Interview with an actor- nay, a doctor who dared to be an actor for a while....

The Malayalam short film titled "Acid" published on You Tube on March 13, 2019 is unique in a way.  Directed by  Dr Arjun Kartha, the think tank behind the project are all doctors.It highlights the problem of acid attack victims. 250 to 300  people are  attacked by acid in the country every year.  It was a surprise for me to learn that  the roles of the  main characters in the film are also  portrayed by doctors. They have  performed effortlessly like professional actors. In a short duration, not only does the film highlight the various dimensions of the problem but manages to maintain suspense ( the identity of the attacker is kept a secret) and interest of the viewers till the very end. This short flick already has a viewership of 10,498 and counting.

I got an opportunity to interview Dr Minu Surdas who played the role of Padmini Menon, the protagonist in the movie . Dr Minu is an ophthalmologist who did her MBBS from Thrissur Medical college and post graduate specialization from AIIMS, New Delhi. She is presently working at Nethra Eye care centre, Irinjalakuda, Thrissur Dist. I spoke to her when she was on a private visit to Bangalore recently. To secure her interview, the fact  that she is a cousin of my wife Jitha, helped quite a bit!

Rajeev Moothedath (RM): At the outset let me congratulate you and the entire team of doctors for collaborating on a wonderful, socially significant initiative! How did you come to be associated with the project?

Dr Minu Surdas (MS): A few doctors based out of Alapuzha in Kerala have been  contemplating for some time now  about  making a short film highlighting this menace. Although I live in Trissur, my name was suggested by Dr Sumesh of the Alapuzha team who is a friend. When prodded a couple of times, I agreed on the condition that shooting be done in the weekend so that there is less disruption in  my routine work. It is another matter that for accommodating various requirements we had to shoot on working days.

RM:  When amateurs get an acting opportunity, there is a tendency to be overtly dramatic and engage in overacting. I felt that you played your role quite naturally-  "Behaving" rather than "acting", as directors would say. How did you manage this?

MS:  In my heart, I knew and was clear that  I would play my role naturally. Director Dr Arjun Kartha also had the same approach. Further, I had been a big fan, right from childhood of the award winning Malayalam actor, Late Shobha who was known for her natural acting.

RM: The make up is very important for your character. How long did it take for putting on the make up and how many days of shooting did you do for this short film?

MS:  It took around two hours of make up to create the disfigured face. we did two days of full shooting in and around Thrissur. Later I went to Alapuzha for a day for completing the dubbing which was done in a studio there.

RM: Being a lady with a pretty face, did you feel uncomfortable and apprehensive about being seen on the screen with a disfigured face?

MS: Not at all. To tell you the truth, the make up helped me to feel free and act without inhibition. It felt as if it is not me, the doctor who is acting, but someone else.

RM: Tell us about your family:-

MS: My husband Dr Surdas. R. is a senior consultant Urologist and transplant surgeon at Mims Aster Hospital Calicut. I have two sons, Ram aged 12 and Bharath 10 years.

RM: One can see that the film has been well received on You tube and viewership is increasing by the day. would you be willing to act in future as well?

MS: Well. as you know all of us  are practitioners of another profession viz medicine. We associated with the project because of the social significance.Now that it has been well received, who knows, depending on the character on offer, I may look at it. 

RM: Thanks a lot Dr Minu. It was a pleasure interacting with you and understanding the challenges and nuances of treading on a new path.

MS:  Thank you. I enjoyed giving this interview as well.

Go ahead and watch the film - Emotions, pain and suspense has no language.... 

A brief  about the content of short film  for readers unfamiliar with Malayalam:

• ·         A person comes to his senior & says he wants to share a secret. This secret is revealed in the end
• ·         Girls visiting restaurant like the food , wants to meet chef/cook. Shocked to see they are all victims of acid attack.
• ·         Journalist visits house of “woman of the year” padmini menon to know more about her activities & motivation to work for rehabilitation of acid victims for over 10 years. She herself is an acid attack victim
• ·         In India the stigma is not on the attackers but on the victim which needs to change. Her foundation has a venture for photography and fashion ramp show to remove inhibitions about revealing one’s face in public- Aim to bring back colour, flamboyance & confidence to the soul. free eye surgery is arranged for victims at Shankar Netralaya chennai
• ·         During course of interview she informs of the relevant deterrent  sections : in 2008, Eighteenth Law commission  proposed section 326  and S 114 B. As per the 2013 amendment Act if an offender is caught he will get  minimum 10 years of imprisonment which can go up to life imprisonment and heavy fine.
• ·         Punishments: A man from Kottayam who attacked his wife with acid  when their two month baby was on her lap (Child lost its eyes) is presently in jail. Similarly, other cases from Cuttack, Mumbai  Delhi and Lucknow have all been punished.
• ·         In answer to question she reveals how she met her husband Hari , MD of an IT firm. She had initially rejected his offer of marriage as it could be out of sympathy. But his kindness during the trauma and reassurance helps her decide to marry him 

·    At this point of time, Padmini’s husband Hari  joins the interview. To the question "How is it that in your own case, you are still not able to trace the person who attacked you?" she says “ it is my fate”.

·   In the last part of film, the secret (identity) of   Padminii's attacker is revealed.