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Filming a red spot in history

New role: Madhupal shooting ‘Thalapaavu.’

Alappuzha: Alappuzha had a role in most of Kerala’s revolutions. And now, when a movie is being made on one of Naxalism’s most talked about and bloody chapters in the State, the picturesque location is making a mark as a hub of revolution on celluloid as well.

Noted actor Madhupal is in town with his crew on his first directorial venture, shooting some significant portions of the movie ‘Thalapaavu.’

Already in the news for its story based on the killing of Naxal Varghese in 1970 and his relationship with P. Ramachandran Pillai, the policeman who shot him dead, the movie is nearing completion, according to Madhupal and Babu Janardhanan, who handles the script.

In Alappuzha for two days, the crew comprises of actors Prithviraj, who is essaying the role of Varghese (Joseph in the movie) and Lal, around whose memories the movie revolves. Lal is facing the challenge of combining fiction with the character of Ramachandran Pillai as he plays the role of a police constable from Kuttanad, Raveendran Pillai, who sympathises with the Naxal movement.

The movie, also the first Malayalam film for Hindi actor Atul Kulkarni, will be a purely commercial venture, says Mr. Janardhanan. The story is located in Wayanad and Kuttanad and spans more than 30 years in the life of Raveendran Pillai. It deals with the twists and turns in the Naxal movement in Kerala and the role fate played in the fall of the movement here.

Azhakappan wields the camera. Maniyanpillai Raju, Jagathy Srikumar, Rohini, Sharanya and others play major roles in the movie.

The scenes in Alappuzha, which will have production executive A. Kabeer and his friends playing small but significant roles as political leaders, were shot near the Police Headquarters here on Friday.

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