Urumi (film)
Encyclopedia
Urumi is a 2011 Malayalam historical-fantasy film directed and co-produced by Santosh Sivan
and written by Shankar Ramakrishnan
. It stars Prithviraj
, who was also one of the producers of the film, as Chirakkal Kelu Nayanar, Prabhu Deva as Vavvali, Robin Pratt as Vasco da Gama
, Alexx ONell
as Estêvão da Gama, Genelia D'Souza
as Princess Aysha of Cannanore, Amol Gupte, Jagathy Sreekumar
, Nithya Menon
, whilst featuring Vidya Balan
, Arya
and Tabu
in guest roles. Background score and songs were composed by Deepak Dev
, lyrics were by Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri, Rafeeq Ahammed and Engandiyur Chandrasekharan.
It was made on a budget of more than 20 million, making it the second-most expensive Malayalam film ever, after Pazhassi Raja (2009). Urumi was dubbed and released in Telugu
as Urumi and English
as Vasco da Gama. Urumi is awaiting release in Tamil
as Urumi- Padhinaintham Nootrandu Uraivaal and dialogues are written by S. Sasikumaran for the Tamil version.
The film is set in the backdrop of the fierce warrior clan
s of Northern Kerala in the sixteenth century and focuses on the cult of Chirakkal
Kelu Nayanar (Prithviraj), a man with an epic mission. His target and mission is Dom
Vasco da Gama
(Robin Pratt), the Viceroy of Portuguese Empire in India
. The film is spread between the second
and third visit of Gama to India and chronicles a varied version of how Vasco da Gama
could have met a bloody death in AD 1524. In the journey of Kelu Nayanar, he has to encounter the seamless conflicts within the kinsmen and also kings, ministers, peasants and a warring Muslim warrior princess Ayesha (Genelia) of the famed Arackal Sultanate
. Kelu has a forte, a legendary golden Urumi
, specially made from the left over ornaments of the dead women and children who were burnt alive in the massacre of a Mecca Ship, Miri, commanded to be set on fire and drowned by Vasco da Gama during his second visit to Kerala
in AD 1502. Kelu is supported by Vavvali (Prabhudeva), his childhood friend and in a way his elder brother, though he comes from the Muslim neighborhood. The film also has mystical characters like Vidya Balan, who plays Makkom, a displaced Devi
Deity in the Oracle
form. Kelu tracks his mission through the wild roads of treachery, treason and a hidden passion to reach a master plan to create his own army against the mighty empire. His action in creating an organized revolt becomes the first of its kind movement against the first Colonial advance in India.
to India
, referring the legendary landing of explorer Vasco da Gama
on 20 May 1498 in Calicut
, the kingdom ruled by Zamorins of Calicut. The typical Primary School teachers narration (by Malayalam actor K. P. A. C. Lalitha
) is initially accompanied with Google Image Search
on "Vasco da Gama", followed by stills from his journey and moving images at the end. The meeting of Vasco da Gama (Robin Pratt) with Zamorin with traditional hospitality, and the failed interview to produce any concrete results is also depicted. Then the celebrations of the greatest discovery till in Lisbon
is shown (Vasco da Gama's expedition was successful beyond all reasonable expectation, bringing in cargo that was worth sixty times the cost of the expedition). In a party, da Gama is seen talking to his young son, Estêvão, who will later turn crucial character in the film.
The scene changes to a club in present day Goa, where we see two young men, Krishna Das (Prithviraj) and his friend, dancing. These two young men are running a music troupe and are completely unaware of the history or heritage of their land. From the agents of a multinational mining cooperation, Krishna Das knows that his ancestral property in Kerala leased out to a N. G. O. by his late mother is rich in minerals and is free to be sold as the lease period has lapsed. The company offers him a large of money as advance. Krishna Das is told that there some problems exist, that he has to convince the people running the N. G. O. for this transaction. When he reaches the plot, he is kidnapped by some tribal (who will have to vacate their lands, if the mining begins) men to cave deep in the forest, and where he meets their chief Thangachan (Arya). Thangachan explains to him that he is the descendant of Chirakkal Kelu Nayanar, and Thangachan resumes the narration.
