There were many times I struggled to understand Anju and Leelamma: 'Ullozhukku' director Christo Tomy

Christo Tomy's 'Ullozhukku,' starring Urvashi and Parvathy in lead roles, continues to enjoy a successful run in theatres. The national award-winning filmmaker has shown a profound understanding of the inner workings of his characters. In an interview with Onmanorama, Christo discussed the film and how, as a man, he crafts well-developed female characters.

"Writing is difficult. Whenever I choose a character, I make sure to go to great lengths to capture all the complexities of these characters," he said.
Christo noted that it has been somewhat accidental that his projects have featured female leads. "In some of the projects, I've asked myself whether this particular situation would be more difficult for a man or a woman. I asked this question in my short film, 'Kamuki,' which tells the story of a teenage girl getting pregnant. For 'Ullozhukku,' I posed the same question; sometimes, clarity comes from that," he explained.
Also Read: Women's journeys in Christo Tomy's 'Ullozhukku'

He emphasized that having strong female leads was never a conscious choice. "'Curry & Cyanide' was a project that came to me, and I pursued it because the story was interesting. I grew up close to my family and was very observant, which may be why I can portray these characters in a powerful way," he added.

At the same time, Christo acknowledged that writing 'Ullozhukku' and its characters was not an easy journey. "There were many times when I struggled to grasp the essence of Anju and Leelamma because they are characters caught in extraordinary circumstances. It took numerous rewrites over many years for me to fully understand them," he concluded.