'Ariyippu' selected in international competition section of Locarno Film Festival

Mumbai: Filmmaker Mahesh Narayanan's Malayalam feature "Ariyippu" has been selected in the international competition section of the 75th Locarno Film Festival, the makers said Wednesday.

"Ariyippu", titled "Declaration" in English, stars Kunchacko Boban and Divya Prabha in the lead roles.

"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," Narayanan, known for "Malik" and "Take Off", said in a statement.

Set in the pandemic-stricken times in Noida, the film follows a struggling Malayali couple who hope to migrate 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, which unleashes unexpected emotional, social and marital imbalances in their relationship," the synopsis of the film read.

"Take Off" star Boban, who also serves as a producer on "Ariyippu", said he is honoured that the film's selection coincides with the 75th year of his family's production banner Udaya Pictures.

"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," Boban said.

"Ariyippu" also stars Lovleen Misra, Danish Hussain, Faisal Malik and Kannan Arunachalam.

The movie will be the first Indian film in the international competition of the festival since the 2005 Bengali film "Antarmahal" by filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh, the note from the makers read.

The last Malayalam film screened at Locarno was veteran filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan's "Nizhalkkuthu" as a special showcase in 2011, it added.

The 2022 edition of the Locarno Film Festival, held in Switzerland, run from August 3-13.