Mattannur Baani, a documentary based on the life and legacy of chenda maestro Mattannur Sankarankutty, will be released on October 22. Produced by Sarvamangala Foundation and presented by the World Music Festival, the 51-minute documentary explores Sankarankutty’s enduring relationship with the chenda.
It delves into his early years of growing up in Mattannur in Kannur district and traces his days playing the chenda for Kathakali performances and his brief tryst with teaching, as a chenda instructor in the Kathakali department at the Vellinezhi Government High School.
Filmmaker Shruthy Sharanyam, who recently won the State Award for best director (female) in the Women/Transgender category for her film B 32 Muthal 44 Vare, captures the artiste’s journey and his unrelenting passion for chenda. “Documenting Mattannur Sankarankutty was a dream come true for me. I have always been a fan of his thayambaka. Through this documentary, we aimed at encapsulating what Sankarankutty is and his school of thought. For me, it was a prestigious thing, an honour, to work with an artiste of his calibre and to understand and capture his journey,” adds Shruthy.