The narration continues with Portuguese activities in India, and effects of Colonization on the Malabar Coast
. In 1502, Gama commanded the 4th Portuguese Armada to India, a fleet of fifteen ships and eight hundred men, with the object of enforcing Portuguese interests in the east. On reaching India in October 1502, Gama started capturing any Arab vessel he came across in Indian waters. On his way to Cannanore when he had reached the northern parts of the Indian Ocean, Gama waited for a ship to return from Mecca and seized all the merchandise on it. The Portuguese chases the pilgrim ship down, which surrenders rather quickly, probably imagining that its master and they had enough money to ransom it off. But Vasco da Gama shrugs off all the offers.
The Nair
(Nairs were fierce warrior clans in Malabar) general of the king of Kolathunad
, Chirakkal Kothuwal (Arya), sends a Brahmin
negotiator and his own son, Kelu, to the Portuguese ship "São Gabriel" for negotiations on a Mecca Ship, "Miri". But, da Gama rejects all peace talks and barbarously cut off the Brahmin's ears and sews ears of his dog on the same spot. He then ordered the hundreds of passengers be locked in the hold and Mîrî, and which contained many wealthy Muslim merchants — to be set on fire. It took several days to finally go down completely, and general of the king of Kolathunad, Chirakkal Kothuwal storms "São Gabriel" to rescue his son, Kelu. But, on this charismatic attempt Chirakkal Kothuwal loses his life to the Portuguese, and only Kelu escapes devastated by his fathers loss. Vavvali, a Tamil Muslim boy, takes Kelu with him to his dwelling, and treats him as his own younger brother. Kelu forms an Urumi, specially made with the left over ornaments of the dead women and children of "Miri". He takes an oath that he will kill da Gama.
Then it shows a foreshadowing of Kelu (Prithviraj) and Vavvali (Prabhu Deva) as adults hunting rabbits in a forest somewhere in Kolathunad. Where they are confronted by some strangers trying to abduct Bala (Nithya Menon
), the princess of Kolathunad. Kelu and Vavvali save the princess, but they are subsequently captured by the soldiers of Kolathiri, accompanied by the heir apparent, Bhanu Vikraman (Ankur Khanna) of Chirakkal. They are charged with attempted kidnap of the Princess and keeping foreign weapons such as pistol. Originally the pistol belonged to the real abductors, but the king's judgement was the execution by elephant. On the way, Princess Bala comes and reveals that these men are in fact saviors, not attempted abductors.
He joins hands with the king to jointly kill Vasco da gama and the remaining part forms the rest of the story
Historical inaccuracies in the film include:
with lyrics penned by Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri, Rafeeq Ahammed and Engandiyur Chandrasekharan. The music album consists of nine songs. According to Deepak Dev, composing songs for Urumi was a challenge as Santosh Sivan had proscribed all electronic music, as the film is set in the sixteenth century. It was Prithviraj who suggested Deepak Dev to Sivan. The songs encompasses many genres – folk, lullaby, ballad etc. The vocalists range from the most experienced K. J. Yesudas
to newcomers Job Kurian and Reshmi Sathish. The song "Chimmi Chimmi" is done as a tribute to M. G. Radhakrishnan
, a composer Deepak Dev admired great deal.
's "Caravanserai" of the album An Ancient Muse
. The track also uses major hooks from Loreena's famous track "The Mummers' Dance
". Loreena McKennit filed a plagiarism
suit against composer Deepak Dev and the makers of Urumi in Delhi High Court. On September 21, 2011, Justice Manmohan Singh of Delhi High Court passed an order on a copyright infringement claim preventing the makers from releasing the soundtrack in English, Hindi and Tamil.
and the forests of Malshej Ghat
in Maharashtra
.
.
