Malayalam director Mahesh Narayanan’s latest film Ariyippu, titled Declaration in English, has been selected for the competition section of the 75th edition of the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. An Indian film is going to be screened after a 17-year-gap at the festival, and this is the first time that a Malayalam movie has been chosen for the competition section. The festival is scheduled to take place between August 3 to 13. Ariyippu will be screened on August 4 and this is the first time director Mahesh Naryanan is sending his film to be screened at an international film festival.
Describing the plot of the movie in a press statement, the makers stated, “Set in the pandemic stricken times in Noida, a struggling Malayali couple nurture the dream of migrating out of the country for a better life. A sensitive and manipulated video clip is circulated amongst the co-workers of the factory where the couple work. It unleashes unexpected emotional, social and marital imbalances in their relationship.”
Ariyippu has been written, directed and edited by Malik fame director Mahesh Narayanan and it stars Kunchacko Boban and Divya Prabha in the lead. The star cast also includes Lovleen Misra, Danish Hussain, Faisal Malik and Kannan Arunachalam. Speaking about the film being selected for the film festival, director Mahesh Narayanan said in a statement, "It is really an honour to be selected to the international competition section of such a prestigious film festival. I have tried to stay true and honest in finding a different cinematic idiom to tell this story and I now feel grateful that it has been rewarded".
The film is also produced by the production banner Udaya Pictures which is run by the actor’s family. Speaking about Ariyippu, Kunchacko Boban said, "It indeed is a personal honour for me as well and a tribute to my grandfather and my father who carried the legacy of making great Malayalam films throughout these years." Expressing his gratitude he further said, "I thank and I am really grateful to my dear friend, writer, co-producer and director Mahesh Narayanan, co-producer Shebin Backer and the entire team of Ariyippu for being part of such a beautiful and unforgettable journey."
Ariyippu will be the first Indian film in international competition of the festival since Bengali film Antarmahal by Rituparno Ghosh was showcased there in 2005. The last Malayalam film screened at Locarno was veteran filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan's Nizhlkkuthu as a special showcase in 2011.