An IFFK Experience of 13 years.

IFFK is one among the most celebrated film festival all over the globe. Many a dignitaries and commoners gather every year to be a part of this great event. Famous personalities and film lovers are usual visuals but a man being part of IFFK in a different way is always special.

Ashraf Palamala, a 62 year old man from Palamala family of Attingal is a part of IFFK for 15 years. From 5thn IFFK he joined the crew as an IFFK book seller and from the 7th festival onwards he is working as an official auto driver.
In this 15th year of experience in film festival he is happy to share many a stories. He is a well experienced man in malayalam film industry also. Ashraf started his career as a child artist. He brightened the role of kochu Ashokan in Boban and Molly in an excellent way. The same man played roles in Vidhyaarthikale Ithile and all.  He then moved himself from an actor and took hold in the role of a clap boy. And thus his story continued for several years.

Later he decided to grab a job in Saudi Arabia, which itself became the thread for the famous Malayalam movie Naadodikattu. A travel agency cheated Ashraf and a group of 10 members and dropped in Arabia shore by means of ship. It took a few minutes for the team to realise that the place was not Saudi Arabia but Chennai itself. They made it a big issue and the story spread like a wild fire, thus got birth to such a wonderful story.

Now in the age of 62, he is very happy to be a part of IFFK. Not as a viewer but as a driver. He also mentioned that his interests towards films are gone now a day and thus didn’t focus in watching films. Still he is interested to be a part of this great event because he wishes to maintain his good relationships which he got during his life in film industry. He proudly speaks about many famous figures, who came to this position only because of his recommendations.

A golden feather to be added in Ashraf’s story is his 10th number membership in MACTA. Ashraf is a man getting artist’s pension also. Something which hurt him badly about today’s industry is the lack of good relationships. He advices the upcoming people to uplift themselves through good and healthy relationships.

Arathy R Kurup :-)