Actor Joju George will play a 75-year-old chenda artiste with Alzheimer’s disease in the upcoming film Jillam Peppare.
Elaborating on Joju’s role in the film, its director Josh has told in an interview to the Times of India, “We show two phases of Joju chettan’s character in the movie – from the ages of 35 to 40 and from 70 to 75. In the latter phase, he is an Alzheimer’s patient and while his memory is vague about everything else, the rhythm of chenda is still pristine. While not an anthology, the movie brings together four incidents that happen in four different places through chenda.”
Besides Joju George, the film has Major Ravi, Shehin Siddique, singer Anju Brahmasmi, percussionist Attam Sarath, Sheetal Shyam and Raaga in pivotal roles. Jillam Peppare has been shot extensively in Thrissur, we hear. The first schedule of the film was wrapped up right before the lockdown last year in March, said the director adding that all scenes requiring crowds were shot then.
The director pointed out that the film will feature artists from Thrissur’s Attam Kalasamithi, a percussion band. Though they are one of Kerala’s most popular percussion bands that play pancharimelam, singarimelam and thayambaka, the reception they get for each of these is different. This issue has been addressed in the film as well, said the director in the interview.
Joju George has proved time and again that he can do performance-oriented roles with ease. The actor has several awards to his credit including the National Award Special Mention (feature film) in 2019 for the film Joseph and the Kerala State Film Awards in 2015 for Oru Second Class Yathra, Lukka Chuppi and the best character actor award in 2018 for Chola and Joseph.
Watch: Song from Joseph
He currently has Thuramukham lined up to premiere at the 2021 International Film Festival Rotterdam this month with the theatrical release scheduled on May 13. The film, starring Nivin Pauly in the lead, is directed by Rajeev Ravi. Joju also has the Fahadh Faasil starrer Malik in the making. This film is directed by Mahesh Narayanan.
Apart from these, Joju will act in Peace, opposite Remya Nambeesan.
(Content provided by Digital Native)