Kerala Varma Pazhassiraja...The Saga of Lion of Kerala

The big budget multi-lingual film 'Pazhassiraja, narrating the time of local Kerala ruler Kerala Varma Pazhassiraja, who had scarified his life by revolting in opposition to the powerful British, will strike the screens the world over in October 16 2009.Mega star Bharat Mammooty portrays the chronicle of a lesser recognized freedom warrior while Tamil actress and ''Bhagyadevatha'' fame Kaniha acts as Kaitheri Makkam, his queen.

Tamil artist Sharat Kumar dons the part of his tribal chieftain Edachena Kunkkan in the Rs 25 crore venture by Gokulam Gopalan under the banner of Srigokulam Movies.The other important cast in the period film, directed by top director Hariharan, includes Manoj K Jayan as Kurichiya leader Thalakkal Chandu, Thilakan as Kurubanad king, Jagathy Sreekumar as Karunakara Menon, Suresh Krisha as Kaitheri Ambbu, among others.

Pazhassi Raja, identified as Lion of Kerala, remains forgotten in the history of freedom struggle of India. We all believe Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 as the first planned revolution against British rule. But there was a heroic warrior down in the South, who revolted against them 50 years earlier than the Sepoy Mutiny. Pazhassi Raja, the film throws light into the life of Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja of Kottayam imperial family. He was the ruler of Malabar (North Kerala). He revolted against British misrule. Pazhassi fought against the British from the forests of Wayanad with the help of the adivasis there. He continued his fight against the British til his last breath.

The music and re-recording have been done by maestro Ilayaraja with the Hungarian symphony lending it the magical touch. Scripted by eminent author and Jnanpith awarded M T Vasudevan Nair, the movie has sound recording by Oscar winner Resul Pookutty.

Dubbing - Mohanlal dubs for Pazhassi Raja

Mohanlal has dubbed a preface for Mammootty’s Hariharan directed magnum opus Pazhassi Raja. It will be Mohanlal who would bring in Pazhassi Raja to the audiences through a 45 second prologue. Mohan lal's voice over has made the film wealthier.”

Plot

The film records the life and times of Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, and his guerilla warfare against the British East India Company army.

Cast

• Mammootty as Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, belonging to the Kottayam Royal family in North Malabar, Kerala, India.
• R. Sarathkumar as Edachena Kunkan, Pazhassi Raja's army chief.
• Kanika Subramaniam as Kaitheri Makkam, Pazhassi raja's wife.
• Linda Arsenio as Dora, fiancée of Assistant Collector Baber.
• Manoj K. Jayan as Thalakkal Chandu, a Kurichya soldier and an expert in guerrilla warfare.
• Padmapriya Janakiraman as Neeli, Thalakkal Chandu's fiancée and the leader of women Kurichya soldiers.
• Suman as Pazhayamveedan Chandhu
• Thilakan as Kurumbranaadu Raja Veeravarma
• Jagathy Sreekumar as Kanara Menon
• Nedumudi Venu as Moopan
• 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 Assistant Collector Thomas Hervey Baber
• Mamukkoya as Athan Gurukkal
• Murali Mohan as Chirakkal Raja
• Ajay Rathnam as Subeidhar Cheran
• Susheel Kumar as Sekaran Warrier
• Urmila Unni as Chirakkal Thamburatty
• Valsala Menon as Kaitheri Thamburatty
• Yamini as Unniamma
• Ross as Colonel Bowls
• Tommy as Governor Duncan
• Robin Pratt as Leftenant Maxwell
• Simon Hewitt as Captain Dickinson
• Gary Richardson as Major Clapham
• Glen as Major Murray
• Brandon as Major Stephen

Production

Gokulam Gopalan is the producer of Pazhashi Raja. The whole budget of the movie is about INR 32 crores, which makes it the largest historical movie ever produced in the South Indian film industry and the highest budgeted Malayalam movie. The whole 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 sounds in the war scenes of the movie were recorded live.And its made with the hands of Oscar award winner Resul Pookutty.

Casting

Mammootty plays the titular role of Pazhassi Raja. There are three heroines with Padma Priya appearing as an Adivasi girl, Kanika as his wife and Linda Arsenio as an English woman. Linda is a theatre artist in New York, who has also acted in the film Kabul Express.

Kanika who plays the role of Kaitheri Makam. To convince the director Hariharan that the role of a queen will suit her, Kanika showed him her role in the Tamil film, Varalaru: History of Godfather, in which she was dressed up as a queen in a song sequence. A week later she was offered the role.

Through this film, Sarath Kumar makes his debut in Malayalam cinema. He portrays Edachena Kunkan, the chief lieutenant to Pazhashi Raja. Suman plays a negative role Pazhaiveetan Chandu.

Direction

Direction department play an important role in this movie. Babu Pisharady and Unni Narayanan are worked as Associated Directors of the film. Babu Namboothiri, Baby Panickar, Praveen Chandran Moodadi, Hareesh Kottoor, Sarjulan Ramakanth, Anand Kishore, Sajir are the Assistant Directors of Pazhassi Raaja.