In 2018 when he began drafting the script for a story that might end up becoming his directorial debut, Hemanth G Nair was as excited as any newcomer. When he finally managed to get the film rolling in 2020, Hemanth’s excitement doubled because the day he had been waiting for, when he would finally get to see on screen the card that reads “Directed by Hemanth G Nair,” was just around the corner. But much like it did to many others, the outbreak of the Covid pandemic and subsequent lockdowns threw a spanner in its works and crushed his dreams.
Even though the crew overcame all obstacles and resumed filming in 2022, the movie soon became embroiled in a debate over its title, thus delaying its release further. But the protracted period of uncertainty has now ended, and Hemanth’s first film, Higuita, has hit the screens today.
“Even though this is my first movie, I’m not sure if the enthusiasm is still present in me. I have been behind Higuita for the past five years. I began writing the script in 2018, and the filming began in 2020. But, the Covid pandemic forced us to put the process on hold. We couldn’t start shooting again until 2022. It was then that the controversy over the film’s title erupted. Hence, we encountered many difficulties. Even while I’m thrilled that the film is now getting released and viewers will finally get to see the work I envisioned, the story I wrote, and the characters in it, I am also more than a little relieved,” Hemanth tells indianexpress.com.
Dhyan Sreenivasan and Hemanth G Nair on the sets of Higuita.
Suraj Venjaramoodu, Dhyan Sreenivasan, Manoj K Jayan, Indrans and Binu Pappu are just a few of Higuita’s ensemble cast members. Produced by Bobby Tharian and Sajith Amma, the film’s technical crew comprises Fazil Nazer (DOP), Praseedh Narayanan (editing), Rahul Raj (music), Dawn Vincent (background score), Sunil Kumaran (art), Nisar Rahmath (costumes), Amal Chandran (make-up) and Mafia Sasi (thrills) among many others.
Offering us an exclusive look into the world of Higuita, director Hemanth G Nair says: “Higuita is a political thriller film set in the backdrop of the northern district of Kannur in Kerala. In addition, it also tells the tale of a police gunman named Ayyappadas who has relocated to Kannur from Alappuzha. The film also focuses on the characters he meets, particularly a politician, his exploration of the land, and the relationship the said politician has with the area.”
A controversy broke out in Kerala while the film’s production was moving into its final stages, when noted writer NS Madhavan came forward stating that the name Higuita got a space in Kerala’s consciousness through his short story of the same name, and claimed rights over the title.
The 1990 short story Higuita depicts the story of a Christian priest, an avid fan of Colombian goalkeeper René Higuita, who draws courage from his hero to prevent the trafficking of a tribal girl.
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Though Hemanth retorted by saying that the film’s title was inspired by the Colombian footballer alone and that it had nothing to do with Madhavan’s short story, the writer stated that he won’t back off. Speaking to Malayalam news portal Onmanorama, Madhavan had said: “Higuita was not a well-known goalkeeper. The player came into Kerala’s consciousness through me. Had I not written that story, there is no logic in naming the movie Higuita. They (the film’s crew) are trying to piggyback on my story’s popularity.”
Higuita is helmed by Hemanth G Nair.
Meanwhile, the controversy caused a rift in Kerala’s cultural sphere. While several well-known figures, such as Kerala Sahitya Akademi president K Satchidanandan and Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan, supported Madhavan, others came out in favour of the film’s production team, wondering how one could stake claim over a living figure’s name.
The Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) also intervened in the matter. While rejecting the movie’s title, the KFCC urged the director to hold a discussion with Madhavan to resolve the issue.
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“We, meanwhile, sought legal opinion on the matter. We were prepared to challenge it in court. At about that time, a different opinion emerged, urging us to approach the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) instead. We made the choice to submit the film to the board before contesting the KFCC’s decision in court because the CBFC is the highest body that has the authority to make decisions in situations like this. The film’s title and content were approved by the CBFC after its members watched it. The release of the movie was made possible by the CBFC’s approval, which removed all barriers. The KFCC could have challenged us, but it chose not to because the CBFC had already given the film a go-ahead. The KFCC members are also aware of how challenging it is to produce a movie. We all belong to the same family, right? Maybe that’s why they too let the issue go. Madhavan sir also issued a statement later saying that he was just voicing his worry. Neither of the two sides pursued it any further,” Hemanth recalls how the dust settled
Since the entire row began over the title, it was probable that many “advised” him to put an end to the matter by changing it. When asked if he ever had to come across such “guidance”, Hemanth says: “Though a few did offer such advice, most people who contacted me directly were of the opinion that we shouldn’t let go of the title. A lot of people expressed solidarity. But this wasn’t a battle against anyone. I only wanted that title, that’s all. The importance the title holds in the film, and that too a political thriller, is its suspense element. People will understand it when they watch the movie. I want to stress once more that the short story did not serve as the inspiration for the movie’s title. Since the dispute started at a point when nearly 95 per cent of the film’s production work was finished, I felt it was only right to fight for the title. Retitling the movie at that time was not an option. To give my movie a living person’s name is my artistic choice as well, right? In all honesty, I’m still perplexed as to how such a dispute arose.”
