Another dimension was added to the much-talked about Mullaperiyar issue, thanks to Sohan Roy's film Dam 999, which was released in Kerala and other States (excluding Tamil Nadu which has banned the film) on Friday. Though the director maintained that the film was a tribute to the victims of Banqiao dam catastrophe, it reminded people of the dangers posed by a dam collapse, especially in the backdrop of the dispute between Tamil Nadu and Kerala over the 116-year-old Mullaperiyar dam.
The film is about a 100-year-old dam built during the British rule in India and its collapse.
There was mixed response among viewers in the capital city. For some, it was a film with a message well conveyed, for others it was just a passable one.
“ Dam 999 has excellently portrayed the threat of a dam collapse; it conveys the message and tries to spread awareness,” said Padma, who was one among the many to watch the film at Sree Vishakh theatre here on Friday. Everyone should watch it, especially the youth, she added.
However, not all of them got to see what they expected. “ Dam999 was disappointing as an entertainer, though the trailers of the film seemed promising. I would not recommend it,” said Tiny Thomas, a student of Mar Ivanios College, Thiruvananthapuram.
The general response to the film is that it was not specifically about the Mullaperiyar dam, but dams in general and the disaster that could be caused by a dam collapse. “The film does not address the Mullaperiyar issue, all it portrays is an old dam the collapse of which would be disastrous to many lives,” said Mani, adding that the film is a must-watch. Another viewer, Bahuleyan, said the film did not live up to his expectations, and that it had nothing to do with the Mullaperiyar issue.
“You would generally expect much more from an English film. It fell short of standards,” said Pramod.
The film is being screened in about 50 theatres in Kerala.
