftereffects of the flood and how we dealt it. In fact, a reference point to the future generations.