Though it doesn’t reveal much about the film, Higuita’s 97-second trailer contains enough components to pique viewers’ curiosity. The promo video begins with a voiceover by Panniyannur Mukundan (Suraj Venjaramoodu) who states, in a Kannur accent, that fear is the worst word in the world. “So, don’t be a coward!” Mukundan adds. The trailer further reveals a bit more about Mukundan, who was once “the Party’s supreme decisionmaker in Kannur.” The video immediately cuts to Mukundan, standing next to a monument bearing the iconic Hammer-Sickle-Star (electoral) symbol of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which now has the most representatives in the Kerala Assembly and is a member of the ruling coalition in that state.
At the very end of the trailer, we also get to witness Mukundan, along with others, watching the screening of Akira Kurosawa’s all-time world classic Rashomon. “I won’t say that Rashomon is directly related to Higuita. Yet, the movie is somewhat pertinent to the place that the story is set in. I was born and brought up in Mattannur in Kannur district. I grew up watching the political activities of both left and right-wing outfits. Since Kannur has a very politically active atmosphere, I clearly recall movies like Rashomon being shown to us. In order to pay honour to our memories of watching such films as children, that moment of everyone watching a classic like Rashomon was included in Higuita. While there is no clear connection between Rashomon and Higuita, the latter also has certain suspense elements.”
Despite Higuita being his debut film, Hemanth’s decision to go for a political film, instead of choosing a lighter or safer subject also evokes curiosity among many. “To be honest, I did not start off Higuita with the idea of making it a political film. I wrote it by keeping in mind the stories of people I know and have seen over the years. As I indicated before, though the film is set against the backdrop of politics, it is presented through the eyes of a policeman. Higuita thus covers more than just contemporary politics. Simultaneously, the film is also an attempt to explore and document the land further.”
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He, however, asserts that because the plot involves politics, it was difficult to get the movie started. “I pitched this idea to a lot of people, especially producers. Nonetheless, many of them were hesitant, or scared, to take on such a project. Initially, a superstar in Malayalam (whom Hemanth did not want to name) had agreed to produce the film. He backed out later thinking why get involved in such a political film. We are, however, not blaming anyone in Higuita… We are not attempting to promote or condemn anyone in this movie. We basically approached the story in the most honest way possible. It might contain both positive and negative elements; it might also have issues. But as artistes, we must also deal with those, right?”
Suraj Venjaramoodu starrer Higuita has released across Kerala.
Since the release of his movie Driving Licence (2019, Dir. Jean Paul Lal), Suraj Venjaramoodu’s name has come to represent quality in Malayalam cinema. Though the actor did not have even a single release in 2020 when the pandemic was at its peak, Suraj has delivered only exceptional performances in the past two years, in films like The Great Indian Kitchen, Kaanekkaane, Bheemante Vazhi, Jana Gana Mana and Mukundan Unni Associates, making him one of the very few promising actors in contemporary Malayalam cinema.
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“One of the first choices I made for Higuita was to cast Suraj Venjaramoodu. It was almost immediately after he did Kuttanpillayude Sivarathri (2018) that I narrated the story of Higuita to Suraj for the first time. When you consider it chronologically, Suraj had done only a handful of great roles till then. He was, hence, very excited. He has put a lot of effort into the role. Though he had already done emotionally intense and humorous characters, Higuita was arguably the first story that offered him a strong, tenacious character. That was his main challenge – to play a very serious character who doesn’t speak much. Even the character’s body language demanded something very different from what he had done till that point. Panniyannur Mukundan is a person who perfectly encapsulates all the traits of the land to which he belongs. Suraj was quite encouraging as well. His experience also came in handy during the making of the film,” Hemanth shares his experience working with the ingenious actor.
“While Suraj would constantly offer suggestions to make our work better, Dhyan Sreenivasan was a director’s actor. He would deliver exactly what the director deems. Even the supporting cast members were a pleasure to work with. I think Higuita’s characters will stick in the viewers’ minds,” Hemanth continues.
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When asked if he has already begun working on his upcoming project, the director said that while he does have a few ideas in mind, he is now anticipating Higuita’s release alone. “For the past fifteen years or so, I have been anticipating this day. Every time Higuita got delayed, I went and started writing something else, but circled back to this project itself since Higuita is, sort of, my first child. I do want to write more and make more films, but right now I am waiting for Higuita to reach the cinema halls and listen to the responses of the viewers.”
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March 31, 2023 at 09:59AM
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Director Hemanth G Nair on Suraj Venjaramoodu’s Higuita: ‘The film covers more than just contemporary Kerala politics - The Indian Express
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