Society twisted 'Chandupottu', not us: Benny P Nayarambalam defends film's intentions

Screenwriter Benny P. Nayarambalam has clarified that the film 'Chandupottu' was never intended to mock the trans community, asserting that it was society that misused the title. In an interview with Movie World Media, he expressed sadness over how the film’s message was distorted and misinterpreted over time.

“'Chandupottu' was written to include and represent effeminate individuals,” Benny said. “We have to evolve with the times. There’s a section of people who say 'Chandupottu' was hurtful. I agree that body-shaming is wrong. In the past, I too wrote such dialogues in my films. That was because back then, body-shaming wasn’t recognized as a serious issue. Comedy scenes involving fat people were common.”

He emphasized the need for self-awareness and sensitivity among writers today. “In the current social climate, all writers must be careful not to include body-shaming in their dialogues. We need to reflect and become more aware.”

Referring to his earlier film 'Kunjikoonan', Benny pointed out that even though the movie included comedy scenes, its core message was about the value of a person’s character over appearance. “That was exactly the theme of 'Kunjikoonan' — even though it had comedy, the message was clear: a person’s worth isn’t defined by their appearance but by their character and actions. Beauty is relative, after all.”

Benny further explained that the term 'Chandupottu' became painful for the trans community only after society began using it as a slur. “Before that, people were already using worse names to refer to the trans community. The original title of the film was 'Athbhuthavilakku'. But when Vinayan’s film 'Athbhuthadweepu' came out, we decided to change it. After some thought, we came up with 'Chandupottu'. It was meant to sound like ‘sunset’ or something with a feminine touch — never to mock anyone. We never imagined it would be weaponized in that way.”

He also clarified that the film’s storyline had no connection to transgender identity. “It’s about a boy being raised like a girl, being taught dance — and how that femininity ends up becoming a burden for him. That was the thread of the story. Also, the hero later becomes a father. Don’t we have effeminate dance masters among us? Many are married with children and lead family lives.”

Benny maintained that the misuse of the film’s name lies with the audience, not the creators. “It is society that began using the name 'Chandupottu' to mock the trans community. It’s not the fault of the writer or director. I wrote that film to include such people. The story is based on the experience of a friend of mine who went through a lot because of his effeminate traits — it drove him to the edge.”

“After the film was released, some people wrote to me saying positive things, because they too had faced similar experiences due to their effeminacy. I am saddened that the film strayed from its intended path,” he concluded.