Date:10/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/10/stories/2008081050360200.htm

Kerala - Kozhikode

Tribute to a maverick director

P.K. Ajith Kumar

KOZHIKODE: What happens when eight years of passion and toil is packaged into an hour and 47 minutes?

“A tribute to an extraordinary filmmaker who probably walked ahead of his time,” C. Saratchandran would say, on the eve of the premiere of his documentary film on John Abraham, titled Ningalude Viswasthan John.

The film’s first screening will be at Kalabhavan Theatre, Thiruvananthapuram, on Sunday and it will be released simultaneously at Kochi, Kozhikode, Kottayam, Thrissur and Angamali on Monday, August 11 (the 71st birth anniversary of the maverick director, who had met with a tragic death in Kozhikode two decades ago).

John, who directed remarkable films such as Cheriyachante Kroorakruthyangal, Agraharathil Kazhuthai, Amma Ariyan and Vidyarthikale Ithile, was a non-conformist in not just the style of film-making; he was a revolutionary in producing and distributing his film as well, which he did by raising money through contributions from the public, and he showed his films outside cinemas, right through the State. Ningalude Viswasthan John also throws light on John the short-story writer and playwright.

“I have spoken to several people who were close to John,” says Sarathchandran, a Kochi-based documentary film-maker. .” He says the film is also a homage to the master from a disciple.