Indecent exposure

KOCHI: During her graduation days, Athulya Rajan’s roommate confided in her about a sexual assault the girl had to face when she was younger. Not long after that, another friend disclosed a similar encounter. “Both incidents were too similar. The revulsion of seeing a man’s private parts when you are on your way to school is not something that goes away soon. The painful memory is etched in the mind,” says Athulya. Taking lessons from these two incidents, the aspiring director made a short film Ini Varum Pookkalam, which was released on YouTube on July 12.

To call out the perverts in society, the short film focuses on a newly-wed couple. “Because of an incident in the past, the couple cannot move forward in their relationship. It causes an unspoken strain on them,” says Athulya.

Finally, they take advice from an expert to resolve the problem. There is a scene when a gynaecologist asks the protagonist, “When was the first time you saw a woman’s private parts?” While the answer is obvious, she asks another question: “When do you think your wife first saw a man’s private parts?” The shock on the husband’s face tells the rest of the story. According to a Thomson Reuters Foundation survey released last year, India is the most dangerous country for women in the world, outranking Syria and Afghanistan. “Almost every woman in the country has faced sexual harassment. It is far-fetched to think we can change the world. But each person should do what he or she can to make the world a better place for women,” says Athulya.

Ini Varum Pookalam was produced by Wicky Pookkattu, Biju Athiyarathu, Abson Thomas, Leo Francis, Paul Parokkaran and Remya Varma K R. Written by Sivan Ceepee and cinematography executed by Shiyas Jaz, the short film has garnered over 1.5 lakh views.