Rhapsody of Rains-Monsoons of Kerala, a twenty minute long non-feature film that bagged the national award for narration in the 68th National Film Awards 2020 announced on Friday is the new talking point in the State. This is the first time in the history of Kerala the Monsoon has been portrayed in its full splendor by a film maker. What makes Rhapsody of Rains distinct is the effort by film producer M R Hari and director Siraj Shah to offer the viewers the hitherto unexplored facets of Monsoon rain. And this is the first time a short film is discussed and debated by film fans in the State.
“Usually, the Monsoon months in the State (June to August & mid-September to mid-November) are seen as the season of sorrow because of the floods caused by the heavy downpour. What has not been discussed till now is the spectacle of the State during this period. It is the real season filled with myriad events like snake boat races, temple festivals, presentation of folklores and a lot of activities,” said Hari who wrote the script along with Dr Meena T Pillai.
It took five years for Shah and other crew members to shoot the various aspects of Monsoon for which they travelled the entire length and breadth of the State. The Tourism Department of the Government of Kerala had commissioned Hari and team to make a unique film on Monsoon season.
The month of Karkkadaka, the Malayalam equivalent of Shravan, is the period when Monsoon peaks. Old timers take a break from their routine life and undergo Ayurvedic rejuvenation therapy that includes oil bath, massaging and steam bath. “The menu during the Karkkadaka too is different. Non-vegetarian food is out and the menu is made up of porridge cooked with plants, herbs and raw vegetables. The 30-day long treatment is like a thorough overhauling of a machine,” late Raghava Pothuval, veteran Ayurvedic physician wrote in his memoirs.
Monsoon season in Kerala is not just heavy spells of rain as it is made out by politicians and farmers. It is true that heavy rains disrupt the farming operations and daily wage earners face severe difficulties.
Hari says that there are lot of things to do and felt in the Monsoon rains of Kerala. “Nature comes alive and is at its best during these rainy days. But the outside world is familiar only with the flood and fury of the Monsoon Rains. It is just a small aspect of the season,” said Hari, who is the managing director of Invis Multimedia, an IT company based in Thiruvananthapuram.
“Our mission is to tell the world that the Monsoon Rains are as serene and scenic as any other seasons seen outside Kerala,” said Dr Meena T Pillai.The film is packed with some of the beautiful and enchanting shots of the Monsoon landscape. When it was announced that the Rhapsody of Rains won Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan, sister of the irrepressible Sasi Tharoor, the national award for best narration, it came as no surprise to Hari and team. They have shot the movie to tell the world that Monsoon Rains offer a lot to the travelers, ranging from ayurveda to shopping. “Monsoon in Kerala will not be the same once the film reaches the viewers,” said director Siraj Shah.
The Thrissur Vadakkumnathan Temple where elephants are fed and the snake boat races held across the rivers meandering across the State are some of the few items which would make the explorers reach for their travel bags and embark on a journey to the southern State. Monsoon is a festival and the Monsoon Rains have raaga ,thaala and laya. A poetry composed with shots of landscapes. That’s the rhapsody!