Bhoomi Malayalam salutes women

Through his films, National Award-winning director T V Chandran has handled many relevant social issues, like few others do.

Chandran has also made some powerful female characters that Malayalam cinema has seen through his films like Padam Onnu Oru Vilapam (Meera Jasmine won the National Award for this film), Susanna, Mangamma and Alicinte Anveshanam.

The other films that he has directed like Danny, Ponthanmada (Mammootty won one of his National Awards for this film), Kadhavaseshan and Adumkoothu have also been noted for his serious approach to the medium.

His latest offering, Bhoomi Malayalam, looks into the lives of a few women from the various strata of society. As the story says, regardless of their stature, it is fear and struggles that take their lives ahead.

The plight of women has not changed much during the changing years. While fear is the common thread among these women, each of the characters reacts to it differently.

Some surrender to their unfortunate situations while a few resist the oppressing factors and come out successful in the end.

In Bhoomi Malayalam, Chandran has adopted a style, perhaps new to Malayalam, where several lives are shown simultaneously and are interconnected by certain common issues or subjects.

Samvrutha Sunil, Padmapriya, Priyanka Nair, Krupa, Lakshmi Sharma, Nanda and Jesna have portrayed the lives of seven women belonging to various segments of the society.

Padmapriya is a journalist named Fousiya and it is her character that links the rest to the story.

While Samvritha is a factory worker, Priyanka plays an athlete whose dreams are shattered after her marriage. 

Lakshmi Sharma, who shot to fame with Blessey's Palunku, is playing the role of a widow of an activist.

Krupa plays Sathi, a young girl who is troubled by her dreams and has a secret love affair.

Ancy (Nanda), belongs to a rich household and is thoroughly disturbed after she comes to know about the story of a girl (played by Jesna), buried alive in Cherthala.

Though there are several other known actors including Suresh Gopi, who incidentally is playing a double role, the main focus is always on the women characters.

This could be the best thing about Bhoomi Malayalam as well. But Chandran has gone on record saying that it is not quite right to call his films 'female-oriented', as the characters and moments have been created according to the situations and issues, regardless of the gender.

Bhoomi Malayalam has been produced by Revathi Chandran and Abish under Genuine Cinema banner.

K G Jayan's camera has been successful in portraying the visuals in tandem with the mood of the subject. Isaac Thomas Kottukappilly's music adds to the effect of the narration.

The film has been released in select theatres in Kerala and the director plans to take it directly to the viewers, just the way legendary Malayalam filmmaker John Abraham did.