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Anjali Menon talks about ‘Bangalore Days’

Director Anjali Menon describes herself as a gatherer of moments from life. Here she speaks to Deepa Gauri about the success of Bangalore Days which is out in the UAE today

Anjali with Dulquer Salman and Parvati Menon on the sets

Was poet Rumi the world’s first quantum physicist?

If you are wondering what Rumi or quantum physics has to do with Anjali Menon, the director of the smash-hit Malayalam film Bangalore Days, well, you must listen to her, and flow with her thought process.

A few years ago, she was taking baby steps into the big world of movies. The indie film Manjadikuru, her directorial debut, could have been written off as a one-film wonder made by a rank industry outsider.

And then something incredible happened. It was a short film called Happy Journey that was part of director Renjith’s anthology Kerala Café. The film took a gentle but hilarious swipe at lecherous men who taunt women in public transport. Oh, but isn’t it just a short film, the sceptics thought.

And then something even more incredible happened. Ustad Hotel, a film she scripted, turned out to be a runaway box-office hit. The innate simplicity in her lines - ‘Every cup of sulaimani needs a little mohabbat in it’ – touched a chord with even the hardboiled, cynical Malayalis.

So when Manjadikuru, which was filmed in 2008, reached theatres in 2012, Anjali Menon became a name that could sell theatrical and satellite rights. That is no mean feat in Malayalam cinema, which continues to be swayed by vested lobbies and superstar clout.

When she announced her next venture, titled only very late into its production, the star-studded cast itself made headlines. Fahadh Faasil, Dulquer Salman, Nivin Pauly, Nazriya Nazim, Parvati Menon, Nithya Menen, Isha Talwar… phew… it was as if all of Malayalam cinema’s youthful vigour and talent was packed into one movie.

It was deemed as the Dil Chahta Hai of Malayalam cinema, a ‘coming-of-age’ movie. Untouched by the hullaballoo, Anjali, meanwhile, tweeted, “Life should have a snooze button… yawn!,” and refuted that ‘no, ‘L for Love’ is not the name of the film,” and retweeted Paulo Coelho and Rumi’s quotes.

And then Bangalore Days released in Kerala. A euphoric 30 days later, the film continues to run to packed houses in Kerala, and is now playing at theatres in the UAE.

The little girl who went to Indian High School and Our Own English High School in Dubai had cushioned her position as one of Kerala’s most sought after directors.

Anjali, however, chooses to brush aside such praises. Speaking to City Times, between mothering her two-year-old son Madhav, whom at one point in the film’s making she had not seen for seven straight days, Anjali is in a curious mood of elation and nonchalance.

Elated with the film’s success: “I am absolutely happy, in fact stunned…” and at the same time nonchalantly adding, “I am just a gatherer of moments from life.”

Anjali says the film must have brought out the “dreams and hopes” in every one’s lives. “People like to feel good,” she adds.

Today, that is exactly what Kerala is feeling about Bangalore Days, which has fetched high-praise from one and all (actor Siddharth of Rang De Basanti fame, tweeted: “Wonderful film. Ensemble brilliance from some of India’s finest young actors. Pure talent! Kudos!).

One factor for the success of Bangalore Days, many felt, is that you could relate to any of the six key protagonists. And, much like Anjali’s earlier films, its undertone of subtle humour and the characters’ ability to laugh at life while being firm in their convictions, also resonated with the audience.

Anjali says she scripted the film on the go, and improvised it extensively on the sets. She says the actors, the props and almost the entire mise-en-scène served as inspiration.

The making of the film, as almost every actor acknowledged, was super-fun. That camaraderie helped the movie too, says Anjali.

Bangalore Days also has that quaint Anjali-esque way of bridging cultures - urbane sophistication with rural naiveté, and old-world values with modern-day ambition - which was evident in Ustad Hotel and Manjadikuru. That is what perhaps makes, Bangalore Days even more appealing to Kerala’s youth.

“The youth are quicker and they want everything now,” observes Anjali. The impatience at ‘things not happening,’ she says, must not be an excuse. “If you are unhappy about a situation, get out of it. Living in silent suffering mode is outdated.”

Anjali says she derives inspiration from life around her. “I often feel that real life is more interesting than the reel life we create.”

Despite all the box-office success, Anjali says she still considers herself an outsider, who is not aware of the industry norms. She feels Dubai, the city she grew up in until she was 18, “is home and in many senses it still is.”

As she puts it, “My hybrid sensibility is born from the expatriate in me. There is a constant exploration for one’s roots and yet a sense of belonging to more than one place.”

Anjali Menon directs Nithya on the sets of the film

Following the success of Bangalore Days Anjali is now all set for a holiday, and perhaps read more (her favourites include Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, Pearl S. Buck’s The Good Earth and works by Jhumpa Lahiri).

She might even write a book in the future. “I believe in that time-space continuum, where we are sitting in the future. My job is to take it from now to the future, and do my best about it… whatever it be.”

That take on quantum physics is what drives her, and even makes her unpredictable about ‘what comes next.’ And that is why she calls herself a constantly changing gatherer – of stories, thoughts and moments from life.

As Rumi said, much like a quantum physicist: “Everyone has been made for some particular work, and the desire for that work has been put in every heart.”

For sure, he got it right with Anjali, with her films proving that “only from your heart can you touch the sky.” That too, by the way, is Rumi.

Of friendship, love and more

Director Anjali Menon’s Bangalore Days boasts an ensemble cast of the finest talent from the Malayalam film industry.

Bringing together Fahadh Faasil, Dulquer Salman, Nivin Pauly, Nazriya Nazim, Parvati Menon, Nithya Menen and Isha Talwar, among others, the key challenge before Anjali was to ensure none of the actors were side-lined, with each of their characters fleshed out well to connect with the audience.

For Malayalam cinema fans another highlight is the pairing of real life couple Fahadh and Nazriya whose marriage will be solemnised on August 21.

This could well be the last Malayalam film outing for Nazriya, who has a whopping 5.8 million followers on Facebook (the largest for a Malayalam actor). She will next be seen with actor Jai in Tamil film Thirumanam Enum Nikkah, and has no other films lined up.

In Bangalore Days, Nazriya plays Divya, who is married to Das (Fahadh), a high-flying corporate executive. He has little time for her, and frustrated at the pace of life, she moves to Bangalore to join her cousins Arjun (Dulquer) and Kuttan (Nivin). While Arjun is struggling to find his footing in life, Kuttan is the simpleton harbouring nostalgic memories of Kerala.

Through the simple joys and profound sorrows of each of the character, the film evolves as a coming-of-age drama, where love, one’s passion, nobility and higher values all take the protagonists on their destined paths.

With Maniyanpillai Raju, Vijayaraghavan and Kalpana offering support, the film’s USP includes the fantastic cinematography by Sameer Tahir. Produced by Anwar Rasheed, who had earlier directed Ustad Hotel, scripted by Anjali, the film’s music is by Gopi Sunder.

Bangalore Days is billed to be remade soon in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. A must-watch for anyone who loves a simple story, told without pretensions, and leaves one with a smile.