Ananth's reel take on real news

Ananth Mahadevan likes to work on meticulous schedules. So, it comes as no surprise that the director took barely six months to convert a story that he’d read in the Times of India-Crest edition into a movie. The article was about a lady named Sindhutai Sapkal, who’s been providing shelter to abandoned children, after struggling through 60 years of life herself.Says Ananth, “It’s a human story that involves you completely. The movie’s work was complete so swiftly that I was surprised myself. It was providence. From reading the article to making the movie in six months; somewhere, someone was guiding me.”
Ananth, who is now awaiting the release of his movie Red Alert – The War Within, is ready with his next subject. And this time around, he’s been inspired by a Mumbai Mirror story.
Says Ananth, “The movie is called Cotton Country and the plot comes from a Mumbai Mirror story. The article was about a freedom fighter who fought for four years for the country’s freedom. But, it took him 30 years to get a freedom fighter’s certificate. I’ve bought the rights to his story. The movie is not a biopic; it’s only about one chapter of his life. It’s an absolutely intriguing tale; he says that the fight for the certificate was more mind boggling than the fight with the British.”
For the role of the freedom fighter Ananth has spoken to Naseeruddin Shah. He says, “I spoke to Naseeruddin Shah about the movie. He loved the concept. I am in the process of scripting it. He’s given me so much material; I need to convert that into a script. And as soon as that is done, I’ll focus on the casting.”
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