Mani Ratnam and Manisha Koirala walk down 'Uyire' memory lane in Kerala: Pictures

“I had given Manisha a hard time by making her run through this fort for quite a distance,” director Mani Ratnam recalled while standing alongside Manisha Koirala on the ramparts of Bekal Fort by the seaside. The filmmaker and his 'Bombay' heroine Manisha Koirala, along with the film's cinematographer Rajeev Menon, were recently at Kerala's Bekal Fort in Kasaragod to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their film, as part of the Bekal International Beach Festival. They shot the chartbuster 'Uyire Uyire' at Bekal Fort, which sits on the Bekal Beach, overlooking the Arabian Sea. 

'Places have changed, but...'
“Wish Arvindji was also here…” sighed Manisha Koirala, referring to the absence of Arvind Swamy, who played her hero in the movie. “There is also another unmissable person, A R Rahman,” Mani Ratnam added. “The shooting took place during the monsoon on August 30 years ago. The sea had a wildness about it back then. Shooting was frequently disrupted by intermittent rain. Places have undergone many changes over the years. However, their beauty remains. Kerala is not just God’s Own Country, but God’s own location as well,” Mani Ratnam said.

“It was raining heavily on the day we arrived. For an entire day, our whole unit was stranded at the hotel. The first day’s shooting was held along the ramparts of the fort. Even the white fungus formations between the rocks towards the end of the monsoon added to the beauty of the frames. The waves kept rising as if for us,” Rajeev Menon shared, recalling his shooting experiences.

The Bekal International Beach Festival
Their visit also coincides with the Bekal International Beach Festival, which has been held here for the past three years. The event, which will be on till December 31, celebrates Kasaragod's culture and has a variety of programmes lined up. Food festivals, adventure water-sports events, helicopter flights, and cultural and musical performances are part of it. Visitors also get to experience the district's own art forms, such as theyyam, alamikkali, and yakshagana. 

The fest has Rs 50 as the entry fee. A few of the leading performers of the event include rapper Vedan, Aparna Balamurali, Jassie Gift and Rimi Tomy. An auto expo is also part of the Bekal Beach Festival. 

The Bekal Fort
A local ruler built the 17th-century fort to defend the region. Later, it was captured by Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan, and the British East India Company in the 18th century. The 40-acre-wide fort has massive bastions, walls, tunnels, water tanks and an observation tower. The beautiful sea and scenic landscapes also surround its location. Tourists love to visit her for walks, picnics, to explore history and for photoshoots. Those who love water can also take advantage of Bekal's clean, calm waves to swim and play other beach games. 

How to reach Bekal
The beach and fort are around 16 km from the Kasaragod Railway Station and about 2 km from the Bekal Bus Stand. It is well connected by the road as well.