Rupesh Paul is basically a journalist and a writer. He has been working with many leading Malayalam journals and has written a few books as well. And now, this young scribe is making his foray into another realm of creativity, namely filmmaking. With Laptop, which has Suresh Gopi, Shwetha Menon and Padmapriya in key roles, Rupesh Paul makes his debut into filmdom. His intention is to make films that are meaningful and relevant. Laptop is almost finished and he is now involved with the post-production activities.

Here's Rupesh Paul opening up to Nowrunning.com about his debut directorial venture.

The film is about an unwed mother and her son. The son, named Ravi, leaves home and wanders afar, becoming a successful theatre artist in the course of time. And then, thirty years later he returns, seeking his mother. But she is on her death-bed, in a coma. After this the story takes a turn. Ravi's personal tragedy is set against the background of a Special Economic Zone that would leave thousands of people displaced. The film also tackles many issues including the numbness that has crept into human relationships.

Certainly. Laptop is a multilayered film in the sense that it tackles different issues with the present-day world as the backdrop.

The title itself is an indication of the basic themes discussed in the film. While a laptop is indicative of the new era with all kinds of technological advancements, the title My Mother's Laptop is indicative of the warmth and love that a mother has for her children. It's indicative of a mother's lap, where children begin their lives.

I had always wanted to be a filmmaker. Journalism was just a step towards realizing that dream. It was another film that I had planned for, a big-budget one based on a period subject. But it was getting delayed and in the meantime this thing came up. It's a story penned by my friend and writer-cum-journalist Subhash Chandran. I had it in my mind for a long time. But I had my doubts about getting someone from Kerala willing to stake the money, especially because it is not the usual kind of box-office movie. Then I got a good producer and that's how the film happened. My wife Indu Menon, who is a writer as well, has done the script.

E.A. Joseprakash is not your usual kind of producer. All he told me was that I needn't compromise on anything or depend on anyone else. He gave me utmost freedom to do the kind of movie that I wanted to make and declared wholeheartedly that he was ready to accept any losses that the film may incur, if it fails to click.

It's Suresh Gopi who plays the role of Ravi. It's yet another facet of the actor that gets revealed through this film. He appears in a totally different get-up in the film. And Shwetha Menon plays Ravi's mother. She has to play two different stages in the character's life and this character would no doubt be very different from any character that she has done till date. It will be a total departure from the glamorous image that she currently has.

Padmapriya is playing Payal, a North Indian girl, who is a member of Ravi's troupe. She shares a very different kind of relationship with Ravi and wants to join him on his trip home when he travels to Kerala to meet his mother after thirty long years. It's a sensitive character and she has done it excellently. She is an actress who has already proved herself.

It would be loved by all who in their heart of hearts cherish goodness and love. We are already getting offers from abroad, so marketing the film may not be a big problem. We also plan to do the festival circuits. The premiere itself is being planned in that manner. We have already sold the satellite rights. It doesn't mean that the film won't get a theatre release. We are in fact planning a theatre release in May with 45 prints. The release would be done by Kichu Films.

I want to do more films, all different and meaningful ones, rooted in our culture, our social atmosphere.

Rupesh Paul as a writer and a short film maker has been exceptional in his creative expressions. His debut short film venture "The Temptation Between My Legs" was even denied a Censor Board Certificate. Rupesh is now landing into feature films with an experimental cinema, when no one dares to experiment in Mollywood industry. Titled "My Mother's Laptop" and produced under the banner of Mother Movies, the movie is based on a short story ''Parudheesa Nashtam'' by Subhash Chandran. 'Laptop' is said to be a path breaking film which takes a different view on human relationships, exploring the dichotomies of human mind.

The movie tells the story of an unwed mother who punishes herself by denying posthumous rituals to the father of her son. She keeps his ashes in an urn without performing rites so that he does not get access to heaven. Her only son Ravi, a theatre artist, more a vagabond, moves around leaving his mother alone, in search of mental balance. Ravi's strong passion for the theatre makes him a world renowned artist, who travels to far away countries across the globe and performs at all places.

A descendant of non marital relations, Ravi nurses feelings of guilt and contempt. Payal, a kolkatta born orphaned girl from his troupe develops a liking for Ravi who pressurize him to comeback to his mother. She shares a very different kind of relationship with Ravi and wants to join him on his trip home when he travels to Kerala to meet his mother. After thirty long years, Ravi now plans for comeback, with newer plans for his mother. The story takes a different turn as on the eve of his return, his mother drifts into a coma. Increasingly guilty of his belated appearance, Ravi now starts caressing and caring his mother like never before, the feeling for that desolate laptop of his mother and the need to pay back makes him hysterical. Ravi's personal tragedy is layered against the background of a Special Economic Zone that is expected to leave thousands of people displaced. The film also tackles many issues including the numbness that has crept into human relationships, in the recent times.

The movie is said to sensitively delve into the nature of human relationships, yearnings and disappointments that destiny makes in the deserted lives of it believers. Suresh Gopi who has become synonymous with action films for a year, attempts a different role playing Ravi. Gopi was much hooked by this story, which he feels is "innovative and will bring out another facet in my acting."He is altogether in a different getup playing an aged character with heavy beard. Padmapriya play Payal, the drama actress. Shwetha Menon will play the mother of Ravi in a dual get up of a lady at her thirties and sixties. She has to play two different stages in the character's life and this character is expected to be very different from any character that she has done till date. The cast also includes Urmila Unni, Madhuben and Harikrishnan

Indu Mnon pens the screenplay for the movie, based on the story by Subhash Candran. 'My Mother's Laptop' will feature seven songs written by Rafiq Ahamed and set to music by famous carnatic musician Sreevatsan J Menon, which are already noted for its differences from the regularly heard numbers. The movie cinematographed by V Vinod, is edited by Vijayakumar.

