Puthooramputhri Unniyarcha is a 2002 Malayalam film directed by P. G. Viswambharan. Based on the Vadakkanpattu, the folklore of North Malabar

North Malabar

North Malabar , is a historic as well as geographic distinction in India used to refer the area covering; present Kasaragod and Kannur Districts, Mananthavady taluk of Wayanad District and Koyilandy & Vatakara taluks of Kozhikode District in modern Kerala and the entire Mahé sub-Division of...

, which are ballads extolling the brave and valiant chekavar

Chekavar

The Chekavar are a caste with origins in southern India, including Sri Lanka, Kerala and some parts of Tamil Nadu...

s, it stars Vani Viswanath

Vani Viswanath

Vani Viswanath , is a South Indian actress. She has acted in Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu movies. Vani has won the Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actress for her performance in Susanna directed by T. V. Chandran. She was termed as Mollywood's Action Queen.-Biography:Vani was born...

, Devan

Devan (actor)

Devan is an Indian film actor and politician. He started his film career as the producer of the technically brilliant, but box-office flop movie Vellam and then opted to become an actor. Devan is known for his handling of serious roles, though he started his career with supporting roles...

, Siddique

Siddique (actor)

Siddique is a Malayalam film actor, producer, and television compere. He started his film career doing comedy roles and later performed in a variety of roles.-Early career:...

, Captain Raju

Captain Raju

Captain Raju is a Malayalam film actor. He was born at Omallur in Pathanamthitta District, Kerala.After finishing his graduation in Zoology, Raju joined the Indian Army as a first class officer at the age of 21. He started acting in films after leaving the army service. He has acted in more than...

 and Kunchacko Boban

Kunchacko Boban

Kunchacko Boban is an Indian film actor who works in Malayalam cinema. He is the grandson of film producer Kunchacko of the erstwhile Udaya Studios and the grandnephew of producer Maliampurackal Appachan...

 in major roles. Jagadeesh, Mala Aravindan

Mala Aravindan

Mala Aravindan is a Malayalam film actor.- Biography :He was born in Kerala, India as the eldest son of Ayyappan, an Excise department employee and Ponnamma, a school teacher. Later, he relocated to Mala and started using the place name along with his name....

, Jayakrishnan, Anoop, Sreehari, Manya, Manka Mahesh, Spadikam George and Mamukkoya

Mamukkoya

Mamukkoya is a popular Malayalam comedian actor. His unique usage of Mappila dialect and style marks his presence in the industry. He has acted in more than 450 Malayalam films and is the first winner of State award for Best Comedian in malayalam films, the category introduced in 2009- Career...

 form the supporting cast.

The film's music is scored by veteran composer Usha Khanna

Usha Khanna

Usha Khanna is an Indian music director. Regarded as the first established female music director in the Indian film industry, she remained active for more than 3 decades from 1960s to 1980s. She is still active making some music for some movies and television-serials, more than 40 years after her...

 with lyrics by poet Yusuf Ali Kechery

Yusuf Ali Kechery

Yusuf Ali Kecheri is a poet and film director from Kerala, India.He is the former president of the Kerala Sahitya Academy. Professor K. P. Narayana Pisharody, the eldest scholar, was Yousuf Ali's Sanskrit teacher...

. Even though the film had some of the best technicians of India in its crew, such as composer Johnson

Johnson (composer)

Johnson was an Indian film score composer and music director who has given music to some of the most important motion pictures of Malayalam cinema, including those for Namukku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal, Oru Minnaminunginte Nurunguvettam, Vadakkunokkiyantram, Perumthachan, Amaram, Njan...

, cinematographer Ramachandra Babu

Ramachandra Babu

Ramachandra Babu is a Kerala State award-winning cinematographer of over 100 Malayalam films, including Dweepu, Rathinirvedam, Chamaram and Oru Vadakkan Veera Gaadha.-External links:* * * * *...

, editor Sreekar Prasad and art director Gangan Thalavil, the film proved to be a critical and commercial failure.

The film's production commenced in December 2000 and occurred mainly at Cheloormana in Chittur

Chittur

Chittur is a small town in Palakkad district of Kerala, South India.-Politics:Chittur assembly constituency is part of Alathur .It contains 16 panchayats.-Demographics:...

, Palakkad

Palakkad

Palakkad , formerly known as Palghat, is a municipality and a town in the state of Kerala in southern India, spread over an area of 26.60 km2.The city is situated about north of state capital Thiruvananthapuram. It is the administrative headquarters of Palakkad District...

