‘101 Chodyangal’ won debutant Siddartha Siva a national award

How does a fly get caught in a spider’s web?

Why is it that a spider does not get caught in its own web?

Why do bubbles appear when water boils?

And: Why does a cat always land on its legs?

These are some of the questions that puzzle eleven-year-old Anil Kumar Bokaro.

We are talking about Siddartha Siva’s 101 Chodyangal, a film that carries great expectations after winning the Indira Gandhi award for Best Debut Film, at the National Awards this year. Child actor Minon won the Best Child Artiste award.

Produced by Thomas Kottakkam, this story, penned by Siva, revolves around Anil, a class V student.

“He was named by his father after steel city Bokaro, since he nurtured dreams of becoming an industrialist,” said Siva in a telephone interview from his hometown of Kaviyoor in Kerala.

However, that name made Anil the butt of his classmates’ jokes. One day he was asked by his class teacher to prepare 101 questions as part of a class assignment, the incentive for the assignment being a rupee for each question.

“Anil’s father, a factory worker, loses his job. So the boy is very enthusiastic about his assignment,” continued the 28-year-old director.

Anil draws questions from nature and life around him. Playing Anil’s teacher in this film is Indrajit. Lena plays Anil’s mother. Talking about Indrajit, Siva said, “He is a committed actor and strives to put in his best.”

What about directing a child?

“Minon is a mature boy. Preparing him to come down to the level of 11-year-old Anil, who is innocent, was a challenge,” recalled Siva, who holds a double masters in English and Malayalam literature.

Siva was drawn towards films having watched his father, director Sivaprasad, at work.

“I often eavesdropped on discussions he had with his peers,” he remembered, and then talks about a short film that he made in his school days during the summer holidays. The passion only grew with him making another short in college days using a VHS camera that was rented for Rs350 (Dh21.6). After working for TV networks Asianet and Doordarshan for a while, Siva opened his innings as a filmmaker with 101 Chodyangal.

‘This script was brewing in my mind for the past three years. I had visualised every single shot in my mind so shooting was easier than I expected,” added Siva who has acted in Malayalam films, Thirakatha, and Ritu. Look out for him in Shyamaprasad’s upcoming film, The Artist, where he plays a significant role, that of a curator.

Music for 101 Chodyangal, is scored by Arjunan. Cinematography is by Prabhath E.K.

101 Chodyangal, is one film that you can take your little ones along to and enjoy those moments as your child discover answers to not just the few questions we started with but more.

FACT BOX:

Thirteen year-old Minon is a child prodigy from Haripar (Alleppey) whose love for the canvas and colours runs in his genes, thanks to his artistic parents, John Baby and Mini. He has held more than 65 shows and has more than 4,000 paintings to his credit.

John Baby remembered, “He must have been a little over one, when he used to draw using karikatti (burnt coal pieces) on the floor and they were not just doodles but good work.”

Minon does not attend school but is home-tutored as his parents believe in giving children freedom to learn at their pace.

Recently he has taken to bronze sculpting as well. 101 Chodyangal is his first film as an actor.

Chipping in, Minon said that he enjoyed every moment of being Anil Kumar Bokaro.