idaneram: The man from the hut became the film maker

idaneram: The man from the hut became the film maker:

Bhasi

Born the rural lower cast’s colony Irumpanam at Ernakulam District of Kerala State in South India, Irumpanam Bhasi produced debut feature film named Bodhi, Directed by G Ajayan. The film is based on Kerala’s great poet Kumaran Asan’s ‘Chandala Bhishuki’, Rabindra Nath Tagor’s ‘Chandaalika’ , Laxmi Narasu’s ‘Buddha and His Dhamma’ and Dr. B R Ambedkar’s book also.

The story is about the Monk Anantha and Mathangi – the girl from Chandala the out caste- that is taken Jataka Tale of Lord Buddha’s early birth. The film completed in the year 2008, but not yet released.

The name Irumpanam is related with legendary Asura Goddess Hidumbi – not an Aryan Goddess or Dravidian Goddess coming from ‘Mahabharata’. ‘Vanam’ means forrest. The words Hidumbi and Vanam joined, it became’ Hidumbavanam’ and later ‘Irumpanam’. One of the most acclaimed novelist Mr. M M Menon, in his Novel ‘ Jeevaparyantham’ (Lifelong imprisonment) says both legendary and history of this place widely. And there is place in kochi city called Karikkamuri, it is said that the place is made by the inhabitance from Irumpanam. 

The producer Bhasi Irumpanam himself coming from Pulaya caste also an untouchable caste now called Daliths. His parents were agricultural laborers. Father died and mother still alive at the age of sixties. Except Bhasi, only a sister and she is married, now lives with husband and children.

Bhasi’s childhood was difficulties with poverty and caste crises. So he could not complete his school education and discontinue at 8^th standard. And went to daily wages works with parents. Later he joined as a head load worker with CITU (Centre of Indian Trade Unions), conducted by a leftist political party. In that period he associated with Folk Song Parties and sung many occasions and festivals. Until he took goodwill in folk music, and colleagues compelled him to join them ever and leave from as the head load work. Bhasi remembered that he had also political miss opinion to his cadre party; at last he leaved from them. He sung a folk song as background in his own Cinema; create in tribal language Paniya one of the tribe in Kerala.

Scene from 'Bodhi'

Then he joined Prof. Chandradasans drama troup as an actor.   Prof. Chandradasans is well known for his stage presantation of India’s Great Poet Bhasa’s ‘Karnabharam’. The drama performed many of stage countrywide and abroad. The plot of the play ‘Karnabharam’ is also taken from legend ‘Mahabarata’. But Bhasi acted only Shakespearian plays and Greek, directed by Prof. Chandradasan. But, the experience with Prof. Chandradasan is not good remembered, Bhasi says, and after that he leaved from there too. Then he made a solo Written and directed by K R Remesh named ‘The Hen with Red Beard’, it gave Bhasi more fame in theater art.

In Prof. Chandradasan’s camp Bhasi did meet with G Ajayan , who is also an actor with them. Their friendship grew up there and it lead to them to create the movie ‘Bodhi’ .The script and concept of the movie by Ajayan and money by Bhasi. Sold some of his land Bhasi collected money for the movie, even though his hose is in poor condition with clay-tiled roof and damaged wall. This attempt gave Bhasi more wraths from his own people, and he did not mind it. Monitory crisis did stop making of the movie several times, but borrowed money from somewhere, at last they did their dream to realize in the year 2009, but Bhasi became a debtor to others.