Sometimes my memories slowly descend and walk through the paths of my film career without me realizing it. Many of the movie faces I met on that trip are visitors to my mind, both clear and hidden. From those who have influenced my mind as an alchemy for success, to those who leave us with the ease of letting go of old residents when a new family comes in like a rented house, they come to my mind from time to time. Much can be said regarding them, but silence is better. When that happens, I will keep myself silent, thinking that no one will have any complaints or quarrels. Among them, even following half a century, there are some rare good minds that shine in me like a flash of lightning. I am writing regarding one of them here.
This time, my letters are coming to Chakarayumma Sajan aka Chakarayumma Sajan, who made many successful films in Malayalam during the 1980s. Although Sajan made his debut as an independent director in 1979 with the film ‘Ishtapraneshwari’, it was with Chakkarayumma that came out in 1984 that he gained much attention. It was with the huge success of that film that he came to be known as ‘Chakkarayumma Saajan’. I wrote the screenplay and dialogues of that film. S.N. The story was Swami’s. This was the fourth film of Saga Appachan, the producer of this film. After Bharata’s chamara, the blood and duty done by me and Joshi, Appachan comes with Chakarayumma. When Chamara, Rakta and Karthavya became hits, Appachan came to a decision to make a film with a new director.
One day my father called me.
“What if we make our next film with a new director? Sajan Anchal, he has only done one film called ‘Ishtapraneshwari’. It wasn’t that successful. What does Denny say?”
When I heard it, I mightn’t give an answer. And I don’t know much regarding Sajan. Dad is not the kind of person who makes a blind decision like this. The lot will fall only if you are convinced by looking at the history, geography and character of the people coming to be the director. Appachan is different from other producers because of making films. That’s probably why Appachan’s Yoddha, Punjabi House and eighteen other films were successful.
I had met the party in 1982 before Sajan came to Chakarayumma. I met Sajan for the first time when he came to our office with Sherif Kottarakkara, who was the editor of Geeta Weekly. Sajan did not talk regarding the first film at that time and kept a little distance. After two years, Sajan came to Ernakulam as the director of Chakarayumma. That meeting was in my office at Airlines Hotel, MG Road, Ernakulam. Father is with him. I am S. N. While conducting story discussion etc. with Swami and Appachan, I asked;
“Why did Sajan keep his distance from me when he came to our office that day?”
“Isn’t it time to be a super hit writer and run around, why am I wasting my time babbling?”
After a week’s discussion with Chakarayumma, Sajan went to Madras and established a good friendship.
The shooting of Chakarayumma was in Ernakulam. The film should be completed according to the shooting schedule. Saajan had to struggle a lot to complete the shooting on time as Mammootty was busy acting in many films. Appachan, the producer, was also strict in that regard. It starred artists with the most market value like Madhu, Mammootty, Kajal Kiran, Soman, Babyshalini, Srividya and Jagathy. When the film was released, it was a huge success than we thought.
It was during this time that Vijaya Movies approached us to do the film. Kutinilamakili was their first film that we did. Mammootty. Starring Ambika, Lalu Alex, Menaka, Sattar, Sukumari and others, the film was also a huge success. With that, the producers started taking a room for us to shoot at Mata’s tourist home where I had written the script. I was doing the film only for Joshi and then I had to become a regular writer for Sajan too.
We also did Vijaya Movies’ next film, ‘Orunokku Nadda’, that year. It was written by me and S.N. And Swami. Baby Shalini appeared in a double role, and the film became a huge hit as women loved it.
Then I also wrote scripts for Saajan’s films like ‘Thammil Kesham’, Upaharam, Ama Nayari Vivra and Nirbhaedanal. The other five films were successful, although Colors did not achieve financial success as expected. But to this day I remember a quote told to me by Xavier Sir of Vijayamovies regarding color casts.
“Colors was not as financially successful as we thought it would be, but it is my favorite film of all the films we have done.”
was correct. Rharbhayamanam is my and Sajan’s artistic best film. And SN for Sajan Vijaya Movies. Movies like Snehamulla Simham, Kandhu Kandarim were also written by Swamy. But I wrote the most scripts for Saaj, ‘Seven Pictures’.
Sajan made nine films with Mammootty in six years from 1984 to 1990. In it, Mohanlal acted along with Mammootty in the movies ‘Kandu Kandariyam’ and ‘Geetam’. When the nineties started, the trend of cinema started to change. With that, Sajan’s films also started decreasing. In between, he did many small films, but Sajan did not do well.
A film comes to Sajan when he is at home without making a film for a long time. Producer K.T. Kunjumon calls Sajan one day and Sajan goes to Madras. Raffy McCart has a story on his hands. They did not appear in the movie that day. They have gathered in Erali’s flat as advocates for the correction of some picture. Erali introduces Raffy McCart to Kunjumon. They went and told the story to Kunjumon. Kunjumon loves the story. But he has given me an advance to write the script for Kunjumon’s next film. Rafimekart has a great desire to write the script. Kunjumon calls me following telling them that he gave me an advance.
I am told regarding Sajan and Rafimekart with the introduction of ‘Dennis Bhai’. Kunjumon will write the script with them only if I agree. When I heard that, I said.
“Kunyumon, write with them. When you have new people, you get good ideas.”
That’s how Raffi McCart’s movie ‘Mr and Mrs’ comes into existence. It is their first screenplay. Jagdish and Siddique are the heroes. They are continuously acting in my films. Saajan called me a few days before the shooting started.
“Dennychayan, I need a help. I need to somehow adjust the six or seven days of Jagdish and Siddique. If their dates are not right, Kunjumon will reject the film.”
When I heard that, I was very upset. In thinking regarding what to do, I called the two producers who had bought the date next to each other, and though they were not interested, I made it a form of silent agreement. That’s how Mr. and Mrs. became a reality. And the film ran without much trouble.
Later Sajan had a gap for some time. Although the film is not complete, Sajan has not said that he wants to go to any producer and give him a film. Sajan was very careful regarding damaging his image. Sajan was not a person who worries regarding what will happen tomorrow and he was a person who walked with the principled thought of dreaming good dreams for today’s happiness.
Sajan was one of those rare people who kept friendships well in old times and new times. Thirty-eight years have passed since we first met, and our friendship continues today.
(to be continued)
