As Kerala society is hit day after day with news of alleged dowry suicides, Allu Ramendran director Bilahari says art will play a big part in changing patriarchal mindsets.

“We wanted to release the teaser now when dowry and domestic violence issues are raging in the State,” says Bilahari, adding he proudly calls himself a feminist. “Patriarchy is ingrained in not just the men, but also the women in our homes, who silently support it. When a strong woman character is shown in a mainstream entertainer, it reaches more people and a strong message is delivered.”

Bilahari made his debut through Porattam “The patriarchy in Bhayam is subtle, like in ‘allowing a woman to do something’. This should cause offence in the audience. That is how I want to portray this issue going forward. This is the story of women who continue to stay in a difficult marriage, but here, she gets the better of the man,” he says. 

“Men who are chauvinistic, will, at least to show themselves as being decent, support women in a public forum and even that is the beginning of change. I have a scene in my upcoming film Kudukku 2025 - which was similar to the one in Nayattu, though I had already finished shooting my film before Nayattu was released - shows a man doing a chore, but it is not the focus, that is just something in the backdrop. That sort of thing can be idealised on screen to start a change,” he says.

Before Thudarum 2 - Bhayam releases, Bilahari is “keenly looking forward to launch” a romantic track, titled Maran song, sung by Sid Sriram for the film Kudukku 2025.

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