There is nothing more beautiful than friendship! A friend who rushes to your side anytime, be it midnight or in the midst of urgency, is a true blessing. It's hard to find such relationships, but Sajas Mohamed’s debut short film Kaatil focuses on friendship and takes us on an emotional ride. The short film starring Nayika Nayakan-fame Ann Saleem and Aaron Julius Punnen was released last week and went viral in no time, crossing 1 million views on YouTube.
Overwhelmed by the responses, Sajas says, “What I wanted to deliver was a quality short film. I was sure that people would appreciate our effort, but this response was unexpected. More than the story, I wanted to convey the emotions well to the viewers. The emotional side had to stand out and the response implies that we have succeeded in doing it effectively, thanks to the brilliant technicians who worked with me.”
The short film was shared by actor-directors Lal Jose and Basil Joseph on their Facebook walls. Sajas believes it gave an extra mileage for their short film. “The short film is produced by my brother Ejas, who’s currently working in Bengaluru. Basil happens to be his friend and liked the making style of Kaatil. I also came to know that Lal sir, who is busy shooting for a movie, too liked our attempt.”
The performances of Ann and Aaron need to be mentioned well, as their natural performance complemented the mood of the short film. Ann plays Nancy, a stand-up comedian, and Aaroon acts as John, her friend from college. The technical team boasts of State Award-winning editor Appu N. Bhattathiri, Tobin Thomas, who made the short film visually engaging, and Mujeeb Majeed, who scored the soulful music.
“The narration goes through John’s character, but Nancy is the protagonist. Nancy chases her dreams after college and doesn’t keep in touch with her friends; she looks more into the future. However, John is still in the past, reminiscing their college days. Their story is conveyed through the emotions.” Sajas also says that his friend Fuad, who appeared in a boat sequence, too received good responses for his act. Incidentally, Meenakshi Raveendran, one of the contestants of Nayika Nayakan, has dubbed for Ann in Kattil. It was Ann who suggested Meenakshi to him.
Sajas, who had always loved movies, was working in Dubai before he came back to Kerala for chasing his passion. He has worked as an assistant to a few advertisements in Dubai and says the love for movies was seriously recognised after he got into the job. Planning a feature film is his ultimate aim. “Before that, I want to be an assistant to a few renowned directors. That’s my next plan. I also have some stories in mind; will start writing that too," he concludes.
