The Storyteller director Ananth Mahadevan is set to bring an untold story to the screen with the documentary The Man Who Hurls News, billed as a tribute to newspaper delivery workers.
The film revolves around Rappai, the oldest living newspaper hawker from Thrissur, Kerala, who has spent over six decades ensuring newspapers reach homes every morning.
Mahadevan was first introduced to 75-year-old Rappai by his brother, Ravi Mahadevan, a Kerala-based professional photographer who has worked on the cinematography for the documentary.
“I was fascinated because we have all seen newspaper delivery boys coming to our house, changing shifts every few weeks and then going off to do their own thing. So, how could someone persistently carry on like this for over 60 years?” Mahadevan told The Telegraph Online on Friday.
Even in his old age, Rappai has not lost his dedication. “He still comes every morning at three o'clock or four o'clock. Now his son accompanies him, of course, but he still manages to deliver newspapers even today,” said Mahadevan.
Rappai has been delivering newspapers for over 60 years now
Convincing Rappai wasn’t easy, as he was initially shy and reticent about his life being turned into a documentary. However, after some persuasion, he opened up, sharing his lifelong experiences of how newspaper distribution, reading habits and print medium have transformed over the years.
“This film is not just about a man and his amazing 60-year journey but also about how changing times have influenced him and us as well,” Mahadevan, 64, said.
In today's digital age, the newspaper reading culture is slowly fading. But the belief in the power of print media is what keeps paperboys like Rappai and many others going.
“He (Rappai) has faith in the print word. Even today, when people consume news on television or mobile phones, much of it is exaggerated or fake as it caters to the channel’s perspective. But the print medium focuses on factual reporting. That’s what people eventually want,” Mahadevan, known for his directorial outings Dil Maange More!!! and Mee Sindhutai Sapkal, explained.
On a personal level, The Man Who Hurls News also explores the “unsaid relationships” newspaper hawkers form with their readers across generations.
“Rappai told me, ‘I’ve seen you since you were a little kid. You were two or three years old when I was hurling newspapers into your compound in Thrissur’,” Mahadevan said, adding that Rappai has delivered papers to the same households for decades, building an unspoken bond without directly interacting with customers.
Ananth Mahadevan recently helmed 'The Storyteller', a masterful adaptation of Satyajit Ray’s short story 'Golpo Boliye Tarini Khuro'
Rappai’s story is an “exclusive subject”, Mahadevan said, pointing out that the lives of newspaper boys is a topic that has not been explored in the past. “We don’t find Rappai’s dedication in other professions.”
The Man Who Hurls News, created entirely in Rappai’s native language Malayalam with English subtitles, recently bagged the best documentary short award at National Indian Film Festival of Australia, which took place from February 13 to March 2.
“Rappai is an interesting character. We don’t get to see the likes of him anymore, and that’s why his life needs to be documented,” Mahadevan signed off.
