The Ummachi Diaries

 

The Ummachi Diaries :

 

All made up for the first shot of the day 

October 2019

Because I promised Maiji I’m going to put this down so here goes - 

Yes that’s me: no makeup no lipstick no eyeliner no mascara no kaajal no trademark big nose ring and no silver bangles too but you anyway can’t see them. 

Say Hello to Akhil Sathyan’s  Ummachi . 

It all began with one message on my Instagram page from casting director Gayathri Smitha and almost ended with it because I never saw it . 

It was very brief . She was casting for a Malayalam feature film and would I be interested? More importantly, did I speak Malayalam? Of course I hadn't seen the message. But the lady was persistent and she had a young colleague follow up with a message on Facebook. This too I missed but eventually I did see it. The only reason I check messages from “non” friends or followers on various platforms is because occasionally it is possible a patient may be trying to connect with me. 

Young Ankit from the Casting Director’s office was persuasive and managed to talk to me on phone and the first thing I told him was I had a full time job and I spoke very little and that too very bad Malayalam . 

Notwithstanding this confession somehow the young man persuaded me to send a few photos and then a one minute video in which I was asked to introduce myself in Malayalam. 

I will never look at that video again - it was so bad. 

 

The Look Test - styled by Uthara Menon  

November 3^rd 2019

Then I got a call from Gayathri Smitha . I still hadn’t seen her message. She told me the Director was coming to Bombay and could I have Lunch with him Sunday afternoon? Please? And please no silver bangles no earrings no makeup. Please? 

I went on like a stuck record - I have a full time job & I speak very bad Malayalam. It’s Sunday she said. And Akhil Sathyan speaks great English. 

I went. I walked into that Bandra restaurant  minus my bangles, my earrings, my makeup and one look at the young man who got up to greet me with the most brilliant uncomplicated smile I’ve ever seen I wanted to be in his film . Never mind the full time job and the bad Malayalam. 

Over grilled fish and mashed potatoes he narrated the story of Ummachi and I was her. Or rather determined to be her. Eyes closed, literally, I said Yes ! 

It was much later that I saw Gayatri Smita’s unread message on Instagram... but it did not matter by then.

 

I was signed up !!! 

The burning question was of course: 

How did you find me ? I mean what brought a cancer care professional like me into your orbit, I asked Akhil (by this time I knew he was the son of the well-known Malayalam filmmaker Sathyan Anthikkad. Oh ! our casting Director Gayathri Smitha found you for us . He showed me the Instagram photo that had clinched it ! The Look he was looking for . It was the makeover Sreenanda Shankar had given me ... the peach lipstick one . And apparently the casting director had seen me in Bangalore’s Sly Granny one time and stashed me away in her mind somewhere. Anju and Ketyav Kadam the only time I’ve been there is with you and the old man ! 

Story session over and lunch done then that Sunday morning in Bandra we made plans to meet again and Akhil says Please can you wear a saree and maybe bring in the same look ? The Instagram look? And then we’ll talk some more. But no makeup please he added . 

 

 

 

The elegant Stylist Uthara Menon 

 

November 6^th 2019

 So we met a couple of days later and it was over breakfast at my favourite haunt The Taj Mahal Tea House and we talked some more and before I knew it my screen test was done- quietly and at my desk at work if you please, and on his phone camera and ( I guess ) approved too . That bit of dialogue I had to learn and emote will remain my favourite in the film. 

I couldn’t believe this was happening! 

And now what I wondered but my young Director had it all planned out . 

I will send you your scenes he said and you look out for a Malayalam tutor ? 

Also , could we have a smaller mookuthi he asked ... this is , motioning to the gorgeous one I was sporting , too “ Patthathi” for Ummachi ? And oh please he added with another shy smile - maybe you could , you know , not have a haircut now and mm you know do nothing to those eyebrows too ? I think this was when I felt it was all getting real ... I was being asked to get into prep mode for a role in a film!!! 

