Malayalam movie ‘Cake Story’ has been scripted by debutant writer Veda Sunil

Veda Sunil
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

For Veda Sunil, her debut film, Cake Story, is special. Not only is it her first film as an actor but also as a writer. She confesses that acting was not what she had set out to do. However now that she has acted, she is open to it, “but only after the release. Let’s see afterwards!” says Veda over the phone. 

“I am more inclined towards directing, I started assisting my father, Sunil, as a 13 year old. I was curious about filmmaking, when I told him that, he advised me to join him on the sets of Tatwamasi. I had grown up around films , and it was only natural for me to get curious about the movies. I wanted to understand the technical aspects of filmmaking,” says Veda, 27. Veda, who was being homeschooled, spent time on the set as an assistant director. She has been writing poetry and short stories, too; so writing is not new to her.  

Her father, Sunil, has made films such as Maanathe Kottaram, Alanchery Thambrakkal, Vriddhanmaare Sookshikuka, Priyapetta Kukku, Bharanakootam and Gandhari among others.

The story is inspired by what most people were doing during the pandemic and lockdown — baking. When she suggested the idea to her father, he told her to go ahead with the script. The hero of the film is a cake. It is an unconventional theme, she agrees, “But it is a love story which pivots on a cake or rather bakers. The narrative is not linear, it moves from the present to the past. It moves through a baker, Naina, the character I essay and her grandfather’s past.” Like everyone else, she admits that she also baked a few cakes “just like everyone else.”

Since she did not write the script with herself as the lead, how did she come to be in it? “We auditioned a number of actors for Naina’s role, but we could not find an actor who fit the role. That is when my father’s friends suggested my name. I was not sure about it, so I did a video and here I am,” she laughs. 

The cast includes Mallika Sukumaran, Arun Kumar, Babu Antony, Johny Antony, and Ashokan among others.   

Cake Story releases on April 19.