Hollywood Hues
Adoor all the way

Noted filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan talks to Ervell E. Menezes about
his latest film A Climate for Crime

Without doubt, one of India’s best filmmakers, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, is back with his latest film A Climate for Crime, based on a short story by Malayalam writer Thakazhi Sivasankar Pillai. As soon as one gets him chatting, Adoor, clad in signature brown kurta and grey hair flowing, speaks about his passion for short stories.

"As a writer I want to grow and change from what tends to become routine. Do I not have a right to do so?"

Certainly, he had and for that reason his last two films have been anecdotes. His earlier film Four Women, about two years ago, was also based on a short story by Pillai, who has written 40 novels and more than 400 short stories, and has greatly influenced Adoor’s literary style. So, when Doordarshan asked him to do a project on the famous writer’s works, Adoor chose Pillai’s eight short stories, which he has rehashed into two films Four Women and A Climate for Crime.

It is his tribute to the great Malayalam writer. What’s more, Adoor says his Four Women is today his most popular work and when he went to Slovania of the festival at Ljublinjana (he wrote the word for me), the tickets for Four Women were sold much before the day of the release, he said to convey the popularity of the film which has four independent stories with a common thread. May be his One Woman, Two Men, anecdote in this time-film is his further insight into women. I remember last time he told me age gives one a better perspective on women and Adoor is known to pursue his ideas fiercely.

Adoor also believes that in literature, a short story is an important form because you not only get to the core of the subject but you also incorporate others views in it. It becomes a rounded version of a story. I reminded him of a line in Mathilukal (the wall) when the prisoner is calling for his lover and he smiled contentedly. Another indelible scene is the one in Elipathayam (rat-trap) where the landlord has to go for a function and as the way is blocked by a huge puddle, he turns and returns home. They are classic Adoor. We spent some time going over past meetings and encounters, including one at his Thiruvanthapuram house Darshanam. It was his last day and he is dashing off for another festival. That’s Adoor all the way, his films and the festivals.

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