Malayalam short film ‘Blue Lily’ explores domestic violence’s complex impact

At one point in the Malayalam short film Blue Lily, the viewer feels uneasy. It is about domestic violence, but the question that crops up is “who is the perpetrator?” Since it is a film on domestic violence, one, by default, expects the male partner to be guilty. That vagueness or the lack of clarity was deliberate, says debutant director Gautham Raveendran, who wrote the story. “It is mirroring, the subconscious imitation of another person’s gestures, speech or other behavioural patterns. The woman is mirroring her husband’s behaviour towards her.”   

The short film, around 30 minutes, follows the love story of a couple from when they meet and fall in love to what happens after they get married. As you watch the film, you feel a sense of foreboding that something will go terribly wrong, which it does. Gautham manages to hold attention without giving space for boredom. The script and screenplay are by Charvi Ram Mohan, “Since she has studied scriptwriting, we brought her in. She is also our lead actor, Anrudh Balu’s wife.” 

Before Blue Lily, there was another short film, but he counts this film as his first official film. He says, “I wanted to tell some good stories and make a film properly, unlike my first effort. With the backing of the talented tech team and crew, I was able to make this short film! By the way, we are all people with other day jobs.” Gautham is based in Dubai, where he works for Fly Dubai. 

The story has been inspired by the domestic violence he has seen around him. “I have close friends who have suffered at the hands of their partners; we have helped them by getting involved.” The problem arises, he says, when there is delayed action on the part of the authorities or those in a position to help victims of domestic abuse. 

Gautam Raveendran
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“There could be fatal consequences, because a victim of abuse is also suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, which affects people in different ways when their instinct for self-preservation kicks in. Victims are told to ‘work it out’ or that there is ‘no harm in trying’. But there is. Physical violence is not ‘worth trying’,” he adds.  

Apart from Shruthi Rajanikanth, who appears in the lead role and the only actor with film experience, the others are comparatively new. The others in the crew include Akhila Shine, and Rajesh CK Narath.

Blue lily flowers are present in every frame as a metaphor for the state of mind of the characters. “In the beginning of their relationship, the flowers are fresh however as it progresses, they wilt and, by the last scene, they are dead,” he says.

The response to the short film is way beyond the team’s expectation, he confesses. “People who have watched the film asked us [Gautham and wife, Mini Nair, the producer] to apply to send it to short film festivals. Of the 10 we have applied to, nine have accepted.”

The film is streaming on the YouTube channel Opera Frames