‘How can you make a film like this!’

After last year’s hit, Salt N’ Pepper, director Aashiq Abu’s recent flick, 22 Female Kottayam, seems to have sealed his place as one among the creative new-age directors in Mollywood. The story, revolving around a young woman who takes revenge against her tormentors in a rather unusual manner, has generated various opinions from the audience. Aashiq gets into the details with us...
Your film could be called a woman-centric film, considering the punishment inflicted on the man.How has the male audience responded to it?
A lot of male chauvinists were displeased. One man called to say, ‘You are a man, how could you make such a movie?’ I knew then that my film had hit the bulls’ eye. Another called and confessed he was a victim of a castration attempt by a woman. He recovered after spending four months in hospital. He admitted that he felt guilty for what he had done to the woman. But what amazed me were the responses I got from a large number of men, mostly young, who congratulated me for attempting such a theme. Also, many directors in the industry said I had done something which they always wanted to do, but didn’t have the courage to, since they didn’t know how the audience would take it.
Would you recommend that as a legal punishment in real life?
The character in the movie was exacting personal revenge; I would never recommend this as a legal punishment. Such things are not for me to decide; there are lawmakers for that.
What inspired you to make such a film?
My mother and sisters are bold and fearless women. I don’t need to look further. My mother is a much stronger woman than Tessa, the character in the film, is.