Santosh Sivan
Santosh Sivan is an Indian cinematographer, film director, and producer who has worked in Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, and Hindi cinema....
and written by Shankar Ramakrishnan
Shankar Ramakrishnan
Shankar Ramakrishnan is an Indian screen writer and director, who works in Malayalam cinema.He directed a short film, Island Express, for the Malayalam anthology film, Kerala Cafe. He also wrote the script for historical-fantasy film Urumi....
. It stars Prithviraj
Prithviraj Sukumaran
Prithviraj Sukumaran credited mononymously as Prithviraj, is an Indian film actor and producer best known for his work in Malayalam cinema....
, who was also one of the producers of the film, as Chirakkal Kelu Nayanar, Prabhu Deva as Vavvali, Robin Pratt as Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira was a Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India...
, Alexx ONell
Alexx ONell
Alexx O'Nell is an American actor and musician who is based in India and has appeared in numerous films and television programs in English and Indian languages....
as Estêvão da Gama, Genelia D'Souza
Genelia D'Souza
Genelia D'Souza is an Indian actress, model, and host. She has appeared in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam language films. After gaining wide attention in a Parker Pen commercial with Amitabh Bachchan, D'Souza began her acting career with Tujhe Meri Kasam in 2003...
as Princess Aysha of Cannanore, Amol Gupte, Jagathy Sreekumar
Jagathy Sreekumar
Sreekumar Achary, better known by his stage name Jagathy Sreekumar, is an Indian film actor who has performed in more than 1,000 Malayalam films. He has also directed two films and has written screenplays for two films...
, Nithya Menon
Nithya Menon
Nithya Menen is an Indian film actress, who works mainly in the Malayalam film industry. She has also acted in Telugu, Tamil and Kannada films and tried playback singing.-Early life:...
, whilst featuring Vidya Balan
Vidya Balan
Vidya Balan is an Indian actress, who appears in Hindi films. After graduating with a degree in sociology, she started her career starring in music videos, television shows and commercials, before appearing in feature films....
, Arya
Arya (actor)
Arya is an Indian film actor who mainly appears in Tamil films. He is best known for his roles in the films Pattiyal , Naan Kadavul , Madrasapattinam , and Boss Engira Bhaskaran.-Personal life:...
and Tabu
Tabu (actress)
Tabu is an Indian film actress. She has mainly acted in Hindi films, though she has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali language films, as well as one American film...
in guest roles. Background score and songs were composed by Deepak Dev
Deepak Dev
Deepak Devraj, better known as Deepak Dev is an Indian music composer, best known for his compositions in Malayalam cinema, with films such as Chronic Bachelor, Symphony, Udayananu Tharam, Naran, and Puthiya Mukham.-Early years:...
, lyrics were by Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri, Rafeeq Ahammed and Engandiyur Chandrasekharan.
It was made on a budget of more than 20 million, making it the second-most expensive Malayalam film ever, after Pazhassi Raja (2009). Urumi was dubbed and released in Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
as Urumi and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as Vasco da Gama. Urumi is awaiting release in Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
as Urumi- Padhinaintham Nootrandu Uraivaal and dialogues are written by S. Sasikumaran for the Tamil version.
The film is set in the backdrop of the fierce warrior clan
Nair
Nair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...
s of Northern Kerala in the sixteenth century and focuses on the cult of Chirakkal
Chirakkal, Kannur
Chirakkal is a census town in Kannur district in the state of Kerala, India. It is 7 km from Kannur town.India census, Chirakkal has a population of 43,290. Males constitute 48% of the population and females 52%. Chirakkal has an average literacy rate of 84%, higher than the national average...
Kelu Nayanar (Prithviraj), a man with an epic mission. His target and mission is Dom
Dom
- People :* Dom people, an ethnic group in the Middle East* Doms, people of indigenous origin found in the Indian state of West Bengal* Domba or Dom, an ethnic group of India...
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira was a Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India...
