Pathemari shines at Gulf box office

Director Salim Ahamed's film on expatriation of Malayalis to the Gulf, Pathemari, has opened to strong collections and heartening welcome by audiences in Gulf theatres. The Mammootty starrer is expected to be one of the largest grossing movies of the actor from Gulf theatres this year.
The making of Pathemari is also a story of three friends coming together to make a film that would not waver from the original vision of Salim. Produced under his own banner of Allens Media, Salim needed the financial muscle to make the film that called for a bigger budget. That is when his friends in Dubai - Adv. TK Hashik and T P Sudheesh, General Manager of Deira Travel & Tourist Agency, stepped in as Executive Producers.
"Salim was insistent that he did not want a financier for the sake of it, who might eventually interfere in the film's making," says Sudheesh. "On our part, we wanted to support a film that had an important message to share."
Sudheesh says the first-time experience as executive producer was quite rewarding. "There are clearly laid guidelines for shooting a film in the UAE and if you follow that to the letter and spirit, everything goes seamless."
The challenge, however, was to ensure that the shoot could be wrapped in the prescribed schedule. "That is where Salim's control over the script and the detailing came in handy." Sudheesh says that with the film they were also honouring the Gulf-based talents. "At least ten people here have acted in it, and the film starts with a narration of KPK Vengara, one of the first radio broadcasters."
Pathemari, he says, is a signpost of Malayali expat life. "It is a film you cannot ignore."