The day ended with a quick trip to Maa Hajiani Dargah . I mean I had to take him there na ? Something told me Akhil would love it and he did and swore he would shoot there. More about that maybe in my next?

 

The endearing Vineeth Radhakrishnan 

The Director gives the thumbs up to the look 

 

December 2019 

 

All of December went in work and trying to fit in the Physio appointments for my bum knee and Malayalam classes with Mrs Rajam - bless the lady. She’d greet me with her sweet smile and have my hot chai ready sometimes with a nice Kerala delicacy for tiffin - but she was a hard task master our Rajam Aunty. She helped me transcribe the script / dialogue notes Akhil had sent into English and I would read them out scene by scene. No matter it had been a long day at work, no excuse for not getting into Ummachi mode - but always with that patient smile that reached her kind eyes. A rare reward was an appreciative nod from her husband who was our quiet and discerning audience. 

When I wasn’t reading out my dialogues and getting the accent right I was listening to the voice notes Akhil had painstakingly recorded and sent to me on my phone. Ummachi’s words were literally ringing in my ears during any free time I had especially during my long commute. The day I got it all right and Rajam Aunty gave me 9/10 she decided a thanksgiving visit to the Ambalam was due and took me to the Guruvayur Temple nearby proudly introducing me as her actor student. 

The truth was, except for my family and a couple of close friends I hadn’t spoken about the offer and ensuing activities to anyone ... 

Makeup artist Sapna 

On the steps of Maa Hajjiani Dargah 

Akhil and his crew 

 

January 3^rd 2020

 

By now I was totally consumed by Ummachi’s character , her lines , her moods and her thoughts . I was spouting her dialogues day in and day out - whenever I had a minute to spare; eating , breathing and dreaming just those dialogues. 

Then it was time for Akhil to come over once again to Bombay and this time to check on my Malayalam and my accent and we met again at my favourite Adda . This time it was for Lunch and he was so late it became high tea instead! It was lovely seeing him and welcoming him to Bombay again.  We then headed once again to the peace & calm of afterhours at my office where he heard my dialogue delivery . How proud I was when he put me at 9 on a scale of 1 to 10 !  

It was late evening and we managed to catch the sun go down ... and took some photos of my favourite vista in the golden light. It was all still very, very surreal. Even when as he took leave of me and said he’ll put the “Stylist” in touch with me to work out my Look Test ... he was off to do some location recce and meet his Music Director. 

I was spinning ... had I been “signed on”? 

On way home via Malayalam class I saw his post on Instagram- “Hello world. Meet her.” 

I knew I was IN then ... the glow I felt as the sun set in a golden haze beyond Haji Ali and the Maa Hajiani still hasn’t left me ... 

 

That night I dreamt about meeting the Stylist and the Look she would conjure up for me . But more about that in my next ... 

 

All set ... after High Tea ... I'm high 

January 11^th 2020

The Look Test 

I did not even know such a term existed ... and when Akhil said he’d put well known stylist Uthara Menon in touch with me it was only becoming more and more real and exciting. 

The first call I got from Uthara was to coordinate time and place with the young man who was to make the wig for the “younger Ummachi” . I was going to be traveling on work all of that week and if Nikhil the perruquier had to have the wig ready by when the Look Test was going to fixed for, then  he and I needed to rendezvous very soon . Given the distances in Bombay and the traffic snarls it seemed best I call him to meet me at work ( by now my office seemed to have become the film’s first location ) and that left me with just one day - Saturday. There was a patient meeting scheduled and I would be available all through the day I told the young man over the phone. Don’t even ask me how I managed to exitricate myself from the sessions and give the poor guy the time he needed. And that too without letting on who he was and what i was upto . Nikhil to his credit was the perfect profession and within minutes had all the measurements he needed of my (not yet swollen ) head !

