Safa Mariyam O P, an 18-year-old girl of Malappuram in Kerala is captivating readers with her extraordinary storytelling abilities and has so far published four fiction works. Inspired by enchanting tales narrated by her beloved grandmother during her childhood, Safa Mariyam began writing at the age of 12.
Safa Mariyam’s first work ‘Safayude Kadhakal’, a collection of seven stories was published in 2017 while her two novels titled ‘Kallupp’ and ‘ Bonsai’ were published in the next two years. She has also published a children’s literary work ‘Phoenixnte Aakasham’, consisting of three stories, while studying in tenth standard. Her stories ‘Jathakam’ and ‘Kavithakkappuram’ were also published in leading dailies.
It was her grandmother Mariyumma N V, a masterful storyteller, who weaved magical narratives in her mind during her childhood and helped her evolve as a writer. The tales from her grandmother shaped the writer in Safa Mariyam, sparking her imagination and fostering her love for storytelling. The writer in Safa Mariyam matured when she, determined to create her own worlds and characters, began to devote countless hours reading books in a local Madrasa library.
The first breakthrough came when a collection of short stories written by her was published as a book as per the instructions of her primary school teacher Anil Kumar. “My family and my teachers are extending full support to me. I always closely watch my surroundings looking for characters and topics to develop as stories,” Safa Mariyam told “Open Digest”.
Her works reflect the life at Muthanoor in Thrippanachi where she grew up and touch up on topics of farming, nature, hunger, and exploitation. Her stories, drawn from her own experiences and observations, seamlessly enchant readers of all ages.
Safa Mariyam also takes literature classes for small children. What more, Safa even donated a portion of her income from the sale of her second novel ‘Bonsai’ to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Safa Mariyam is now focusing more on scriptwriting and has written three scripts. “I began writing scripts as suggested by my father’s friend Shafeeq Pilakkachal. My biggest dream is to have my script turned into a movie and I am trying for that. I have even met a few film directors,” Safa Mariyam added.
Her father Ahammed Kutty, a farmer, and her mother Sulaikha are extending her support. As a writer, her versatility and ability to breathe life into her characters, is setting her apart from her peers.
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