Cast: Suresh Gopi, Padmapriya, Urmila Unni, Madhuben, Harikrishnan
Direction: Rupesh Paul
Music: Sreevalsan J. Menon

'Laptop' had worked on a sound and music design even before it went to shoot. The film also uses the best of the tone filters and Digital intermediate effects to achieve the desired excellence in visuals.

The director assures that his film will be loved by all who cherish goodness and love.

"I am confident of the outcome, from which I can say that 'Laptop' will be a unique film that you never ever had witnessed in Malayalam. We are already getting offers from abroad. We also plan to do the festival circuits'' says Rupesh Paul who plans to release the movie with 45 prints all across Kerala.

'Laptop', which was mostly shot at Fort Kochi, is almost complete. Produced by E A Jose Prakash, the movie will be brought to theatres in July by Mother Release.

Indiaglitz

Nowrunning

http://www.nowrunning.com/Movie/Previews/MoviePreview.aspx?movie=5018 Produced under the banner of Mother Movies and based on a short story by Subhash Chandran, Laptop is the debut directorial venture by journalist-cum-writer Rupesh Paul. The film tells the story of an unwed mother and her only son Ravi, who as he grows up, gets distanced from his mother, due to a very strong passion for the theatre. He drifts away into the world of the theatre, getting totally separated from her.
Gradually Ravi becomes a world-renowned artist and travels to different countries across the globe and performs at all places. In due course a young girl named Payal, who is much younger to him, develops a liking for him. After a gap of thirty long years, Ravi comes back to see his mother. But on the eve of his return, his mother drifts into a coma.
Ravi returns to Kerala with Payal, who hails from Kolkata. The story takes a different turn from here and ends in a very dramatic and symbolic manner, very sensitively delving into the realm of relationships. Laptop, which is almost complete, will be brought to theatres in May by Mother Release.

http://focusindia.wordpress.com/2008/07/08/malayalam-movie-laptop/
Suresh Gopi, who has become synonymous with action films, dons a very different role and a totally different get-up in Laptop - he sports a beard! That is the first thing we will notice in Laptop - the debut directorial venture by journalist-cum-writer Rupesh Paul. The film tells the story of an unwed mother and her only son.
The plot of the movie is based on 'Parudheesayude nashtam', the famous story by Subhash Chandran. The story begins with Ravi, the only son of an unwed mother. As he grows up, his relations with her are estranged due to his strong passion for theatre. Gradually, Ravi becomes a world-renowned artist, travels to different countries across the globe and performs at all places.
In due course, a young girl named Payal from Kolkata, who is much younger to him, develops a liking for him. After a gap of thirty long years, Ravi returns to Kerala with Payal on vacation from his touring troupe to see his mother. But on the eve of his return, his mother drifts into a coma. The story takes a different turn from there and ends in a very dramatic and symbolic manner, sensitively delving into the realm of relationships.
Shwetha Menon plays the mother while Suresh Gopi plays the role of the son, Ravi. The film has Padmapriya pairing with Suresh Gopi after last year's Time. The other cast members include Urmila Unni, Madhuben, Sujith, Rajesh, Master Harikrishnan and Mark Antony.
The movie is scripted by Indhu Menon. Laptop has cinematography by V. Vinod, art by Sujith Raghav, lyrics by Rafeeque Ahmed and music by Sreevalsan J. Menon. Produced by E.A. Joseprakash under the banner of Mother Movies.

http://www.cinefundas.com/2008/06/19/laptop-to-release-on-july-11/

The Rupesh Paul-directed Laptop, which has been in the news for the past few months, is getting ready for a commercial release on July 11, 2008.

Produced by E. A. Joseprakash under the banner of Mother Movies, the film reportedly has two versions, one for commercial release in theatres and another (a shorter one) for the international circuit. The latter version has the title My Mother's Laptop.

While Suresh Gopi, Padmapriya and Shwetha Menon don the key roles in the film, the others in the cast include Urmila Unni, Madhuben, Harikrishnan etc. Lyrics by Rafeeq Ahmed have been set to tune by Sreevalsan J. Menon, while V. Vinod is in charge of cinematography.

Laptop, which is a rather off-beat and sensitive kind of film, has script by Subhash Chandran, based on story by Indu Menon. Though the film has as its focus the relationship between a mother and a son, told from a very different perspective, it also discusses matters that are very much relevant in today's times, like globalization and other such things. Rupesh Paul and his team are at present busy getting ready for the release of this film, which was shot in a matter of just 11 days.

Smitha Mathew [June 13, 2008, 12:40:46 PM]

http://www.indiangossips.com/?p=80
Padmapriya in Laptop movie by Rupesh Paul
Actress Padmapriya, who has worked with all big names of the Malayalam film industry, including Mohanlal, Mammootty, Suresh Gopi and Jayaram, will be seen sharing screen space with Suresh Gopi again, in the forthcoming Laptop. The movie, directed by newcomer Rupesh Paul, produced by E.A. Joseprakash and scripted by Indhu Menon, is based on a story by Subash Chandran.

Shwetha Menon also plays an important role in this film slated for May release. Padmapriya was last seen with Suresh Gopi in Time which released last year. The actress will also be seen in the forthcoming Pachamarathanil and Karthik Thirunal Karthikeyan.