Intreview
Keralities have a most corrupted
film concept : Dr. Biju
“
“
Maoist are not the one whom to be
shot dead in the spot. They should
be opposed ideologically.
Nidhin Nath
MA Masscommunication
Pondicherry University
Dr.Biju also known as BijukumarDamodaran, is a Director who has won
multiple national and international awards. He won India’s national film
awards three times. He is a Homoeopathic Medical Doctor by profession and
a self-taught filmmaker. His sixth film Valiya Chirakulla Pakshikal (Birds
With Large Wings) (2015) received India’s national film award for best en-
vironment film and has been selected to Indian Panorama at International
film festival of India 2015 and was nominated to the competition for UNES-
CO award. The film specially invited to screening at United Nations, Geneva
in association with United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) on No-
vember 10th 2015. Dr.Biju’s films have been sent to several film festivals and
have won many awards.
Q) Why all of your films like Kaadu Pookkunna Neram and Valiya Chirakulla Pakshikal are
treated in different manner unlike mainstream film?
An: many other films have already handled these subjects. But all those movies were portrayed in a third
person view, which does not show the sufferings of the marginalized. It revolves around the concept of hero
and heroine. Even though the film talks about the marginalized community or the subject, most of the time the
hero will be different in class, caste and economic background. And film will be narrated on their perspective.
But this style of narration cannot be trust worthy to the subject. That’s why the hero/heroin of my films are
from the community about whom my film talks. I believe this kind of treatment of the subject can only be
trustworthy to the discussed subject.
Q) What are all the difficulties you faced while making the movie Kaadu Pookkunna Neram
(When Woods Bloom) as the film breaks the existing public consciousness about Maoism?
An: what I do first before making a movie is to think from my side. For us(Keralities) Maoism is not a familiar
concept. So I started thinking why these educated people who lived with all facilities, moves to the forest by
leaving all those facilities they enjoy by knowing that they will not get any personnel gains? They take arms
for their ideology that they believe. All people have agreements and disagreement with all the ideologies.
Theyyam 14