Malayalam film Jallikattu is India’s official entry to the Best International Feature Film category of the 93rd Academy Awards.

Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Malayalam film faced heavy competition from 26 other Indian films like Chhalaang, Gulabo Sitabo, Gunjan Saxena, Shakuntala Devi, Chhapaak, Eeb Allay Ooo!, Serious Men, Bulbbul and The Disciple. But the film was eventually chosen as India’s official selection for its depiction of the “raw side of human beings, that we are worse than animals,” according to Rahul Rawail, chairman of Film Federation of India jury.

The film stars Antony Varghese, Chemban Vinod Jose, Sabumon Abdusamad, and Santhy Balachandran, along with a cast that includes one angry bull, who forms the protagonist as well as the antagonist of the film.

The film premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and managed to blow everyone at the festival. In India, the film was a raging hit, pleasing both critics and the masses. While the plot seems as simple as a bull escaping its slaughter and a village hunting for it, it is far from that. A chase for a bull turns to a depiction of some of the ugliest yet most native of human emotions — greed, rage and jealousy.

Jallikattu is Malayalam film-maker Lijo Jose Pellissery’s third consecutive release after 2017’s Angamaly Diaries and 2018’s Ee.Ma.Yau. The film-maker is currently working on his next release Churuli, once again with actor Chemban Vinod Jose in the lead.

Pellissery is a promoter of one-take shots, which was apparent from the 11-minute single shot climax in Angamaly Diaries, as well as multiple inclusions of similar intense one-take shots in Jallikattu. He also loves to play with chaos, but he makes sure that the chaos never overtakes his shot.

Lijo Jose Pellissery was one of MW‘s Men of the Year in 2019. Read our whole story on Pellissery, the offbeat powerhouse, by clicking HERE.