Veteran director Vinayan has released the seventeenth character poster of his much-awaited movie Pathombatham Noottandu. Actor Chemban Vinod will be essaying the role of Kayamkulam Kochunni in the movie. Actor Nivin Pauly had also played the heroic outlaw in the same title. Vinayan said that he has tried to portray Kochunni, not just by relying on the elements of fantasy that are often associated with the highwayman, but, resorted to a realistic approach based on his extensive research and reading.
“The 17th character poster of the movie Pathombatham Nootandu is of Kayamkulam Kochunni. Chemban Vinod, one of the most talented young actors of Malayalam cinema, plays the role of Kochunni, the brigand who had ruled the highways of Travancore. Besides the fantasy element that is associated with the character, the Kochunni in Pathombatham Noottandu has been portrayed on the basis of extensive research,” says Vinayan.
As per the historical records, Kochunni is believed to have been born in 1818. However, there are varied and contradicting details about his death. Some say the famed robber had died in 1859 while others point it as1895. Kochunni is seven years elder to Arattupuzha Velayudha Panickar who is the protagonist of this movie. As per valid historical documents Velayudha Panickar was born in 1825 and died in 1874.
Panickar do not find prominence in the history books and narratives, even though proper historical records are available about the birth and death of this great visionary and warrior. Moreover, there are reliable evidence that prove that he had established a temple for the downtrodden even before Sree Narayana Guru. But, Velayudha Panickar is not hailed as a great social and cultural reformer of Kerala. His name and his great contributions to the Kerala society are often limited to just one or two sentences in history books.
Vinayan says that he is thrilled to make a movie about a legendary warrior who was forgotten by the historians. “Even though the army and the police of the Travancore Divan had tried hard to capture Kayamkulam Kochunni, they were never successful. The audience who loves historical movies or period dramas would surely enjoy the scene in which Velayudha Panickar faces the famed Kayamkulam Kochunni. Chemban has realistically portrayed Kochunni without giving the character an overdose of exaggerated heroic traits,” noted Vinayan.
