A FORMER Bahrain resident and an acclaimed Indian film star walked the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival during the premiere of an old restored classic on Saturday.
Malayalam film actress Jelaja Prakash, who lived in Bahrain for more than two decades, was a guest of the festival to watch the screening of her debut 1978 film Thampu, now rechristened as Thamp.
The film, which was shown in the Cannes Classic Section, tells the story of a circus camping in a village for three days and the interplay of relations between the circus artistes and the villagers.
Accompanying Ms Prakash on the red carpet was daughter Devi, who did her schooling at St Christopher’s School.
Joining the two on the trip were Prakash Nair, the son of the film’s producer Raveendranathan Nair, and Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, archivist and film director who took the initiative to restore the film under the Film Heritage Foundation, founded by him.
Speaking to the GDN from France yesterday, the 62-year-old veteran actress expressed her thrill at the honour and being greeted by Cannes festival director Thierry Fremaux.
“I feel blessed to be living this moment, and looking back on my career, I couldn’t have asked for more,” said the yesteryear actress who made a strong comeback last year with the much-acclaimed Malayalam film Malik alongside her daughter playing a younger version of her.
“Restoring Thampu (Circus Tent) was difficult with much of negative prints lost, but I am impressed at the way the Cannes classics are restored and screened.
“Watching it after 44 years on the big screen and walking the red carpet were definitely the moments in life.”
Ms Prakash moved to Bahrain with her husband, former Bapco employee Prakash Nair, in 1993.
“Bahrain is home to me, it gave me my beautiful family, my child and watching her grow and the moments spent with friends and the community – those were the best days of my life.
“I miss my friends, and especially the Bahrain International Gourmet Club which was set up by a group of friends; we used to gather at homes and share different cuisines.”
Devi, a business graduate from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, is currently working on her third Malayalam movie Otta the directorial debut of academy award-winning Indian sound technician Resool Pookutty.
“I am truly at a loss for words and I would not say it is a dream-come-true, as the feeling is beyond that emotion,” she told the GDN.
“Having mum at home, a proven actress herself, I have seen it all – the red carpet, the glitz and the glamour of the Cannes and I hoped and wished could make it there – and when I actually did it I had goose bumps.
“Even after the event, all night the inexplicable excitement would not sink in.”
Trained in ballet from the age of four in Bahrain, Devi, who also trained on the piano and flute, said that she owed it to all to her “gurus from Bahrain”.
“The role of Aladdin as a grade three student in my school was the beginning,” reminisced Devi.
“I was into art, theatre, music and movies and with mum setting a bar so high, it was equally challenging and encouraging.
“It was crucial to carve a niche of my own and I consider it a blessing to have worked under two great award-winning directors in my first two movies and the third under and an Oscar winner.
Mr Nair, aged 62, who could not accompany his family to Cannes as he is ailing, said he was proud of his wife and daughter.
“It is a beautiful feel – mixed emotions – not being by their side and at the same time speaking about it to the GDN makes me nostalgic – I miss Bahrain.”
The family is settled in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala; Ms Prakash left Bahrain for India in 2017 and was followed by her husband a year later.
raji@gdn.com.bh
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