. (Cheloormana had also featured in the Mammootty

Mammootty

Mammootty is an Indian film actor and producer who works mainly in Malayalam cinema. He has also acted in a few Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada films. During a career spanning more than three decades, he has acted in more than 360 films, and is only next to Prem Nazir in the number of lead roles...

-starrer bloackbuster Valyettan as the hero's ancestral home.)

Plot

The film tells the story Unniyarcha

Unniyarcha

Unniyarcha is a popular legendary woman warrior mentioned in the Vadakkan Pattukal, the old ballads of North Malabar. She is a popular character in Keralan folklore...

, the valiant heroine of the Vadakkanpattu, though a member of the fairer sex, masters martial arts and proves herself as an equal to her brother Aromal Chekavar

Aromal Chekavar

Aromal Chekavar was a legendary hero who is believed to have lived during 16th century in northern Kerala, India. He was a warrior figure of Vadakkan Pattukal . He is the brother of Unniarcha, another legendary warrior figure of the same ballads. The songs and chronicles have to this day kept the...

 and cousin Chandu Chekavar, both renowned warriors. Unniyarcha is portrayed as the embodiment of all virtues. The film also narrates how jealousy takes its roots in the mind of Chandu, and how he grows hostile to Aaromal, consequently betraying him during a duel. Unniyarcha then pledges to take revenge for this betrayal. This forms the crux of the film.

Cast

• Vani Viswanath
  Vani Viswanath
  Vani Viswanath , is a South Indian actress. She has acted in Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu movies. Vani has won the Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actress for her performance in Susanna directed by T. V. Chandran. She was termed as Mollywood's Action Queen.-Biography:Vani was born...
  
   as Unniyarcha
  Unniyarcha
  Unniyarcha is a popular legendary woman warrior mentioned in the Vadakkan Pattukal, the old ballads of North Malabar. She is a popular character in Keralan folklore...
  
  
• Devan
  Devan (actor)
  Devan is an Indian film actor and politician. He started his film career as the producer of the technically brilliant, but box-office flop movie Vellam and then opted to become an actor. Devan is known for his handling of serious roles, though he started his career with supporting roles...
  
   as Chandu Chekavar
• Siddique
  Siddique (actor)
  Siddique is a Malayalam film actor, producer, and television compere. He started his film career doing comedy roles and later performed in a variety of roles.-Early career:...
  
   as Aromal Chekavar
  Aromal Chekavar
  Aromal Chekavar was a legendary hero who is believed to have lived during 16th century in northern Kerala, India. He was a warrior figure of Vadakkan Pattukal . He is the brother of Unniarcha, another legendary warrior figure of the same ballads. The songs and chronicles have to this day kept the...
  
  
• Captain Raju
  Captain Raju
  Captain Raju is a Malayalam film actor. He was born at Omallur in Pathanamthitta District, Kerala.After finishing his graduation in Zoology, Raju joined the Indian Army as a first class officer at the age of 21. He started acting in films after leaving the army service. He has acted in more than...
  
   as Kannappa Chekavar, Unniyarcha’s father
• Kunchacko Boban
  Kunchacko Boban
  Kunchacko Boban is an Indian film actor who works in Malayalam cinema. He is the grandson of film producer Kunchacko of the erstwhile Udaya Studios and the grandnephew of producer Maliampurackal Appachan...
  
   as Aaromalunni, Unniyarcha’s son
• Jayakrishnan as Kunjiraman, Unniyarcha’s husband
• Jagadeesh
• Mala Aravindan
  Mala Aravindan
  Mala Aravindan is a Malayalam film actor.- Biography :He was born in Kerala, India as the eldest son of Ayyappan, an Excise department employee and Ponnamma, a school teacher. Later, he relocated to Mala and started using the place name along with his name....
  
  
• Anoop
• Sreehari
• Manya
• Manka Mahesh
• Spadikam George
• Mamukkoya
  Mamukkoya
  Mamukkoya is a popular Malayalam comedian actor. His unique usage of Mappila dialect and style marks his presence in the industry. He has acted in more than 450 Malayalam films and is the first winner of State award for Best Comedian in malayalam films, the category introduced in 2009- Career...
  
  

External links

• Film Review at Screen India
• Film Review at Sify
  Sify
  Sify Technologies Limited is an Internet service provider established in 1998, based in Chennai, India.-Company profile:...