For Onchiyam Prabhakaran, a retired schoolteacher and director in professional theatre, legendary warrior Thacholi Othenan has been an obsession, from the time he was a little boy. He decided to turn that obsession into a short film, Poythu .
It is ready for screening. “It has already been accepted for the Zebra International Film Festival to be held in Pune,” says Prabhakaran, who has also directed a television serial based on Vadakkan Pattu . “I have researched a lot on Othenan and had even compiled old ballads ( Vadakkan Pattu ) and turned into a music album. I had gathered the lyrics and other material from old-timers from the region of Kadathanadu.”
In the present context
Poythu, he adds, also tries to place Othenan in Kerala’s present context. “I have also tried to view the story of Othenan from the perspectives of Mathiloor Gurukkal, the man whom he killed in his last fight, and Mayan Kutty, who shot him dead,” Prabhakaran explains. “I have made no compromise on the production qualities, though it meant the cost of the film went up to Rs. 15 lakh.” He says experienced actors from television and theatre have been featured in Poythu . “Sabu Varghese has done the role of Othenan,” he says. “Sidharaj has played Mathiloor Gurukkal.”
