KOTTAYAM: When director Priya Shine was writing the script for a cancer awareness short film, the same disease was taking hold of her body. When she came to know of it, she did not lose hope. Her love and passion for film made her script her own survival. She came in front of the camera just four days after her first chemo. She did not cry in disappointment because there is no time for that.
Priya Shine a member of Pullolil family in Pala and a resident of Thrippunithura, entered the world of short films, documentaries, and albums without any prior experience. She has 51 works to her credit both in front of the camera and behind it. Most of it have won awards. When she was enjoying life to the fullest, cancer struck and changed her script.
When she was getting ready to act earlier this year, her thick hair was the major challenge. The shooting was postponed because it was hard to hide her thick hair. However, within months fate made other plans for her. Priya went to Lakeshore Hospital with chronic hand pain. In the checkup it was found that she was having breast cancer.
Within days, after her first chemo, her long hair began to fall off. She did not falter for a moment. With the rest of her hair she came in front of the camera with her script. The chemo’s effect made her body tired. The camera recorded her dizziness and collapsing in real. After some shots at the hospital then its editing.
It was fate that made her to write her own experience with cancer in her script. After her short film ‘Cancer’ is completed, her dream is to make a series on the story of Gurudevan’s life from birth to his samadhi. She is currently researching on the subject.
Priya is married to Shine. Adwaith Shine, a cinematographer, is their only son.