Sarath: The Questions He Asked, The World He Left Behind

 

Sarath: The Questions He Asked, The World He Left Behind

Dear friend Sarath has passed away.

Whenever I hear the song that begins with “Oru Chempaneer Pooviruthu Njanamomale, Oruvela Nin Nerkku Neettyille…”, written by Prabha Varma, composed and sung by Unni Menon for the film Sthithi, I am reminded of Sarath. Whenever the song played on the radio, I would tell him, “The first person I remember when I hear this song is you, Sarath.”

We both firmly believed that a film belongs, above all, to the person who writes its script and directs it. Perhaps that shared conviction was one of the many things that brought us close. Our conversations were never confined to cinema. We spoke about art, literature, music, society and our professions. There was rarely any awkwardness between us; conversations flowed naturally because we seemed to share a similar curiosity about the world around us.

I first met Sarath when I went to the Kalakaumudi office to meet Jayachandran Nair. Sarath was working there as a journalist before joining the Information and Public Relations Department of Kerala. Later, when I was working at the Kerala House Information Office in Delhi, Sarath used to visit me regularly.

Those were the days when he was working on Geethagovindam, a multimedia production for the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, along with the eminent art scholar Kapila Vatsyayan. It was an ambitious and magnificent project that brought together many of the great names of the Indian dance world. Mohiniyattam, for instance, was represented by Deepti Omchery.

Sarath's first film, Sayahnam, established him immediately as a filmmaker of distinctive vision. It also confirmed the influence of two important figures in his artistic journey—Shaji N. Karun and Jayachandran Nair. Sayahnam created a different kind of impact on the audience and critics alike. Just as Shaji N. Karun's Piravi became a benchmark against which his later films were often judged, Sarath's subsequent films too were inevitably viewed against the extraordinary standard set by Sayahnam.

A single film brought Sarath national and international recognition. The awards won by Sayahnam were not merely a remarkable achievement for a debutant director; they were also a recognition of a distinctive cinematic language. By dealing seriously with the conflict between politics, the environment and human conscience, the film announced Sarath's artistic vision with remarkable clarity. It won several State Awards and earned Sarath the National Award for Best First Film of a Director. It was also screened at international film festivals.

That questioning and inquisitive mind continued to express itself in his later films—Sthithi, Sheelabathi, Parudeesa, Buddhanum Chaplinum Chirikunnu and Swayam. His characters were often people pushed to the margins of society. Through his camera, Sarath explored the extraordinary pain, loneliness and conflicts hidden within ordinary lives.

His creative interests extended beyond feature films. He made documentaries on a variety of subjects, including Kerala's mural tradition and Bhoomikkoru Charamageetham, which brought together the poet O.N.V. Kurup and actor Kavya Madhavan.

The same inquisitive spirit that characterised Sarath's films was also an essential part of his personality. He had an openness to new ideas, a deep affinity for art, an enduring curiosity about history and a persistent uneasiness about injustice in society. All these qualities found their way into his creative work.

After joining the Public Relations Department, Sarath made valuable contributions to Kerala's cultural and literary life through his responsibilities at institutions such as Vyloppilli Samskriti Bhavan and Bharat Bhavan. He possessed the rare ability to pursue a demanding official career while simultaneously nurturing a deeply creative life.

I remember one particular project with special affection. When Sarath was Deputy Director of Audio-Visual Communications, he wanted to make a meaningful documentary on the poet and environmental activist Sugathakumari Teacher. He entrusted me with writing the script. I prepared the script and submitted it, and it received the approval of the expert committee for production. Sarath wanted the renowned filmmaker K.P. Kumaran to direct the documentary. Unfortunately, the project never materialised. Even in our recent telephone conversations, Sarath would sometimes speak with sadness about that aborted project. It remained a regret he carried with him.

Sarath is no longer with us. But the world he observed, the questions he raised and the art and culture he cherished will remain.When we watch his films again, we will see not merely a director behind the camera. We will see a sensitive and questioning human being who tried to understand society in his own way and express what he saw through cinema.

All of us will eventually pass away. What remains are the good things we have done for society, the lives we have touched and the ideas and works we leave behind.

There is no doubt that Sarath will continue to live through the films and documentaries he created, the questions he raised and the memories he left in the hearts of those who knew him.

Paying my heartfelt tribute to the memory of my dear friend Sarath.