(Robin Pratt), the Viceroy of Portuguese Empire in India
Portuguese India
The Portuguese Viceroyalty of India , later the Portuguese State of India , was the aggregate of Portugal's colonial holdings in India.The government started in 1505, six years after the discovery of a sea route to India by Vasco da Gama, with the nomination of the first Viceroy Francisco de...
. The film is spread between the second
4th Portuguese India Armada (Gama, 1502)
The Fourth India Armada was assembled in 1502 on the order of King Manuel I of Portugal and placed under the command of D. Vasco da Gama. It was Gama's second trip to India...
and third visit of Gama to India and chronicles a varied version of how Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira was a Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India...
could have met a bloody death in AD 1524. In the journey of Kelu Nayanar, he has to encounter the seamless conflicts within the kinsmen and also kings, ministers, peasants and a warring Muslim warrior princess Ayesha (Genelia) of the famed Arackal Sultanate
Ali Raja
The Ali Raja was the title of the Muslim raja of Cannanore from the 16th to early 19th Century. The king's palace, which he purchased from the Dutch in 1663, was named Arakkal Palace after the ruling dynasty.-Origins:...
. Kelu has a forte, a legendary golden Urumi
Urumi
The urumi is a long sword made of flexible steel, sharp enough to cut into flesh, but flexible enough to be rolled into a tight coil. Originating in South India, it was most popular in the North Malabar Coast of Kerala and is often mentioned in the ballads of the region.In kalaripayat, the urumi...
, specially made from the left over ornaments of the dead women and children who were burnt alive in the massacre of a Mecca Ship, Miri, commanded to be set on fire and drowned by Vasco da Gama during his second visit to Kerala
4th Portuguese India Armada (Gama, 1502)
The Fourth India Armada was assembled in 1502 on the order of King Manuel I of Portugal and placed under the command of D. Vasco da Gama. It was Gama's second trip to India...
in AD 1502. Kelu is supported by Vavvali (Prabhudeva), his childhood friend and in a way his elder brother, though he comes from the Muslim neighborhood. The film also has mystical characters like Vidya Balan, who plays Makkom, a displaced Devi
Devi
Devī is the Sanskrit word for Goddess, used mostly in Hinduism, its related masculine term is deva. Devi is synonymous with Shakti, the female aspect of the divine, as conceptualized by the Shakta tradition of Hinduism. She is the female counterpart without whom the male aspect, which represents...
Deity in the Oracle
Oracle
In Classical Antiquity, an oracle was a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic predictions or precognition of the future, inspired by the gods. As such it is a form of divination....
form. Kelu tracks his mission through the wild roads of treachery, treason and a hidden passion to reach a master plan to create his own army against the mighty empire. His action in creating an organized revolt becomes the first of its kind movement against the first Colonial advance in India.
Plot
The film starts with a short introduction to the history of Portuguese exploration in the in the Age of DiscoveryAge of Discovery
The Age of Discovery, also known as the Age of Exploration and the Great Navigations , was a period in history starting in the early 15th century and continuing into the early 17th century during which Europeans engaged in intensive exploration of the world, establishing direct contacts with...
to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, referring the legendary landing of explorer Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira was a Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India...
on 20 May 1498 in Calicut
History of Kozhikode
Kozhikode , also known as Calicut, is a city in the southern Indian state of Kerala. It is the third largest city in Kerala and the headquarters of Kozhikode district....
, the kingdom ruled by Zamorins of Calicut. The typical Primary School teachers narration (by Malayalam actor K. P. A. C. Lalitha
K. P. A. C. Lalitha
Maheshwari Amma, better known by her stage name K.P.A.C. Lalitha, is a National Award winning Indian film and stage actress. She was the wife of late filmmaker Bharathan.-Biography:...
) is initially accompanied with Google Image Search
Google Image Search
Google Images is a search service created by Google that allows users to search the Web for image content. The feature was introduced in July 2001. The keywords for the image search are based on the filename of the image, the link text pointing to the image, and text adjacent to the image. When...
on "Vasco da Gama", followed by stills from his journey and moving images at the end. The meeting of Vasco da Gama (Robin Pratt) with Zamorin with traditional hospitality, and the failed interview to produce any concrete results is also depicted. Then the celebrations of the greatest discovery till in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
is shown (Vasco da Gama's expedition was successful beyond all reasonable expectation, bringing in cargo that was worth sixty times the cost of the expedition). In a party, da Gama is seen talking to his young son, Estêvão, who will later turn crucial character in the film.
