Malayalam film B 32 Muthal 44 Vare, directed by Shruthi Sharanyam, is a unique Take on body shaming. The title of the movie not only offers an insight into its content but also speaks volumes about societal perceptions of women’s bodies. Set in urban Kochi, the movie brings together five women and a transgender man, each of them struggling with their body insecurities.
The story revolves around how these characters deal with the psychological, physical and emotional repercussions of body shaming. The characters are subjected to different kinds of harassment on account of their gender and body. Malini (Ramya Nambeeshan) has had a mastectomy and feels inadequate and disappointed that her husband is withdrawing from her. While Nidhi (Raina Radhakrishnan) is a teenager who had a teenage pregnancy, Iman (Zarina Shibad) has to deal with the fact that being flat chested might put her job in jeopardy, and the transgender man Ziya (Anarkali Marikar) experiences breast dysphoria. Jaya (Aswathy) undergoes a transformation due to a series of events connected to body shaming, and Rachel (Krishna Kurup) is an aspiring film actor whose violation leads to a different end.
Writer-director Shruthi Sharanyam, a well-known lyricist and short filmmaker, came up with the story in 2018 and shared it with friends actor Ramya Nambeeshan, and music director Sudeep Palanad and cinematographer Sudeep Elamon. They were immensely impressed and encouraged her to develop a full-fledged script. When Kerala state Film Development Corporation announced of funding two films directed by women in 2021, Sharanyam applied and got selected.
The movie is shot in different parts of Kochi and has a primarily female cast and crew. It is made with a mission of bringing about a positive change in the way women are treated and viewed. Through the movie, writer-director Shruthi Sharanyam also aims to bring to light the discrimination women face when telling a woman-centric story in the film industry.
B 32 Muthal 44 Vare promises to move, engage, and entertain its viewers as it takes them through the journey of the six characters and they surmount their trauma and celebrate the sisterhood.
Shruthi Sharanyam is a writer-director who has written and directed many short films, music videos and ad-films. She had always been passionate about creating ground-breaking stories with an intriguing narrative, taking her stories across all platforms of entertainment. She has won multiple awards for her works, and her success is driven by her innate talent and sheer passion for storytelling. Shruthi Sharanyam aspires to create long-term relationships with her viewers through her works which combine artistic excellence and technical exploration.
