Mollywood's versatile actor Jayasurya is all set to entertain audience with the most challenging character in his career. He will be seen playing a trans woman in his upcoming film Njan Marykutty. The film will address the issues faced by trans women.
Jayasurya’s wife Saritha is a costume designer well known for the outfits she had designed for her husband in films such as Punyalan Agarbathis, Fukri, Su Su Sudhi Valmeekam, and Pretham.She had also designed the costumes for the film film Njan Marykutty, which has been well received by all.
Saritha, who runs a boutique in the name Saritha Jayasurya Designer Studio, has used the trans woman getup of her husband from the film to promote her designer studio.
Jayasurya, dressed as Marykutty in a saree, is featured on the hoarding in Kochi.
The trailer, which was released recently, is impressive and begins with Jayasurya approaching doctors for a sex change surgery and then celebrating the first birthday after it happens. Although the film appears interested in representing trans persons respectfully, the central character is played by a cis man rather than an actual trans woman. Indeed, this has been the general trend in film industries across the world, as trans actors have pointed out.
Written and directed by Ranjith Shankar, the film is produced under the banner Dreams and Beyond. The film has Jayasurya playing the lead role with Jewel Mary, Innocent, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Aju Varghese and Joju George in the star cast.
Anand Madhusoodanan is the music director of Njan Marykutty while Vishnu Narayanan is the cameraperson and Liju Prabhakar is the digital intermediate. Sajan V has been roped in for editing.
The shooting of this film began in Muvattupuzha in March last year and the first look teaser was out on March 10th this year. Njan Marykutty has gone into the post production mode and it will hit the silver screens on June 15th.
Director Ranjith Shankar and Jayasurya have worked together in four films - Punyalan Agarbattis, Su.. Su… Sudhi Vathmeekam, Pretham and Punyalan Private Limited – so far and Njan Marykutty is their fifth venture together. This has created a lot of expectations for the film particularly after the trailer was launched.
(With inputs from Digital Native)