The scene changes to a club in present day Goa, where we see two young men, Krishna Das (Prithviraj) and his friend, dancing. These two young men are running a music troupe and are completely unaware of the history or heritage of their land. From the agents of a multinational mining cooperation, Krishna Das knows that his ancestral property in Kerala leased out to a N. G. O. by his late mother is rich in minerals and is free to be sold as the lease period has lapsed. The company offers him a large of money as advance. Krishna Das is told that there some problems exist, that he has to convince the people running the N. G. O. for this transaction. When he reaches the plot, he is kidnapped by some tribal (who will have to vacate their lands, if the mining begins) men to cave deep in the forest, and where he meets their chief Thangachan (Arya). Thangachan explains to him that he is the descendant of Chirakkal Kelu Nayanar, and Thangachan resumes the narration.
The narration continues with Portuguese activities in India, and effects of Colonization on the Malabar Coast
Malabar Coast
The Malabar Coast is a long and narrow coastline on the south-western shore line of the mainland Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing mountain...
. In 1502, Gama commanded the 4th Portuguese Armada to India, a fleet of fifteen ships and eight hundred men, with the object of enforcing Portuguese interests in the east. On reaching India in October 1502, Gama started capturing any Arab vessel he came across in Indian waters. On his way to Cannanore when he had reached the northern parts of the Indian Ocean, Gama waited for a ship to return from Mecca and seized all the merchandise on it. The Portuguese chases the pilgrim ship down, which surrenders rather quickly, probably imagining that its master and they had enough money to ransom it off. But Vasco da Gama shrugs off all the offers.
The Nair
Nair
Nair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...
(Nairs were fierce warrior clans in Malabar) general of the king of Kolathunad
Kolathunadu
Kolathunādu was one of the three most powerful feudal kingdoms on the Malabar Coast during the arrival Portuguese Armadas to India along with Zamorin's Calicut and Venad. Kolathunād had its capital at Ezhimala and was ruled by Kolathiri royal family and roughly comprised the whole northern...
, Chirakkal Kothuwal (Arya), sends a Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
negotiator and his own son, Kelu, to the Portuguese ship "São Gabriel" for negotiations on a Mecca Ship, "Miri". But, da Gama rejects all peace talks and barbarously cut off the Brahmin's ears and sews ears of his dog on the same spot. He then ordered the hundreds of passengers be locked in the hold and Mîrî, and which contained many wealthy Muslim merchants — to be set on fire. It took several days to finally go down completely, and general of the king of Kolathunad, Chirakkal Kothuwal storms "São Gabriel" to rescue his son, Kelu. But, on this charismatic attempt Chirakkal Kothuwal loses his life to the Portuguese, and only Kelu escapes devastated by his fathers loss. Vavvali, a Tamil Muslim boy, takes Kelu with him to his dwelling, and treats him as his own younger brother. Kelu forms an Urumi, specially made with the left over ornaments of the dead women and children of "Miri". He takes an oath that he will kill da Gama.
Then it shows a foreshadowing of Kelu (Prithviraj) and Vavvali (Prabhu Deva) as adults hunting rabbits in a forest somewhere in Kolathunad. Where they are confronted by some strangers trying to abduct Bala (Nithya Menon
Nithya Menon
Nithya Menen is an Indian film actress, who works mainly in the Malayalam film industry. She has also acted in Telugu, Tamil and Kannada films and tried playback singing.-Early life:...
