Naval the Jewel is a universal story about women seeking their freedom, their rights, actor Reem Kadem has said.

The actor along with the cast and crew of the film was taking part at a meet-the-press here on Saturday.

Ms. Kadem, who is a Hollywood actor with roots in Iraq, said what happened to Naval happened to women around the world.

Actor Adil Hussain was all praise for director Renjilal Damodaran, saying the latter knew exactly what he wanted from the actors.

It was an important story to be told in todays India, he said.

Mr. Damodaran said the film, set in Iran, was about a 23-year-old woman Naval, an Iranian with a Malayali mother. Naval, played by Reem, is the product of a Malabari wedding her elderly father from Iran had married her mother Asma Beevi (played by Swetha Menon) when she was only 13.

In Iran, she gives birth to a girl. The father dies four years later.

In the film, Naval is shown being denied justice. Naval goes to jail in connection with a murder, and the court sentences her to be hanged to death. Naval, however, does not protest against the verdict.

Anu Sithara plays a young Swetha Menon. The screenplay is by V.K. Ajithkumar and Mr. Damodaran. The producer is Cyriac Mathew Alancheril. Lyrics are by Rafeek Ahmed and 15-year-old Kavyamayee, and music by M. Jayachandran.

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Every woman's quest for rights, freedom - The Hindu