Interview | Jothish Shankar : ‘Ponman’ gives a loud and clear message against dowry

Jothish Shankar's directorial debut Ponman tackles the issue of dowry in Kerala with a powerful narrative and stellar cast.

When Ponman reached theatres last week, it was a dream come true for Jothish Shankar. The ace art director is elated that his directorial debut is being talked about.

“I entered the industry to become a director. The plan was to assist a filmmaker. But I got the opportunity to assist an art director [in Thanthonni] and I took it up,” says Jothish. It was the right decision since he went on to work in some of the pathbreaking movies in the Malayalam industry and bagged two state awards – in 2019 for Kumbalangi Nights and Android Kunjappan Version 5.25 and in 2022 for Nna Thaan Case Kodu.

“But I did not not give up on my dream. It was eight years ago that I finally decided to make a film. I started looking for stories and there came a point when I thought that I should tell my own story. That took me to GR Indugopan, one of my favourite writers, ever since I read his work Beejabankile Penkutty. The story I told him was set in Kollam, his hometown. I insisted that a Kollam native should write it and after much coaxing he agreed. That became the novella, Naalanchu Cheruppakkar and eventually the film, Ponman,” he says. Ponman is scripted by Indugopan and Justin Mathew.

“Although I belong to Kuttanad [in Alappuzha district], once I passed out of college [Raja Ravi Varma College of Fine Arts, Mavelikkara, where he studied sculpture], I lived in Kollam for a few years. A group of us friends formed a collective called Monthayam. We used to stay in a lodge and the incidents in the book happened when I stayed there. I am one of the characters,” he says.

Ponman is a critique on dowry and addresses it through a practice in some parts of Kerala, especially among the economically weak sections. There are agents/brokers who arrange for the gold jewellery on the condition that whatever amount the bride’s family receives as gifts during the wedding should go towards the cost of the gold. If the amount falls short, the jewellery not paid for has to be returned. “So, you will see people in the bride’s house who are assigned to collect the amount from the visitors. They will take down their names as well. It feels strange that there is nothing to be ashamed about neither for the one who gives the money and the one who receives,” says Jothish.

In Ponman, the bride is Stephy (Lijomol Jose) whose marriage is fixed with Mariyano (Sajin Gopu) and the dowry fixed is 25 sovereigns of gold. PP Ajesh (Basil Joseph) is the agent who arranges the jewellery (therefore the title Ponman, which means the guy who deals with pon or gold). But when Stephy’s family fails to muster the price of 12 sovereigns, Ajesh asks her to return the ornaments. She refuses, so too Mariyano because his family needs that gold for his sister’s marriage. There starts Ajesh’s relentless pursuit to get back the gold, leading to intense conflict between him and Mariyano.

“This happened with a friend when his sister got married. I am sure this agent might still be around somewhere in Kollam. I can’t remember his name because this took place many years ago. Our team is looking forward to meet him!” Jothish says.