Raj
Nair,
Malayalam
literary
giant
Thakazhi
Sivashankara
Pillai's
grandson,
is
all
set
to
foray
into
film
direction
with
Punyam
Aham,
with
Prithviraj
in
the
lead
as
Narayanan
Unni.
Samvrutha
Sunil
is
the
heroine.
Based
on
a
script
by
the
director,
Punyam
Aham
has
started
filming
in
December
2008.
The
film
is
about
how
Kuttanad's
paddy
fields,
once
known
as
the
granary
of
Kerala,
have
now
been
converted
into
tourist
resorts
and
the
backwaters
are
full
of
houseboats
with
tourists.
"Based
on
the
legend
of
Naranathu
Bhranthan,
Vararuchi
and
Panjami,
the
movie
analyzes
man"s
escapism
in
the
backdrop
of
globalization," Raj
Nair
said.
Produced
by
Raj
Nair,
Shyamaprasad
and
Janardhana
Menon
under
the
banner
of
Mirabilia
Films,
the
film
has
music
by
Issac
Thomas
Kottukapalli.
Others
in
the
cast
are
Nedumudi
Venu,
K.P.A.C.
Lalitha,
Gpoakumar,
Nishanth
Sagar,
and
Urmila
Unni.
M.J.
Radhakrishnan
is
the
cinematographer.
Beena
Paul
Venugopal
handles
editing.
Raj
Nair's
first
film
was
a
documentary
titled
Kazhchavasthukkal,
based
on
the
life
of
his
grandmother
Katha,
depicting
the
realities
of
aging,
past
and
current
social
issues
and
loneliness.
Raj
Nair,
a
doctorate
in
oral
medicine,
currently
teaches
at
Brisbane
University,
Australia.