Exclusive! Koozhangal is based on events that happened to my sister: director P.S. Vinoth Raj

Koozhangal, titled Pebbles in English, is one of the finest films that came out last year. The highly acclaimed drama is also a strong contender in the ongoing International Competition at the International Film Festival of Kerala.

The drama follows a man and his son, who travel across villages in search of his wife who has left their home after a quarrel.

Director P.S. Vinoth Raj, speaking exclusively to OTTplay, says the inspiration for the film’s heart-wrenching story came from events that happened to his sister. 

 “My sister had to walk in the night like in the events of the films and said that a huge fight happened in her house. So while making the film, I thought I would make the husband walk instead of the wife.”

Talking about the outstanding feedback the film has been receiving, he said, “We are really happy because we shot the film in 13 villages and thought we would just send it to some festivals or even screen them just in the villages. But the film went to the International Film Festival of Rotterdam and won the Tiger Award, which was the first bit of appreciation our film got.” 

Koozhangal is currently in competition at this year's IFFK and is a strong contender to win the award. Talking about the film festival, the director says it is like an “ancestral home” and that he has been attending the event for years. 

Vinoth Rajalso confirmed that the scene with the POV shot of the mysterious woman, is based on a folklore about a village goddess, who if witnessed by men alone, causes them to bleed. Her story is that she flee the village in hiding, after he was raped and her high class lover was killed by the village men. 

Talking about his future projects, the filmmaker revealed that the script work has already been completed and is currently looking for locations to film. He says the project will resemble Pebbles, and is based on myths and a short travel film which will also be trippy.