That’s the moment a filmmaker lets out a huge sigh of satisfaction and relief — when his/her movie receives a hassle-free, clear U certification by the Censor Board. Domin D’Silva has had that and more. His directorial debut, Paipin Chuvattile Pranayam, is celebrated on the internet for winning good words from the authority for its creative brilliance. Domin, though away, couldn’t hide his happiness when just a few hours were left for the film to hit the screens. “The movie was taken for certification by the producer and editor. It’s a very pertinent social cause being discussed in the movie. A matter of that importance is creatively and humorously told through the story,” says Domin, a journalist-turned-adman-turned-director.
An aspect that he highlights, as indicated by the title, is the relevance of water in every scene. A chanced upon story idea during his college days, it was kept on hold till his hunt for a producer was over. “Haven’t we heard about people who bear the brunt of shortage of water supply in their places? There are instances when families won’t dare to have an alliance for their sons and daughters from such areas. On one of my visits to a friend’s home, I came across such a situation. An easy way to get away with it is to fall in love with somebody. There was a grandpa and granny at my friend’s place who met and got married that way. I talked to many like them, prior to finalising the theme,” he narrates.
An overall picture is readily available in one song, Kayalarikathe... “As you see in the song, romance runs through three stages of life.” The men at the receiving end of the water crisis are all painters by profession. The director didn’t have to sweat it out much to find a male lead for his movie and zero in on Neeraj Madhav. “Our hero was not a ‘six-feet, six-pack’ hunk. A commoner in looks and mannerisms was the requirement and Neeraj fit the criteria. Reeba (the female lead) was found at the end of auditioning about 1,500 girls. She had acted in Jacobinte Swargarajyam, but I found her through a television commercial. Sudhi Koppa, as second lead, made an amazing performance,” he says. The director says, in addition to the creative grandeur, there’s ample space for dance and music. Rest assured.
