Shyamam bags Award in New York AIDS Film Fest

The Malayalam film Shyamam, directed by Sreevallabhan, has bagged the award for the Best Film in the Fourth New York AIDS Film Festival. Produced under the banner of New Age Movie Makers by Nazar and Nazeer, the film has I.M. Vijayan, KPAC Lalitha, M.S. Tripunithura, M.R. Gopakumar, Sruthi, Mamookoya etc in the cast. Raju V. Krishna wields the camera. Music is by Sharath and editing by Vijayakumar. Shyamam, which was released in Kerala earlier, elicited poor response at the box office.

The film tells the story of Lakshmi, a village girl who after her father's death leaves for Mumbai in search for a job. Years later she returns home, beset with an incurable disease. She meets Mahendran, a renowned musician. She falls in love with him and his music, marries him and has two children. Mahendran falls victim of a dreaded incurable disease and dies with the birth of his second child Karthika. News spreads like wild fire of Mahendran's disease and the whole family is treated as outcasts by the village.

With her husband gone, the burden of looking after the family falls on Lakshmi who takes up a job in a coir factory. But the village soon forces her to give up her job. The temple food offering becomes their only way of sustenance. Shyamam is the maiden venture of director Sreevallabhan who was an assistant to director Sharvi, and he tries to portray the touching story of a family trying to grapple with fate and a cruel society.

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Shyamam