 

And oh what a challenge getting everyone’s times to match now for the Look Test . For me it had to be after working hours and thank God “working hours”for the film industry was outside of my working hours which is quite a mean feat to achieve considering mine go on for hours and hours...but coordinate we did and rendezvoused at a studio in the Western Suburbs where for the first time I met some of the members of Akhil Sathyan’s unit. And a delightful bunch of people. What impressed me so much was how Uthara had with her every single item of clothing and accessories and a tailor who whipped out a sewing machine for last minute adjustments and someone handy with an iron as well . I surrendered without any struggle to the ministrations of the whole team. The look of approval on the Director’s face was reward to all . 

PS - the glamour quotient of the stylist Uthara Menon is something else indeed! 

 

28^th January 2020

And then the Dates were fixed and we began shooting ... The first schedules set for end Jan . 

I was at Mayo College Ajmer on a speaking assignment and drove down that early cold winter morning to Delhi to take the flight to Kochi . The previous day I had completed a long cherished mannath - offering prayers at the Ajmer Sharif Dargah. I was told so many actors came there to receive blessings before beginning a shoot !!! 

Cannot describe the myriad thoughts going through my mind . While passing some lovely mustard fields in bloom I thought it quite fitting to stop and do a filmy thing right there ...after all I was going to act in a film . So why not some drama baazi! Neeraj , my trusted Sarathy when I’m in and around Delhi was only too happy to do the honours . It was a lovely drive and we kept stopping to take photos and for one whopping breakfast of Aaloo Paranthas with makkhan and lassi too . I know I wouldn’t be hungry till after I reached Kochi. 

Adarsh from the Unit was waiting for me at Kochi airport and boy did it feel strange being received and chaperoned into a city I’d been to so many times on my own . Looking up at some point I spotted the huge bill board of Anoop Sathyan’s film which was releasing in a couple of days . Anoop and Akhil are the twin sons of well known film maker Sathyan Anthikkad . Like the first family of Malayalam cinema. 

At the hotel it was nice to put a face to the voice of young Assistant Director Vandana who took care of everything and warned me that there might be a late night Look Test where the Director and Make Up Team might want to do some final adjustments. 

They were as good as their word and finally that one long day came to an end with Akhil’s Good Night ringing in my ears - Reporting Time tomorrow morning 6:30 Ma’am . 

And I was there with the sun to be met by Akhil and my costar Vineeth Radhakrishnan. The humility with which the actor came and introduced himself is something I can never get over . I couldn’t believe this was indeed the well known actor dancer who’s been acting since he was a young boy and won so many accolades . And we were doing the first scene to be shot together ... 

 

With Vineeth and the Sathyan twins 

Pandian Sir at work 

Kochi Jan 29th 2020

And so it began , my first day of shooting . It was such a surreal feeling - my own make up van and the make up and costume team taking total charge. I was completely at their mercy. I will never forget Pandian Sir’s sweet but firm cajoling as he removed all traces of eye makeup I had on. Look amma , your role is of  old lady. No makeup . We have to make you look old . But I did win a small victory when he allowed some Kaajal to remain in my eyes . 

I loved the look eventually and it seemed effortless after his ministrations to become the Ummachi Akhil Sathyan wanted. 

 

The first shot was with Vineeth Radhakrishnan who went out of his way to make me feel so much at ease and if this was how simple it was I said to myself! But then that was before Day 2 Shot 1 which was a Big One ! Just Vineeth and I and some of the longest and most emotional dialogues. Take after re take and I’m only wanting to hear Akhil say Niiiice in that drawl of his to know I had done ok . But no ... it now seemed I would not even need the glycerin because I was almost in tears myself. If I got the expression right in one I got the pronunciation wrong. If I got both right I muffed the lines . And so on it went ... How patient everyone was with me and how gently Vineeth made it seem perfectly ok that I was making him do take after take with me. 