), the princess of Kolathunad. Kelu and Vavvali save the princess, but they are subsequently captured by the soldiers of Kolathiri, accompanied by the heir apparent, Bhanu Vikraman (Ankur Khanna) of Chirakkal. They are charged with attempted kidnap of the Princess and keeping foreign weapons such as pistol. Originally the pistol belonged to the real abductors, but the king's judgement was the execution by elephant. On the way, Princess Bala comes and reveals that these men are in fact saviors, not attempted abductors.
He joins hands with the king to jointly kill Vasco da gama and the remaining part forms the rest of the story
Cast
| Role | Actor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chirakkal Kelu Nayanar Nayanar (Nair subcaste) Nayanar is an honorific title used among certain clans of Nairs in the North Malabar region of Kerala. Men of these clans were mainly chiefs of fiefdoms, and formed the aristocracy and landed gentry of the area.-Etymology:... |
Prithviraj Prithviraj Sukumaran Prithviraj Sukumaran credited mononymously as Prithviraj, is an Indian film actor and producer best known for his work in Malayalam cinema.... |
|
| Krishnadas ("K.D.") | Prithviraj | present generation of Kelu |
| Estêvão da Gama | Alexx ONell Alexx ONell Alexx O'Nell is an American actor and musician who is based in India and has appeared in numerous films and television programs in English and Indian languages.... |
|
| Vasco Da Gama Vasco da Gama Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira was a Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India... |
Robin Pratt | |
| Vavvali | Prabhu Deva | |
| friend of KD | Prabhu Deva | |
| Chirakkal Thampuran | Amole Gupte Amole Gupte Amole Gupte is an Indian screenwriter, actor, and director, particularly known for his work on the 2007 Bollywood film Taare Zameen Par as creative director and screenwriter... |
King of Kolathunad |
| Chirakkal Bala | Nithya Menon Nithya Menon Nithya Menen is an Indian film actress, who works mainly in the Malayalam film industry. She has also acted in Telugu, Tamil and Kannada films and tried playback singing.-Early life:... |
princess of Kolathunad |
| Chenichery Kurup Kurup Kurup is an occupational title among the Nairs of Kerala, India. They served as warriors, generals and warlords to kings. It was also a honorific hereditary title dignifying certain Kshatriya clans of Kiryathil Nairs in the Malabar regions... |
Jagathy Sreekumar Jagathy Sreekumar Sreekumar Achary, better known by his stage name Jagathy Sreekumar, is an Indian film actor who has performed in more than 1,000 Malayalam films. He has also directed two films and has written screenplays for two films... |
minister of Kolathunad |
| Chirakkal Bhanu Vikraman | Ankur Khanna | prince of Kolathunad |
| Chirakkal Kothuwal | Arya (actor) Arya (actor) Arya is an Indian film actor who mainly appears in Tamil films. He is best known for his roles in the films Pattiyal , Naan Kadavul , Madrasapattinam , and Boss Engira Bhaskaran.-Personal life:... |
As father of Kelu, as the general of the king of Kolathunad |
| Arackal Ayesha | Genelia D'Souza Genelia D'Souza Genelia D'Souza is an Indian actress, model, and host. She has appeared in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam language films. After gaining wide attention in a Parker Pen commercial with Amitabh Bachchan, D'Souza began her acting career with Tujhe Meri Kasam in 2003... |
princess of Arackal Ali Raja The Ali Raja was the title of the Muslim raja of Cannanore from the 16th to early 19th Century. The king's palace, which he purchased from the Dutch in 1663, was named Arakkal Palace after the ruling dynasty.-Origins:... |
| Thangachan | Arya | The tribal leader who narrates the story to KD |
| Makkom | Vidya Balan Vidya Balan Vidya Balan is an Indian actress, who appears in Hindi films. After graduating with a degree in sociology, she started her career starring in music videos, television shows and commercials, before appearing in feature films.... |
|
| Dancer | Tabu Tabu Tabu may refer to:*Tapu , a Polynesian cultural concept, from which the word taboo derives*Tabu , a 1931 award winning film*Tabu , Indian actress*Tabu Ley, Congolese musician... |
Special Appearance |
| narrator 1 | K. P. A. C. Lalitha K. P. A. C. Lalitha Maheshwari Amma, better known by her stage name K.P.A.C. Lalitha, is a National Award winning Indian film and stage actress. She was the wife of late filmmaker Bharathan.-Biography:... |
