Film-maker Rani Sitaram shares the inspiring story behind ‘Greytown Girl’
A story of hope, unconditional love and resilience plays out in the newly released local movie, “Greytown Girl”.
Written and produced by Rani Sitaram and directed by the Oscar-nominated Darrell Roodt, the real-life story follows Meena, a disabled girl who, despite her limitations, builds her life, creating a love story that crosses continents through letters.
It stars Sanam Sitaram as Meena alongside veteran actor, Jack Devnarain, as her father Veer.
Emmanuel Castis and Linda Sokhulu are also a part of the star-studded cast.
In the movie, Veer teaches Meena how to read from glossy magazines, where she discovers pen pals. Meena writes to friends all over the world, but just one writes back, Eddie.
Eddie is so deeply impacted by Meena’s letters that he changes his previously superficial view of the world and their love story begins.
Sitaram explained that although the context of “Greytown Girl” is local, the story transcends internationally.
“The romance, the beauty, the relationship between a father and daughter all transcends borders and it is more than just a local movie. In fact, we are currently trying to make those sales,” she said.
The story behind the film’s existence is also a compelling one.
It all started when Sitaram’s long-time family friend asked her to visit her niece and listen to her incredible life story.
“My mother’s friend decided to dress me on my wedding day. I didn’t object ... When I looked in the mirror, I didn’t recognise myself, she had done such a fantastic job. I looked at her and said: ‘Thank you so much, how can I ever repay you’. She told me not to worry and that one day I will.
“Several years later, she called me and said that I needed to go to Lenasia and meet her niece and tell her story. At that time, my husband and I just started our training and production company, East Coast Media.
“The first thing I saw when Meena walked towards me were her crutches but after that I completely forgot about her disability because she just shone from the inside.
“The first thing I saw when Meena walked towards me were her crutches, but in less than a minute, I completely forgot about her disability because she just shone from the inside.
“There was just something about her inner strength that I hadn’t seen in any human,” Sitaram said.
She recalled that the real-life Meena had a stillness about her.
“There was a quiet confidence in her. She was here for her family, her main goal in life was to make her family comfortable ... I stepped back and I saw that she wanted to be that person, because if she wasn’t that person, where would she be? Then she told me about the letters ...”
Sitaram added that she wanted to showcase the story in its entirety.
“I didn’t want it to be a historical timeline, I want to show the beauty of the system that was developed between Meena and I ... The transitions are film-makers, I took a risk as a writer and it actually worked beautifully.
“You’ll see the story of my husband/business partner and myself and how we started and eventually got her to tell her story.
“The film is coming from a place of authenticity and honesty. I think I may have written it to honestly and I was concerned that the audiences will feel uncomfortable ... I think it was the right time though ... I think a lot of people will appreciate it and identify with it on many levels.”
Sitaram has also added a bit of comedy to the movie.
“As Indians there is this love for life, regardless of the situation. We have those wonderful aunties that always make us bend over with laughter. So the movie does have that. You laugh at yourself, you laugh at the situation but we told the real story.
“This story is about you, it’s about me, it’s about a million goddesses. It’s also about those men who are there to support us and love us through.”
In the movie, Sitaram’s daughter Sanam plays the lead character.
“Because she was exposed to the project since she was little, and she picked up so much, she just knew that this was for her.
“There was several times that she told me that she din’t want to audition for this role because of the fact that it was a real human’s story that she would have to portray.
“She auditioned like everybody else and the director called me to take a look at the audition. He didn’t know she was my daughter.
“His words were: ‘She carries it, she knows it, she is it and I want her’.”
“Greytown Girl” celebrates triumph over adversity, family values and a hard work ethic, but the theme that pulled it all together, Sitaram said, was unconditional love.
“The focus is on unconditional love, because this love, which took 25 years to culminate after democracy, transcended borders, it transcended the politics, it transcended the physical Meena and being disabled ... To this day, they are still very much in love.”
∎“Greytown Girl” is currently showing at Nu Metro cinemas and selected Ster-Kinekor cinemas nationwide.