Poster of the docu-fiction, In Return: Just a Book. Source: FB pageIt would be amusing anyone who has read Malayalam writer Perumbadavam Sreedharan's "Oru Sankeerthanam Pole" to learn that the author had not visited Russia, the homeland of his protagonist Fyodor Dostoyevsky before he authored the novel. When his friends, one of them a seasoned mediaperson and the other a celebrated writer, learned about the same, they decided to take him to the far away land which once had shaped up itself in his memory in all its detail.
In Return: Just a Book by Shiny Benjamin is the result of that unusual trip by a writer from a sleepy village in Kerala to the land of one of the largest revolutions in world history. The docu-fiction, a less explored genre in Malayalam, simultaneously follows Perumbadavam's physical and mental journeys through the streets and lanes along which Doestovesky walked over 130 years ago.
As he walks down the streets of Moscow, Perumbadavam recollects how he was entangled in Dostoyevsky's traumatic and and troubled personality. His memories of writing the novel, narrated through face-to-face encounters and voice-over, are supplemented by enacted moments that flash forward to the present. In this process, Shiny, journalist-turned-filmmaker employs several techniques, including realism and magic realism.
Shiny Benjamin (R). Image source: FB pageThe real life spaces such as Dostoyevsky's writing room and the gambler's den at times turn imaginary through Perumbadavam's recollections and thoughts. The film juxtaposes the past and present and forms its own time space which is very much alive in the mind of the writer.
The script is done by eminent novelist Paul Zacharia.
"It was during a conversation among us that we found Perumbadavam sir had not visited Russia. It was unimaginable for us because he has depicted the country in all its detail in his novel. Then this idea of a docu-fiction sparked in our mind. The project got momentum as Zacharia agreed to write the script," Shiny told Onmanorama on the sidelines of the 47th edition of IFFI where the film was featured in the Indian Panorama (non-feature) section.
Of Perumbadavam's first visit to his favorite writer's land Shiny said he was simply thrilled like a kid. True to her words, his enthusiasm is very much evident in his face throughout the movie.
The film features two Russian actors - Vladmir Postnikov and Oksana Karmishina - as Dostoevsky and his aide-lover-wife Anna Snitkina.
The actors were picked through an audition conducted ahead of the seven-day shoot.
Of the days in Moscow, Shiny said she could feel the Russian people's reverence for Dostoevsky on several occasions. "When we are buying a bunch of flowers to be kept at Dostoevsky's tomb, a lady in the shop gave us another bunch for free and asked us to offer it to Dostoevsky on her behalf," an elated Shiny said.
K.G. Jayan's camera captures the moments with all its beauty and melancholy. The frames in vintage colors makes a subtle mix of memoirs and present day accounts. Sarrath's music adds to the feel of the movie. The film is produced by Baby Mathew of Soma Creations and Dr. Cherian Eapen is the co-producer.
Apart from this film, Shiny has done 10 documentaries including Translated Lives - A Migration Revisited about the plight of Malayali nurses abroad. She is recipient of several awards, including one national award and seven Kerala state awards for her documentaries.