I was envious of my little co-star Jesse who would confidently run up to see the shot on the Director’s little monitor screen after every take. I was petrified to go take a close look myself. Till today I haven’t seen any of the footage shot. But what I saw of the team and my lovely co stars I knew I was in great company . The kind eyes of the DOP Sharan Velayudhan , the ever ready to help with my lines AD Rajiv Rajendran and AD Aaron Mathew who would keep throwing me encouraging smiles , the lovely Dilna and her hugs and most of all my Director who when he did say Niiiice OK gave me his most beaming smile . As for the sarees Uthara Menon had chosen for Ummachi to wear each one was a winner. I wanted to bring them all back with me. You should have seen how shocked the young costume team was when I said that !!!

 

Overwhelmed is how I felt on Day One of the shoot of Akhil Sathyan’s film...and not just because it was the first day of my first ever film. 

Asked to light the lamp before the first shot it still hadn’t all sunk in. This was a unit with some top notch technical names like Sharan Velayudhan, Prabhakaran Justin and Anil Radhakrishnan besides well known actors like Fahad Faasil and the charming Vineeth Radhakrishnan whom I had already met. I was introduced to the producer Sethu Mannarkkad of Full Moon Cinema - such a sweet, humble young man. 

Akhil himself was now totally immersed in getting the shots ready and the film was on the floors. 

The moment of the morning however was this: 

In between shots while Vineeth and I were taking a short break the director walked upto us with a clipboard in hand and began to tell us how there were going to be a few changes ...something made me look up as he bent forward - maybe my subconscious registered that Akhil’s white shirt had turned into a pink one when it hit me that this was not Akhil but Anoop his brother pulling his famous “Know The Twin” prank. Anoop Sathyan you had me there for all of 3 seconds I admit!!! 

 

Feb1st to 3^rd 2020

Shooting in Kochi ... who would have ever imagined. And what joy it was having family & friends dropping in on the sets . Beena Narayanan, Amit Vaidya , Ravi and Vijaya - thank you ❤️ And as for Sapna Babu thank you for making me look so good ❤️

 

6th February 2020

 

A dream I never even dreamt of comes true . 

Akhil  brings his unit to Bombay and the first schedule is at Maa Hajjan Dargah 

6.30am call and we are at the shoot location bright and early. 

For me it is like getting to work early as we take the right at Lotus signal and Haji Ali and the fishing boats dotting the placid sea come into view. 

But now, this is very special , more than very special . It is the Universe conspiring in its own magical way. My first schedule in Bombay for my first ever film and it is at “my” no, now it is “our Dargah” ... 

On his first visit to meet with me and discuss the film I had taken him to Maa Hajiani ... this heavenly spot I have a special relationship with. Now we have come back with his crew to shoot our first scenes in Bombay here . The sun was golden and the sky blue. One of the most beautiful mornings ever . The whole unit had breakfast together and then Pandian Sir & Sapna Babu took charge in the Vanity (what a thrill to see my name next to Vineeth) 

My heart was so full. As I knelt down inside after the shoot to offer my own prayers it was the most indescribable of all feelings. I will not even try to describe them. 

 

 

Maybe my favourite shot 

 

February 7^th /8^th 2020 

And then we did two more days of shooting in Bombay ... it just felt so amazing to see Bombay through the eyes of Director Akhil Sathyan.

It was a Bombay I know very well - the same Bombay I had trudged the length and breadth of all of these last three decades and more as a working woman . The city where I’d found my feet - the city that gave me wings to fly like a bird, free and unfettered . Then what was this city I was seeing? Ah the power of a camera and the eyes and mind behind it . The hearts behind it ... Akhil and DOP Sharan Velayudhan showed me another Marine Drive , another Ballard Estate , another Chawl altogether and yet another Juhu . You see I was not me but Ummachi . This was Ummachi’s Bombay . 

We shot all day and one day all through the night till the day became the next morning. I am writing all this down more so I will never forget than share with you reader this once in a lifetime experience. 

The Pandemic has brought an Intermission outside of the screen for now but Inshallah Ummachi will bring to you more from her diaries ... real soon!