Title of film : OZHUKI OZHUKI OZHUKI
Director Name : SANJEEV SIVAN,SANJEEV SIVAN
Cast & crew :
Producer : DEEPTIPILLAY SIVAN
Editor : SREEKAR PRASAD
Cast :
Synopsis : Paakaran, a twelve-year-old boy. His father was a boatman, who went missing when their boat capsized in a storm, & his body was never recovered. While going fishing, with two other people one morning, they encounter a corpse in the water, which they throw back into the river, lest they would get into trouble with the police. This becomes a major fright for him, who starts having nightmares fully knowing that it is not his father’s body. When he hears from the village astrologer about wandering souls whose last rites have not been done by their sons. He finds the corpse & alerts the police. The police, however, avoid the responsibility of tracking the identity of the corpse by pushing it back into the river. Paakaran, sets off on a quest to find the corpse again, to give a proper funeral as per advice of the astrologer. While he is burying it; the town police intercept him & takes him in for questioning. He is accused of murdering the man & getting rid of the dead body. He is terrorized, but finds a sympathizer in the same police station. Fate plays a game & he is released from police station. Miscellaneous events in his life lead to him leaving the village. While his boat leaves the shores suddenly, another body emerges out of the water. It’s another ‘unidentified’ body– with no one to care for them, or eager to identify them, or give them a proper farewell. It’s another dead soul floating into the sea. Nameless & inconsequential.
Director Bio : DIRECTOR: DOCUMENTARY ON SOCIAL ISSUES: 1. “UNDERGROUND INFERNO”: for National Geographic Channel on coal mine fires was awarded “The Best Environmental film” at Ecofilms Rodos International films & Visual Arts Festival, Greece and at the International Film Festival of India, Goa 2010. 2. “RYTHMS OF LIFE”: for Films Division, Government of India- on the exploitation of the girl child. 3. “25 GIRLS AND THEIR STORIES”: for The Ministry of Social Welfare, Kerala- an oppurtnity to under privileged girl children an insight into world of films and it as means of livelihood. 4. “THE DOLL STORY”: for The Ministry of Social Welfare, Kerala- on importance of girl child. 5. “BOYS & GIRLS”: for The Ministry of Social Welfare, Kerala- on
Director Bio : Born and brought up in an environment where film reels substituted for skipping ropes and camera tripods for cricket bats, Sanjeev quite literally has filmmaking in his blood. Being the youngest of the family of filmmakers that includes his father Sivan - an acclaimed Director, Producer & Cinematographer and master craftsmen elder brothers Sangeeth Sivan - Director and (Padmasri) Santosh Sivan – an ace Cinematographer and Director, it was quite natural to get the spark of creativity and his burning desire immersed him into the world of films from very tender age. Sanjeev‘s love for films as a child, acquainted him with different departments of film making to even being part of menial jobs of production thus having hands on and thorough experience in every aspect of filmmaking. By the time he reached college, he was actively pursuing a film career as Executive Producer working on projects that were made under the family banner directed by his father and brothers. These films from their stable not only won numerous international, national and state awards but also were enormously successful at box office leaving a lasting impression in the heart of the audience. However, he believed his strong sense of narration and unique flair for story telling has to be backed up with a formal degree, which he took from the very prestigious New York University. A creative person with a distinct style of working Sanjeev passionately believed in the potential of films and televisions to transform lives and build stronger society. Sanjeev meticulously started directing features, documentaries and docu-features choosing social issues which haunts him and those plaguing the society as the subject of his documentary films; namely child trafficking, gender discrimination, dowry, exploitation, theft in train, piracy and lots more to create awareness and fought for these causes and contributed towards betterment of society through the medium of films. His feature film “Venalodungathe” (Endless Summer) is based on his documentary “AFTER LIFE” which is also on a social issue of surrogacy portrayed by Seema Biswas. The emotional rendition of the subject moved the audience which fetched him the “Best Film” Ammonite Award at the 6th Hidden Gems Film Festival, Calgary, Canada. His documentary “UNDERGROUND INFERNO” for National Geographic Channel on coal mine fires of Asia was awarded “The Best Environmental film” at Ecofilms Rodos International films & Visual Arts Festival, Greece and at the International Film Festival of India, Goa 2010. Sanjeev’s malayalam feature film, “APARICHITHAN- THE STRANGER” starring superstar Mammootty, was made on a budget of less than Rs.1.25 crores. It changed the face of the Kerala film industry with its never-seen-before technique and craft. From the beginning of his filmmaking career he has been showered with praises and accolades that have inspired him to achieve even greater heights. He was also the jury member of the Indian Documentary Producers Association (IDPA) Film Awards and served as a jury member for the 57th National Film Awards. His films portrays human side of social issues engaging the audience emotionally to the subject, hence his films are widely cherished both domestically and abroad winning rave reviews from critics and audience alike. For Sanjeev, making films is a natural extension of his self – an expression of the experiences he has accumulated over the years through his inhibition-free interaction with people. That’s the reason why his films are always about emotions – intense stories of people who are stuck in a queer twist of fate and are striving to break out of those shackles. He was awarded the “Karamveer Puraskar -2015” for drawing attention towards the social issues through the medium of films and contributing towards the upliftment of the downtrodden plaguing our society. Sanjeev believes nothing could be more important than aesthetic portrayal of this human struggle to break free this urge to retain ones integrity in the face of greatest of adversaries… a helplessness that emerges sometimes from within the protagonist and sometimes from outside. That’s the spirit and the soul of Sanjeev’s work. And that’s his ‘difference’ as a storyteller.
Filmography :
