Innalaye Thedi: A Malayalam children's film that moves adults and children alike

The concept of yesterday, today and tomorrow is esteemed in Indian traditions and culture. Our great scholars widely discussed the thought of yesterday while rendering discourses on our Vedas and Puranas. In other words yesterday was our strength and base of experience, wisdom and prosperity.

A children's film in Malayalam aptly titled Innalaye Thedi (which can be translated into plain language as In Search of Yesterday) based on the crux theme of our ancient cherishing values, traditions and love, care and pampering of elders enjoyed by children in earlier days with joint-family, is ready for release on December 10. This film is produced under the aegis of Children's Film Club, Thrissur, and directed by the talented young personality Aravindan Nelluvai.

Aravindan has several years of experience in cine-field in different roles. He was associated with veteran writer and director Lohithadas as production executive.

It is a story of an educated and ex-army nomad who in his journey got attached with children. The nomad and 11 children take forth the story written by the director Aravindan himself. The theme of the story elicits the journey portraying the goodness and an attempt to regain the values missed somewhere in the fast phase of urbanisation and the booming trend of nuclear family concept. The movie beautifully unveils the changes in the rural and urban society in a folk-story telling method aesthetically blended with myths and beauty.

Multifaceted veteran actor T.G. Ravi plays the lead role in the film. The film has been shot in digital format in the outskirts of Thrissur and Vatanapally capturing the rich scenic beauty by cameraman Ravi Chandran. The art is by famous painter and sculptor Gayatri. The music composed by Sunny P. Sonnet and lyrics by G. Rajeev Nair and A.K. Anilkrishnan and playback sung by Pradeepchandra Kumar and Kairali Gandharvasangeetam fame Master Arjun Muraleedharan.

Mumbai boy Kalidaas plays an important role in this movie. Incidentally Kalidaas is the son of famous writer-journalist K.V.S. Nelluvai aka Sivadas and Soly. K.V.S. Nelluvai is global co-ordinator of Children's Film Club, Thrissur, and he made a debut in the film with a notable small role.

The cast includes Habib Khan, Kiran Raj, Dr. Vijaya Raghavan, Shibu (Tulips), A.K. Anilkrishnan, Indu Mohan, Nirmala, Mini Arun, Malavika Manu, Riddhima T. Jilsu, Akhila, Anjana Aravindan, Arjun Rajasekharan, Aparna Balamurali, Sarath, Sagar Shyam and Adarsh.

Aravindan says, ' I wanted to make a children's film since long. It happened now. All will ask why a children's film? My answer is now there are any numbers of films being made for adults. But producers, directors and technicians rarely take pains to make films for the young folks. Therefore, I decided to make one'.

The film gives the moral of goodness and universal brotherhood. Before its release it has been built a good hype and widely acclaimed in industry circles. Kudos Aravindan!