She doesn't appear in the film, but provide the effect of her appearance by her well-known voice, similar to the same way she did in Mathilukal Mathilukal This article has details about the novel as well as its film adaptation.Mathilukal is a Malayalam novel written by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer in 1965. It is one of the most cherished and well-known love stories in Malayalam. Its hero, Basheer himself, and heroine, Narayani, never meet, yet they love... |
Historical accuracy
The tale of Kelu Nayanar depicted in the film is fictional, and though it is based on historical events, the film has a mystical fantasy flavour. Santosh Sivan told the media that the film was designed to be "a representation of historical facts on a fictional platform rather than an accurate narration of history".Historical inaccuracies in the film include:
- Costumes are designed for aesthetic appeal rather than representing the true clothing at the time. The Kelu Nayanar is seen wearing a lower garment similar to pants and a coloured upper garment. At the time all upper-caste Hindu men wore a munduMunduThe mundu is a garment worn around the waist in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka, Kerala and Maldives. This garment is closely related to the Dhoti, Sarong, and Lungi. In South Kanara, a district of Karnataka state, the Tulu speaking folk and Beary community also wear the mundu. It is...
and white veshti (upper garment), and during exercise or battle would have worn a short dhotiDhotiThe dhoti or pancha is the traditional men's garment in the in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. A similar garment is worn in some rural areas of Punjab province in Pakistan, but the use is fast declining...
like those worn by Kalaripayattu warriors. - Hindu men wore their hair in the kuduma style (this fell out of favour in the early 20th century), as well as earrings and forehead markings with vibhutiVibhutiVibhuti is a word that has several meanings in Hinduism.-Sacred ash:Vibhuti is the sacred ash used in religious worship in Hinduism. The main ingredient of Vibuthi is a special kind of wood, but several other substances, such as milk and ghee, prescribed in scriptures are also added...
or chandanamSandalwoodSandalwood is the name of a class of fragrant woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and unlike many other aromatic woods they retain their fragrance for decades. As well as using the harvested and cut wood in-situ, essential oils are also extracted...
. Wild, unkempt hair (as seen in Kelu Nayanar) was only kept in such a way during times of mourning or great sadness. - The blouseBlouseA blouse is a loose-fitting upper garment that was formerly worn by workmen, peasants, artists, women and children. It is typically gathered at the waist so that it hangs loosely over the wearer's body. Today, the word most commonly refers to a woman's shirt but can also refer to a man's shirt if...
was only introduced to Kerala society in the 19th century and even up until the mid-20th century it was common to see elderly women only covering their upper body with a robe of linen. The character, played by Vidya Balan, is shown wearing a black blouse.
Soundtrack
The songs and the background score for the film have been composed by Deepak DevDeepak Dev
Deepak Devraj, better known as Deepak Dev is an Indian music composer, best known for his compositions in Malayalam cinema, with films such as Chronic Bachelor, Symphony, Udayananu Tharam, Naran, and Puthiya Mukham.-Early years:...
with lyrics penned by Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri, Rafeeq Ahammed and Engandiyur Chandrasekharan. The music album consists of nine songs. According to Deepak Dev, composing songs for Urumi was a challenge as Santosh Sivan had proscribed all electronic music, as the film is set in the sixteenth century. It was Prithviraj who suggested Deepak Dev to Sivan. The songs encompasses many genres – folk, lullaby, ballad etc. The vocalists range from the most experienced K. J. Yesudas
K. J. Yesudas
Kattassery Joseph Yesudas is an Indian classical musician and playback singer.Yesudas sings Indian classical, devotional, and popular music. He has recorded more than 50,000 songs in many languages including Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali, Gujarati, Oriya, Marathi, Punjabi,...
to newcomers Job Kurian and Reshmi Sathish. The song "Chimmi Chimmi" is done as a tribute to M. G. Radhakrishnan
M. G. Radhakrishnan
M. G. Radhakrishnan was a senior music director and Carnatic vocalist from Kerala. He is highly regarded as one of the most successful light music and film music composer in Malayalam.- Personal life :M. G...
