‘Jothi is about 11,200 infants that are yet to be found’

CHENNAI: This is a team that talks and breathes only Jothi and they are right on the money from the moment they settle down for the interview. Editor Raja Sethupathi, the producer of the film shows us clips from the preview show that was screened for a select audience and smiles broadly as they rave about the movie. “I was hospitalised in Cuddalore last year and I heard cries from the maternity ward. I was later told that a baby was stolen from a mother. It wasn’t even a newborn. They cut her womb and took the baby away. The gang was busted by cops and the baby was traced at Puducherry before giving it back to the mother. I saw this happening and discussed it with director AV Krishna Paramathma. He liked the idea and that is how Jothi was ignited,” he says.

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Actor Vetri, will be seen playing a cop yet again with Jothi after 8 Thottakal. He says that he initially had apprehensions in signing the film. “I landed several cop roles after 8 Thottakal and refused all of them. When I was approached to play a police officer again in Jothi, I initially said ‘no’ to it. However, over several calls and narrations I started realising the value of the message the story has. And of course, the way my role of Shakthi or the story has been presented is unique. I ended up doing it,” says the actor.

Raja Sethupathi, adds to Vetri’s point on why the message is important and presents us with a few interesting figures. “For the story, we went to Cuddalore, interacted with the police and were subject to some mind-blowing information. So far, 12,000 infants have been kidnapped out of which only 800 have been rescued. Imagine the plight of 11,200 mothers who have lost their babies without even seeing how or who they look like. Jothi rides high on this emotional factor,” he remarks.

Krisha Kurup, plays Vetri’s wife in the film. “I play Janaki, Shakthi’s wife in the film and a woman who is looking forward to having a baby. She at times envies her neighbour Jothi who is in her family way and at the same time is happy about Jothi’s due for delivering a baby. Emotions run high between Shakthi and Janaki. It was this emotional connection for me with Jothi that made me agree to do the film,” she adds.

Sheela Rajkumar, has been winning critical-acclaim through her roles in Draupathi and Mandela. Talking about Jothi, she says, “I am here to be a part of responsible films and Jothi is an addition to the list. Thanks to Mandela and Draupathi. They showed where I belong in the industry and Jothi is a result of those successes. Playing the titular role has its own challenges and I believe I have done justice to it. I speak on behalf of women who have lost their kids and I couldn’t turn down such a neat script with a message that deserves to be conveyed to the audience.”

Jothi was shot in the middle of the pandemic and the crew found it difficult to acquire permissions for locations. “We shot in live locations and the camera followed wherever we ran and jumped with the crowd looking at us. It looks natural and not staged,” concludes Vetri.