Poornima Indrajith is a revelation in the Malayalam film ‘Thuramukham’

Poornima Indrajith effortlessly transforms for the role of a lifetime in Rajeev Ravi’s opus Thuramukham

Poornima Indrajith is a revelation in Rajeev Ravi’s Thuramukham. The actor effortlessly, and convincingly, traverses the journey from a young, hopeful mother of three in her thirties to an ageing woman who is losing everything she holds dear. Her understated performance is consistent, her eyes and body become tools to convey a kaleidoscope of emotions and experiences far removed from what a woman of today would know. 

In a pre-release interview to MetroPlus, Poornima speaks of the “weight of the wait on the self” — a reference to the delayed release of Rajeev’s opus, spanning the two decades from the 1930s-50s, which pans in on a pivotal chapter in the history of the Cochin harbour.

Poornima essays the role of a woman who moves to Mattancherry with her family looking for a better life. What awaits her instead is a life of trials and tribulations as she loses her husband and struggles to make ends meet to raise her children. “Life was very difficult for a woman, especially one trying to make ends meet. The emotional, physical, and psychological conflicts and their toll is very heavy,” she says. 

“I was telling Indran [actor Indrajith, her husband] that at the end of it … today all that matters is the outcome. Whether it is a hit or a miss … be it in terms of work, cinema, or anything else. For an actor, the accomplishment is their work/craft being seen on the big screen. The theatrical experience is a big deal. The fact that the film is being released in theatres despite the challenges is a matter of pride and I am grateful for it,” she says. Considering the appreciation the film has been met with, evidently, the wait has been worth it. 

The three-year wait, punctuated by the pandemic, had not been easy for the team’s passion project. Thuramukham was due for release in June 2022. 

Based on the life of harbour workers in Mattancherry who were allotted work based on the chaapa (token) system and the protest against it, Thuramukham stars, besides Nivin Pauly, actors Nimisha Sajayan, Darshana Rajendran, Indrajith, Joju George and Arjun Ashokan among others. It is based on the eponymous play by KM Chidambaram, whose son Gopan Chidambaram scripted the film. 

Having been part of conversations about KM Chidambaram’s Thuramukham, with Rajeev, Geethu Mohandas and Indrajith, as they discussed the subject, the politics, the women in it Poornima felt connected to it. It had grown so much on her, that when Rajeev offered her the role, it was inevitable that she agreed.  Her last release was Aashiq Abu’s Virus in 2019.