A wife composing for the husband’s movie. It has happened in Malayalam cinema. Both were in for a change in role too. When singer Sithara Krishnakumar forayed into music composing for a film, the cardiologist hubby Dr Sajish M., was trying his luck as a film producer as part of the four-member doctors-filmmaker collective Doctor’s Dilemma. The duo, apart from life, unites for director Unnikrishnan Avala’s debut Udalazham.
Sithara would brush aside all likely assumptions. “Each of us took different routes to meet at this point. About two years ago, the director and I had a discussion on creating music for a movie. I was a bit nervous and said we’d think about it. It didn’t happen then. My concerns were about getting into the mood of the film while composing. My husband and friends were becoming a part of it at a later stage,” says Sithara. Her apprehensions were doused by Unnikrishnan, who referred a book on tribal man Raju, upon whose life the movie is about.
Dr Sajish and his three film enthusiast medico friends of Doctor’s Dilemma had until then some small-time filmmaking experience to boot. “We have done certain short films and campus films before producing a feature film under the label of Doctor’s Dilemma. The movie is done on a limited budget with technical qualities to be in par with a mainstream movie. Our actors had ditched the comforts of star hotel stay, luxury living and fat pay cheques for the movie. Fresh faces and theatre persons are also part of this movie,” he says.
The movie also marks the comeback of state-award winning child artiste Mani in the role of protagonist. Real life situations and tribal life are adapted into the film, which tells a story of gender and identity crisis.
When it came to composing, Sithara and Sajish had one condition in common — to have composer Mithun Jayaraj on board. Friends since childhood, Sithara says the credit for all four songs in the movie falls equally upon them.
“We were composing together and the rapport worked well,” she says. Sithara and Mithun had sung one song. Music director Bijibal, singers Pushpavathy and Jyotsna have also lent their voice for the rest of the songs.
“Sometimes I had felt like certain singer suits one particular song. That was how Jyotsna was picked. My love for Pushpavathy’s voice is tremendous and thought of bringing them together for a song; that’s how it was,” says Sithara.
