PremiumExclusive! Kunjila Mascillamani on Freedom Fight: If the audience do not accept my work, it’s their loss
Being one of the five directors in the latest Malayalam anthology Freedom Fight, Kunjila says she believes her work has satisfied and encouraged her
Last Updated: 07.33 AM, Feb 11, 2022
“The workforce in our society has always been male-oriented, that even the boards and signs term it as ‘men at work’ rather than ‘people at work’,” says Malayalam director Kunjila Mascillamani. Being one of the five filmmakers of the segments in the Malayalam anthology Freedom Fight, she has brought out the same idea on screen, through her segment The Unorganised. The Jeo Baby-led team is already receiving rave reviews, with their strong portrayal of socio-political affairs.
The Unorganised echoes the need for women's recognition in the workforce. Following a group of women who fight for washrooms at their workplaces, the segment addresses one of the many issues women face at their work. When OTTplay caught up with Kunjila for a chat, she had a lot to say about conceiving the idea, making it cinematic and more.
The director, who was already working on a crowd-funded documentary of the same title, was instantly ready to turn it into a segment in an anthology, when State Award-winning director Jeo approached her. She also seems to have had a clear nod about the narrative style, storyline, and the treatment of the subject her film should use. Edited excerpts:
‘Neglecting a larger workforce is not okay’
Kunjila’s segment is so realistic and raw, as it features something which is not very new to us. We all have seen or experienced how the women workforce always has to go through a hard time while demanding what they deserve. Society has always been turning a blind eye towards women when it comes to equal wages, healthy work environments and more.
Kunjila says her segment is a raw reflection about the same, where she focuses on one of the many problems and journeys. “A woman’s work does not end at her workplace. She toils herself with the household as soon as she is back from work. Even though there are trade unions who address the problems of workers, they tend to neglect this larger group most of the time,” Kunjila opines. She also asks why it is considered as an additional responsibility in securing women or the other oppressed workforce, while major political interactions and trade unions exist here to support the total workforce.
‘I am not sure if audience will accept Unorganised or not’
“Audiences might or might not accept my work, I am not sure. If at all they don’t, it’s their loss,” Kunjila says and laughs. She is pretty satisfied with what she has put out, and how it has turned out to be. The cast, led by Srinda, has pulled off a great job, according to her and she says Srinda has met her expectations for the film. Although the docu-fiction narrative style is something new that she has tried, experiencing it and bringing out the best have been a gratifying and encouraging voyage for her.
‘Political correctness is a simple courtesy where art doesn’t oppress the already oppressed’
Talking about the big debate of political correctness in the contemporary cinema space, Kunjila says the term is now becoming a false narrative in many contexts. “Tagging it as a rigid norm put for art, is nothing different from terming feminism as a men-hatred ideology,” she says. She also adds that political correctness is simple courtesy of not oppressing the already oppressed, through any form of art. But the makers are mindful of not hurting any sentiments. She says, moreover, not cracking a joke which offends someone’s identity or caste or colour or community is not a herculean task.
Kunjila also thinks that the artists, who really try to bring a change through their art, will never be bothered about ‘political correctness’, rather it would affect the ones who want to satisfy the major mainstream. “An artist’s job is to portray things as they are, be it the toxicity or the abusive language or traits. But it all matters from whose side the story is narrated. The direction that the story takes, is what counts ultimately,” says the filmmaker.
‘A feature film on cards’
Kunjila reveals that her upcoming feature film is in its scripting phase. “I’m confused in deciding the genre to be a superhero story or a crime thriller,” the filmmaker concludes.
Freedom Fight also features four other segments, helmed by Jeo Baby, Akhil Anilkumar, Jithin Issac Thomas and Francies Louis. The movie is currently streaming on SonyLIV.