Mammootty
Mammooka, as he is affectionately known by millions of his fans worldwide can essay a character with ease, as long as it has something to say, because, the inane isn’t for him. The star is all excited about his magnum opus Pazhassi Raja scripted by MT Vasudevan Nair and directed by veteran Hariharan. The period drama is the costliest Malayalam film, with a budget of around Rs 25 crore!
The film will be simultaneously released in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi in over 500 screens worldwide. Set in the 18th century, the film tells the story of Pazhassi Raja, a local king in the Waynad area of Malabar. Historians say that he was one of the first rulers to raise a cry against British rule in India and the first freedom fighter, but not many people outside Kerala are aware of this fact. Mammootty plays the lead role of Pazhassi Raja, which also has Tamil star Sarath Kumar playing an important role.
The film is being considered by many in the industry as the
Mughal-E-Azam of south Indian cinema. No big budget period film has been made in the south for over two decades, and lot is riding on this film. The music and re-recording have been done by the maestro Illayaraja with the Hungarian symphony lending that magical touch. Oscar winner Resul Pookutty has done the sound designing for the film, which also boasts of some awe-inspiring war scenes.
Now, Mammootty, a devout Muslim is on a Ramadan fast, but for the last few days, he is in Chennai tirelessly dubbing for the Malayalam and Tamil version of the film. Talking to CT,
Mammootty said, “Pazhassi Raja is the biggest film I have ever done and I’m extremely proud of it. It is going to be an epic, made by some of the finest technicians of Indian cinema. Scriptwriter M T Vasudevan Nair and director Hariharan have relied on several authentic backgrounders, including the Malabar manual for reliable facts on the brave warrior’s life. The producer, Gokulam Gopalan has made the film on a lavish scale, fit for an international audience.”
Mammootty was keen on dubbing in his own voice for the Tamil version. Says the ace actor, “Today, we can be proud that south Indian movies, which have the best technicians in India, is on par with rest of the world. We have also been able to create a new market for our films and I’m sure Pazhassi Raja will push the envelope.” Though the actor takes a keen interest in politics, he has no intentions of getting actively involved. Says Mammootty, “I’m too passionate about cinema and have no plans to enter politics in the near future. I’m a connoisseur of good cinema. At the same time, I’m an entertainer and will continue to make good films.”
