Mammootty as Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja
Sarath Kumar as Edachena Kunkan
Padmapriya Janakiraman as Neeli
Kanika Subramaniam as Kaitheri Makkom
Suman as Pazhayamveedan Chandhu
Manoj K. Jayan as Thalakkal Chandhu
Thilakan as Kurumbranaadu Raja Veeravarma
Jagathy Sreekumar as Kanara Menon
Nedumudi Venu as Moopan
Linda Arsenio as Dora
Suresh Krishna as Kaitheri Ambu
Devan as Kannavathu Nambiar
Lalu Alex as Emman Nair
Captain Raju as Unni Mootha
Jagadeesh as Bhandari
Peter Handley Evans as Major James Gordon
Harry Key as Thomas Hervey Baber
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Music by Ilaiyaraaja
Cinematography Ramanath Shetty
Editing by A. Sreekar Prasad
Narrated by Mohanlal (Malayalam)
Kamal Haasan (Tamil)
Shahrukh Khan (Hindi)
Pazhassi Raja movie is a historical subject.The movie is all about a King who belong to Kottayam royal family, revolt against the Britishers.A movie on the life of one of the greatest of the rulers of Kerala has been in the rounds for the last two decades. In fact, MT Vasudevan Nair, one of the master scriptwriters of all times, had been on this thinking from the days of his ‘Oru Vadakkan Veergatha’ which came out in 1989. Now after 18 years from this epoch making movie, ‘Pazhassi Raja’ is slowly but steadily shaping up under the directorial ship of ace director Hariharan,to become the biggest epic movie of our times.
Production
The movie which was in the making since May, last year is into its last session which will get completed with another 25 days of shoot. Most of the important scenes of the movie are shot with four cameras working simultaneously. Gokulam Gopalan is the producer of Pazhashi Raj. The total budget of the movie is about INR 27 crores,which makes it the biggest historical movie ever produced in the South Indian film industry and the highest budget Malayalam movie. The entire movie was filmed in Panavision. In the movie no computer graphics are used in the stunt scenes, inspite the actors including Mammootty and Sarath Kumar made the exciting action sequences which uses the techniques of ancient Kerala martial art Kalaripayattu.The movie also includes extreme war scenes. The sound of these war scenes where done as live mixing.Hariharan, MT Vasudevan Nair and Mammootty, are sure that they are in the making of and a film that will become a milestone in Malayalam cinema
THE TEAM
But the legends are legends, and history is never complete unless they are given the right place.Mammootty plays the pivotal role of Pazhassi Raja. The role will definitely be a challenge for him. Tamil actor Sarath Kumar will make his Malayalam debut in the movie as Pazhassi Raja's trusted commander-in-chief Dalapathy. He has allocated special dates for this film and is fully focused on completing it as soon as possible. Venu handles the camera. Music maestro Illayraja creates music for the songs penned by O.N.V. Kurup. The film shot in and around Thalasserry.The freedom movement has not been recorded properly. That is my inspiration for writing the script for this film on the heroism of Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja," Jnanpith award-winning writer and film director M T Vasudevan Nair told PTI. With a motley crowd of tribals, farmers and local people, Pazhassi Raja of Padinhare Kovilakam in Kottayam in North Malabar sprang an uprising against the mighty British, he said. "He was by then dethroned as King at that time and was not a Raja," Nair said.
"The Sepoy mutiny is considered the first organised revolt against British rule. Who knows that in the early 1800s a man fought the British, irked by the wrong revenue policy of the East India Company," said Hariharan, director of the film
SYNOPSIS
Pazhassi Raja’ popularly known as the Lion of Kerala isn’t well known outside Kerala, but he was one of our country’s first freedom fighters. He had to reckon with the armies of the Mysore rulers as well as the British. The British first used him against Tipu’s army and then reneged on their treaty. And more, the Raja was agitated by the unpopular revenue policy followed by the East India Company in Malabar .He then threatened to stop collecting taxes if the Company continued with this mode of revenue collection. Even before the much celebrated Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, Raja spear headed an attack against the British who made a futile attempt to capture the Raja in his own palace at Pazhassi in April 1796.
The British company then made proclamations which forbid people from supporting the Raja, threatening to confiscate the property of all who are supporting Pazhassi. In 1797 the Raja’s men launched attack on the security personnel stationed at Pazhassi, and in continuous battles that were fought over three days, Pazhassi’s men were able to overpower the British forces, using swords, spears, bows and arrows . With an army of thousands of Nairs , Pazhassi inflicted such defeat on the British that they were forced to retreat and negotiate.
Raja tried to continue his warfare with the help of aadivasas and his loyal Kurichiyar tribe. Using guerrilla tactics and informers, he kept the British on tenterhooks for longer than any other regional ruler. But on November 30 1805, the Raja was surrounded by Thomas Harvey Babar, a young British officer on charge of suppressing Pazhaassi and was shot dead in an operation on the banks of Mavila Thodu.Pazhassi Raja’ once again revolted against the occupants when the British decide to take over Wynad in 1799, after the fall of Sreerenga Patanam. This time the British had an upper hand as they controlled most of the south. They confiscated Raja’s properties and proclaimed a reward for capturing him. Raja who fled from the palace, took refuge in the jungles accompanied by his wife and immediate attendants.Raja tried to continue his warfare with the help of aadivasas and his loyal Kurichiyar tribe. Using guerrilla tactics and informers, he kept the British on tenterhooks for longer than any other regional ruler. But on November 30 1805, the Raja was surrounded by Thomas Harvey Babar, a young British officer on charge of suppressing Pazhaassi and was shot dead in an operation on the banks of Mavila Thodu.
Mohanlal dubs for Pazhassi Raja
Mohanlal has dubbed a prologue for Mammootty’s Hariharan directed magnum opus Pazhassi Raja!
It will be Mohanlal who would introduce Pazhassi Raja to the audiences through a 45 second prologue.
Says one of the producers of the film Praveen: “ Mr Mohanlal went out of his way to accommodate us when we requested him to dub the prologue. His introductory voice over has made the film richer.”
Meanwhile the producers are gearing up for the biggest ever release of Pazhassi Raja, on October 2.
Added Praveen: “We are planning to release in nearly 700 screens in India in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. In Malayalam alone we are targeting 250 screens worldwide.”
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