B 32 to 44, the upcoming Malayalam film directed by Shruthi Sharanyam, is a satire based on body politics.
The film will be presented by Kerala State Film Development Corporation and has been produced by the Cultural Affairs Department, Government of Kerala.
Speaking to Silverscreen India, filmmaker Sharanyam said that B 32 to 44 is a women-oriented subject with six female actors in the lead role. The film stars Ramya Nambessan, Zarin Shihab, Anarkali Marikar, Ashwathy B, Raina Radhakrishnan and Krisha Kurup.
“This film has elements of commercial viability and art-house production. It is a single line narrative with multiple plots that are interconnected in some or the other way. I first got this story idea in 2018. Since it had a strong political stance, I don’t think many private production houses would have been intelrested in backing this film. Hence, when the Kerala government called for applications for a contest to choose two women filmmakers and fund their project, I thought this would be the best platform to present this idea,” she said.
Speaking about the contest, Sharanyam said that the applications were called in the beginning of January 2021. There were multiple rounds that led to the shortlisting. “In the first round, we submitted the synopsis. Next, we had a scriptwriting workshop. After that, we submitted the treatment note. Following that, the shortlisted members had script reading sessions. In the final round, we did a presentation. Eventually, I won first place,” she said, adding that the contest was a great learning experience.
The shooting of the film which began on March 14 was wrapped on April 6. They have begun with the post-production works, the director said.
Sharanyam also noted that they were given 25 days to complete the shoot but the team managed to wrap up in 22 days. Interestingly, the team managed to establish a sustainable cinema workflow campaign on the sets.
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“I have done an MBA in Corporate Social Responsibility so creating a sustainable cinema space has always been in my mind. When this project took off, we tried to minimize waste as much as possible. We tried to reduce the use of plastic and other materials. From art to the costume department, we managed to use recyclable products. Instead of disposable cups, we opted for glass or steel cups and we refilled water bottles. We were able to bring about a positive outcome and this was our baby step towards a sustainable environment,” she said.
The film had a crew that had about 80% women. It had also established the Internal Complaint Cell.
Sharanyam had previously directed various music videos, AD films and documentaries. Some of her popular works include Baale, a musical video, and a documentary on Dancer Manu Master.