I don't think women are being overlooked in Malayalam cinema: Manju Warrier

Actor Manju Warrier, who plays an interesting yet mysterious character in editor-turned-director Saiju Sreedharan’s ‘Footage’, believes women are not deliberately overlooked while making movies. "Sincere filmmakers create characters based on situations in their films. I don’t think women are deliberately overlooked in Malayalam cinema,” said the actor, who has delivered amazing performances in movies like ‘How Old Are You’, ‘Udharanam Sujatha’, among others during her comeback.
The actor believes, as an artist, she has been blessed to have played some fantastic characters. “I think I have been lucky that way. I got to do some outstanding films with directors who trusted me with impactful characters,” she said.

The actor is excited about ‘Footage’, which she says is an experimental film. “Malayalam cinema today is attempting a lot of experimental films and I am happy to be part of this work. When Saiju and his team approached me with the story, I gladly obliged. They are such a promising team,” she said.
The actor, however, has a word of caution for her audience who are equally excited about the release of ‘Footage’. “Most of my audience are families, including older and younger people. I believe I have a responsibility to them, so I have to warn that it has adult content and is more suitable for the 18+ audience,” she said.

‘Footage’, just like ‘Vazhiye’ directed by Nirmal Baby Varghese, belongs to a comparatively new genre in Malayalam cinema. The film features two YouTubers who are in a live-in relationship. “In a way, you can sum up the film in two sentences, but its technicalities and the way the story has been edited and shot is what makes it truly intriguing,” said the actor, who is also gearing up for films like ‘Viduthalai 2’ and ‘Empuraan’

Manju Warrier's character in 'Footage' was originally written for a man
Saiju Sreedharan, whose filmography as an editor, includes the critically-acclaimed work ‘Kumbalangi Nights’ is making his debut as a filmmaker with ‘Footage’. He admits that the role played by Manju Warrier was initially written for a man. “When Shabna Mohammed wrote the screenplay, she brought a different dimension to the character, which is why we then approached Manju Warrier for the script. We felt she would be the right choice after the script was ready,” he said.