The Storyteller Of Angamaly

Gangster brawls, plates of curry, lots of fish heads — the local tales of film maker Lijo Jose Pellissery have taken contemporary Malayalam cinema by storm.

- Samira Bose

There are a few familiar sights in urban Kerala. As one wanders through the streets in the evening, people take cover from the lashing rain, meats are roasted in large tureens, and men in mundus bend over their drinks at neighbourhood toddy spots. The films of Lijo Jose Pellissery are a cinematic walk through such local sights, with dialogues and camera angles that take you right into the micro-histories of people.

Born and brought up in Chalakudy in Thrissur district, Pellissery was introduced to the world of drama from a young age. His father, the late theatre and film actor Jose Pellissery, would take him along for tours of his drama company, in which junior would watch the background scenes and performances every day. “We would be travelling from one temple or church to another,” says Pellissery. “It was kind of my life only.” His two most recent films, Ee.Ma.Yau. (2018) and Angamaly Diaries (2017), have been critical and commercial hits. However, his career has been varied, with soaring highs and searing lows. His first two films, Nayakan (2010) and City of God (2011), were received well, but it was the satire Amen (2013) that received considerable attention. In 2015, he released Double Barrel, an expensive and experimental film with a large star cast, which did not meet audience expectations. However, it was with Angamaly Diaries that Pellissery suddenly changed gear.