Rishfa | Mahdi Ahmed

Posts tagged ‘Rishfa’

RISHFA AND SANDY: COSTUME & MAKE-UP IN KAN’BULO

Behind every memorable character in cinema lies an invisible language — one stitched into fabric, shaded onto skin, and brushed into detail. It’s not always spoken, but it’s deeply felt. And in Kan’bulo, that language is crafted with precision and empathy by Rishfa Abdul Samad and Hussain Hazim (Sandy).

For those who watched Kamanaa, you already know the caliber of Rishfa’s work. Her costume and make-up design for that film didn’t just complement the narrative — it elevated it. She returned for Kan’bulo, not just with her signature subtlety, but with an evolved sensibility for the film’s rawer emotional terrain.

Joining her this time is Sandy — Hussain Hazim — whose meticulous attention to detail and bold visual instincts brought a vital layer of texture to the world of Kan’bulo. Where Rishfa’s approach grounds characters in emotional realism, Sandy’s contribution adds grit and authenticity to their external realities. Together, they’ve created a lookbook of broken innocence, inner scars, and quiet resilience — all without a word being spoken.

Make-up and costume are often the most overlooked departments when discussing the emotional impact of a scene. But in a story like Kan’bulo, where the transformation of a character is internal as much as it is external, Rishfa and Sandy’s work becomes more than aesthetic — it becomes storytelling. The bruises that don’t just mark pain but history. The wardrobe that doesn’t just clothe, but constricts or frees. Every choice they made helped define who these characters are, even before the first line of dialogue is spoken.

Their collaboration is not only visually cohesive but narratively sensitive. It speaks volumes in silence. And as a screenwriter, I can’t express how powerful it is to see your characters come to life not just in performance, but in appearance — in posture, in presence, in how they wear their world on their skin.

In Kan’bulo, the pain is visible, the transformation is visual, and thanks to Rishfa and Sandy, the truth is in the details.

Kan’bulo is set to be released on 31 August 2025.

KAMANAA: RISHFA, THE BRAINCHILD

In the Dhivehi film industry, many know Rishfa Abdul Samad as the hardworking mother, a professional beautician, and a creative seamstress, as well as the loving wife of director Hussain Munavvaru. But what some may not realize is that she is the brainchild behind the upcoming film Kamanaa.

It was during her second trimester of pregnancy when Munavvar called me up for coffee to narrate a true-life account of a victim of domestic violence—a story that Rishfa had shared with him. The victim was a close friend of hers, and the raw, emotional weight of the story resonated deeply to become the spiritual sequel to the 2011 release Sazaa, my first collaboration with Munavvar and his directorial debut.

Although I never had the opportunity to hear the story directly from Rishfa, her influence on the screenplay was profound. She provided incredibly constructive feedback on my draft, and her insights made the final version of the screenplay more polished and emotionally resonant. Rishfa’s keen understanding of the nuances of the story ensured that Kamanaa would not only be a powerful film but also a truthful one.

I have immense respect for Rishfa for convincing Munavvar to bring this story to the Dhivehi audience. Domestic violence is a pervasive issue in our society, and Kamanaa doesn’t shy away from showing the horrifying extent to which it can go—even if it means a husband brutally beating the woman he once vowed to love and protect. As filmmakers, it is our duty to shine a light on these dark corners of society, and I’m grateful to Rishfa for her unwavering commitment to doing just that.

Thank you, Rishfa, for your courage and vision in bringing this important story to life. Kamanaa is not just a film; it is a call to action, and it’s all thanks to you.

Kamanaa is set to release on 27 August 2024.

KAMANAA: Unveiling the Haunting Reality of Domestic Violence

It all began one early morning on 04th June 2023 at Olympus Cafe. As usual, I sat with director Hussain Munawar, affectionately known as Kudafoolhu in the film fraternity, for our morning coffee. With his characteristic enthusiasm, he told me he had a story to share—a true one narrated by his wife, Rish, who got it from the source.

When he finished recounting the series of incidents, my coffee had gone cold, untouched except for one sip. Like the coffee, I felt a chill. Lately, stories with violence have been hard to stomach, and this one, about domestic violence, hit particularly hard. Munawar wanted it to be a spiritual sequel to his debut film “Sazaa,” which also dealt with violence against women and was our first collaboration in 2011. He promised to get an audio recording of the interview with the victim, and I agreed to start the detailed outlining once I received it. Little did I know this story would haunt me for the rest of the day.

The dramatic weight of the story put my brain into overdrive. That evening, on my way to Vilimale’ from Male’, I began crafting the screenplay on the ferry using my trusty Samsung S22 Ultra. By the time I reached Vilimale’, I had a rough outline. Later that evening, sprawled on the sitting room floor, I built up the backstory for all the separate acts of violence inflicted by a husband on his mild-mannered wife. I developed the characters, including the minor ones, and outlined the violent incidents leading up to the climax, staying true to the real story while reimagining it for the screen.

Days turned into weeks and weeks into months. I kept reminding Hussain about the interviews, but due to the subject’s sensitivity, Rish was still unable to record them. Meanwhile, casting had begun. Hussain locked down Mariyam Azza, the most sought-after actress, for the victimized wife and was negotiating with Yoosuf Shafeeu, the most decorated actor, for the violent husband role. He also scouted for an equally renowned actress to play the other woman. Despite some casting setbacks, he eventually onboarded the most up and coming actress, Aminath Rashfa, for the latter role. Veteran actor Mohamed Rasheed and promising actress Natasha Jaleel, along with Mohamed Manik, were assembled for the cast. I tweaked the characters and scenes to better fit the actors’ strengths, making my outline even more engaging.

Still waiting for the interviews, Hussain eventually informed me that he had set a date to begin production. He urged me to start writing. Luckily, I had the rough outline ready. I revised the outline in a day, removing repetitive violence and adding fresh, brutal scenes. Voila, the outline was complete and looked good.

With three weeks to write the screenplay, I divided my time, spending two hours in the morning and two in the evening. By the end of the final week, I had a draft ready and immediately sent it to Hussain for feedback. He shared it with the cast, and I received valuable input, particularly from Rish, who suggested additional scenes leading up to critical violent incidents and some character name changes.

The meeting with Yoosuf Shafeeu was a pivotal moment. When he approved the unrestricted interaction with the other woman, I couldn’t help but grin, my heart racing like a bullet train. I finished the final draft that night, adding intense violence and refining the interactions.

After a journey that began with a chilling tale over coffee, Hussain finally gave me the final title of the screenplay: ‘Kamanaa,’ a loving term in Dhivehi used to address a wife. What started as a daunting task had transformed into a powerful screenplay, getting ready to be brought to life on the big screen.

Kamanaa is set to release on 27th August 2024.