Shashidharan Aaraattuvazhi:

The interview that never happened
Screen pays homage to the memory of the immensely- gifted writer who passed away recently...

During a telephone conversation more than a year ago, writer Shashidharan Aaraattuvazhi had agreed to an interview. The interview, however, had to be postponed for later, owing to his busy schedule. Plans were renewed to interview him on the sets of Aval, superstar Mammootty’s new venture for the mini screen. Again Fate intervened, this time, rendering all chances of a personal interview with the writer impossible. Aaraattuvazhi passed away on the night of January 21 at the age of 45.

Born at Aaraattuvazhi in Alappuzha district as the son of Arjunan Pillai, Shashi liked writing plays while still only in school. But the rather conservative and strict environment he was brought up in was hardly conducive to such creativity.

When he wrote a play Kolayaali (The Murderer — most of it was written atop a mango tree in his backyard, his father advised him to refrain from writing, and concentrate instead, in getting himself a government job. When Shashi was just 14, his father passed away. Then on, he had to help his elder brother Radhakrishnan after school hours in running the ration shop they owned. Later, when Shashi was studying at SD College, Alappuzha, the craze for writing plays besieged him again. He wrote plays and sent them to the All India Radio. His brother, the late Gopinath, a journalist with Mainstream in Delhi, encouraged him in his creative endeavours. Shashi shifted home base to Thiruvananthapuram, where he worked first as a journalist, writing stories and features. He worked with magazines Kudumbakatha (as editor) and Kuttikatha (edited by the noted poet Kunjunni Master) before setting up his own advertising agency, Primary Colours.

Shashidharan Aaraattuvazhi always had a passion for films and dreamed to write for the movies. Of course he had had no formal grooming in script-writing. But he gained inspiration from the various screenplays written by MT Vasudevan Nair. He made a careful analysis of MT’s screenplays scripts were based. Thus he learnt a lot about script writing. And when he approached director Kaladharan with a serious subject, Kaladharan and Shaji Kailas (who was Kaladharan’s associate then) remarked that though the subject was good, they could not make the movie. They required something lighter. Instantly, Shashi narrated a story they readily approved of, until someone in the production department reminded them it was an oft-repeated theme. Unfazed, Shashi narrated yet another story to them, which was okayed by Kaladharan. Thus Shashi wrote his first film-script for Kaladharan’s Nettipattam, which was released in 1990. After Nettipattam, which did not do well at the box office, director Rajasenan came seeking Shashi. And Shashi promptly told him the very same story which was earlier rejected by Kaladharan. Rajasenan accepted it and the film, Ayalaththe Addheham became a resounding hit.

Then on there was no looking back for Shashi. He wrote scripts for more than 20 films in a career spanning over a decade, the major ones among these being Yoddha, Vaardhakyapuraanam, CID Unnikrishnan BA BEd, Poruththam, Kaliveedu, Cheppadividya and Kudumbakodathi. Most of these were noted by critics as well-constructed scripts and Shashi remained in demand even as new faces continued to make their entry with newer trends and some established ones passed on into hibernation.

And thus, Shashidharan Aaraattuvazhi, with 20 odd screenplays, 12 plays and a lot of other journalistic writings to his credit, continued as a prolific writer enjoying every moment of his career. When death snatched him away, he was working on the script of Aval, the mega-serial to be produced by Mammootty for Kairali TV.