<p>Historically, personal narratives have served as a reliable compass for directors venturing into the turbulent realm of film production, particularly in their first feature. The primary inspiration for director Nikesh RS’s first film, Rebel, is his desire to share the tale of his people. RS is a Munnar, Kerala native. This is a true tale that I have carried with me for a number of years, having seen it firsthand as a child. My family still labor more than twelve hours a day on tea plantations in order to make a pitiful living. Nikesh adds, “I wanted to make this as a tribute for them.”</p>
<p><img decoding=”async” class=”alignnone wp-image-531777″ src=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/theindiaprint.com-rebel-takes-no-sides-says-director-nikesh-rs-about-his-next-project-newindianexpre-750×377.jpg” alt=”theindiaprint.com rebel takes no sides says director nikesh rs about his next project newindianexpre” width=”1078″ height=”542″ title=”"Rebel takes no sides," says director Nikesh RS about his next project 9″ srcset=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/theindiaprint.com-rebel-takes-no-sides-says-director-nikesh-rs-about-his-next-project-newindianexpre-750×377.jpg 750w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/theindiaprint.com-rebel-takes-no-sides-says-director-nikesh-rs-about-his-next-project-newindianexpre-1024×515.jpg 1024w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/theindiaprint.com-rebel-takes-no-sides-says-director-nikesh-rs-about-his-next-project-newindianexpre-768×386.jpg 768w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/theindiaprint.com-rebel-takes-no-sides-says-director-nikesh-rs-about-his-next-project-newindianexpre.jpg 1200w” sizes=”(max-width: 1078px) 100vw, 1078px” /></p>
<p>Rebel, which is based on a few true stories from the 1980s, stars GV Prakash as a college student who moves to Munnar, Kerala, to finish his education. Nikesh and his crew put forth a lot of effort to ensure that every aspect was perfect in order to bring the 1980s to life. “We got our basics right before filming the scenes,” he explains, “from making sure we had the appropriate historical costumes, to selecting buildings that suited the period, to creating art from that era, and sourcing bikes like Luna and Jawa.”</p>
<p>Mamitha Baiju portrays the female protagonist in the movie, alongside GV Prakash, who also serves as the composer. Nikesh explains their character arcs by saying, “The core of the movie is GV Prakash’s quest to become a rebel. His struggles in college fundamentally alter his outlook and attitude. Mamitha plays more than simply the protagonist character’s love interest. She would also change into a character who was vital to the plot’s turn.</p>
<p>Nikesh thinks that in order to speak out for the underprivileged, one must learn to be a rebel. “We have brought the suffering of Munnar’s residents to light. The son of a daily wage worker, GV Prakash’s character fights for justice against the Tamils. During that period, 3 lakh Tamilians in Kerala experienced this. The movie would make a big deal out of this. Rebel will be a powerful movie for Tamil audiences.</p>
<p>Rebel, which is anticipated to be emotional and politically explosive, explores the protagonist’s attempt to fit in in a society where persecution of Tamil people is pervasive. Nikesh, who is aware of the gravity of the screenplay, states that he has meticulously spent a year working on the dialogue in both Tamil and Malayalam. Nikesh goes on, saying, “This is a problem that many states continue to face. In order to avoid presenting a biased viewpoint, I have included testimonies from other individuals who had comparable situations. Although the plot centers on conflicts between residents of two distinct states, Rebel’s creators made it clear that they did not intend the film to be biased. “We wanted to demonstrate that we are discussing a critical subject without taking a side. Rather, we centered the narrative on the linguistic and societal peace existing between the two republics.</p>
<p>Nikesh reassures that Rebel has the right intentions and doesn’t want to cause a split between the two civilizations, even if it is dealing with a delicate subject. After a number of films, like as Premam, Hridayam, Joe, and the most recent Manjummel Boys, have celebrated the friendship between Tamilians and Malayalis, the filmmaker boldly declares that Rebel will follow suit. “At first, we were concerned about the audience’s comprehension of the substantial amount of Malayalam dialogue in the movie, but as we celebrated their films as though they were our own, I felt more confident in my work,” he continues.</p>
<p>In the way that they mold a filmmaker’s personality and career, debuts are quite important. “The impression that the first film creates, charts the audience’s expectations for my upcoming films, so I have ensured that Rebel ends up being a fulfilling and entertaining experience,” the debutante adds when asked whether he is nervous about the response from the audience.</p>
“Rebel takes no sides,” says director Nikesh RS about his next project
