Prithviraj reveals his character in 'Pallichattambi' was written over 15 years ago
Prithviraj Sukumaran's cameo in Pallichattambi was rooted in a nearly two-decade-old unrealized film project about Kunjambu Nambiar Pattelar, a historical figure involved in British gold mining operations in 19th-century Wayanad.
Prithviraj Sukumaran's cameo in Pallichattambi was rooted in a nearly two-decade-old unrealized film project about Kunjambu Nambiar Pattelar, a historical figure involved in British gold mining operations in 19th-century Wayanad.
Prithviraj Sukumaran's cameo in Pallichattambi was rooted in a nearly two-decade-old unrealized film project about Kunjambu Nambiar Pattelar, a historical figure involved in British gold mining operations in 19th-century Wayanad.
Prithviraj Sukumaran's character in 'Pallichattambi' was kept a closely guarded secret until the movie’s release. The actor, who plays a cameo in the film, recently revealed that he was introduced to the character about 17 years ago when screenwriter Suresh Babu narrated the story of Kunjambu Nambiar Pattelar to him. According to the actor, Suresh had wanted to create a film fully focused on the character, which was written with Prithviraj in mind.
However, the movie, which was intended to revolve around the untold history of Wayanad, never took off. It explored the story of British mining companies arriving in Wayanad after gold deposits were discovered beneath the riverbeds there.
“It’s purely fate that brings certain roles and movies to us. Screenwriter Suresh told me about Kunjambu Nambiar Pattelar 16 or 17 years ago. Gold deposits were discovered in Wayanad at the end of the 19th century, and more than 35 British mining companies set up operations there. This was long before the Banasurasagar dam was built. Kunjambu, the adopted son of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, grew up to be their trusted lieutenant and earned the title Pattelar. The movie depicted how Kunjambu ruled over their mining empire. However, the scale of the film demanded large sets to recreate 19th-century Wayanad and the mining operations, which was beyond the financial reach of Malayalam cinema at the time. So, the movie and character remained a dream," said the actor during a press meet in Kochi.
Years later, Dijo brought Pallichattambi to life, and he and Suresh explained how Kunjambu Pattelar’s story could be seamlessly woven into the narrative of the movie, which is set during the liberation struggle. I was fascinated by how the story I’d heard 17 years ago fit perfectly into the film. I’m truly happy to play a cameo in a movie in which my close friend, Tovino, plays the lead. The audience can learn about the historical significance of this character and incident online, and it’s great to be part of a role with such deep historical roots,” Prithviraj said.