, a composer Deepak Dev admired great deal.
Plagiarism accusations
The song "Aaro Nee Aaro" in the film is alleged to be plagiarized from Loreena McKennittLoreena McKennitt
Loreena Isabel Irene McKennitt, CM, OM, is a Canadian singer, composer, harpist, accordionist and pianist who writes, records and performs world music with Celtic and Middle Eastern themes. McKennitt is known for her refined, clear soprano vocals...
's "Caravanserai" of the album An Ancient Muse
An Ancient Muse
An Ancient Muse is the seventh full-length studio album of the Canadian singer, songwriter, accordionist, harpist, and pianist, Loreena McKennitt. It was released on November 20, 2006 internationally, and November 21, 2006 in the United States and Canada. It was her first studio album after a...
. The track also uses major hooks from Loreena's famous track "The Mummers' Dance
The Mummers' Dance
"The Mummers' Dance" is a single by Canadian Celtic Singer Loreena McKennitt from the album The Book of Secrets in 1997. The song was a surprise hit in the United States, reaching #3 in Adult Top 40, #17 on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart and #18 on The Billboard Hot 100.The song is the theme song...
". Loreena McKennit filed a plagiarism
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
suit against composer Deepak Dev and the makers of Urumi in Delhi High Court. On September 21, 2011, Justice Manmohan Singh of Delhi High Court passed an order on a copyright infringement claim preventing the makers from releasing the soundtrack in English, Hindi and Tamil.
| Track # | Title | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Aaranne Aarane" | Job Kurian, Rita | 4:19 |
| 2 | "Aaro Nee Aaro" | K. J. Yesudas K. J. Yesudas Kattassery Joseph Yesudas is an Indian classical musician and playback singer.Yesudas sings Indian classical, devotional, and popular music. He has recorded more than 50,000 songs in many languages including Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali, Gujarati, Oriya, Marathi, Punjabi,... , Swetha Mohan |
6:20 |
| 3 | "Chimmi Chimmi" | Manjari Babu Manjari Babu Manjari Babu is an Indian playback singer active mainly in Malayalam. She was born in 1986 in Thiruvananthapuram and grew up in Muscat. Her first stage performance was with Shiva, the Kolkota based rock band, when she was in class eight.Since her début, she has worked with the likes of Ramesh... |
2:44 |
| 4 | "Appaa" | Reshmi Sathish | 3:19 |
| 5 | "Vadakku Vadakku -Friendship Remix" | Guru Kiran, Shaan Rahman | 2:52 |
| 6 | "Thelu Thele" | KR Renji | 3:51 |
| 7 | "Vadakku Vadakku" | Prithviraj Prithviraj Sukumaran Prithviraj Sukumaran credited mononymously as Prithviraj, is an Indian film actor and producer best known for his work in Malayalam cinema.... |
3:27 |
| 8 | "Chalanam Chalanam" | Reshmi Sathish | 3:47 |
| 9 | "Theme Music" | Mili (Humming) | 3:05 |
Production
Shooting for the film started on August 17, 2010. The main locations were KeralaKerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
and the forests of Malshej Ghat
Malshej Ghat
Malshej Ghat is a mountain pass in the Western Ghats range in pune district of Maharashtra, India. The site is nestled in the lofty rugged hills of the Western Ghats. The best time to visit is between August and September. At this time of the year, the hills are clothed in a soothing shade of...
in Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
.
Critical response
The film did well in the Kerala and Andhra boxoffices. Deepa Garimella of fullhyd.com recommended the movie even to a Telugu audience, calling it a Chandamama bedtime story brought alive like little else. The film was also one of the seven Malayalam films selected to be screened at the Indian Panorama section of International Film Festival of IndiaInternational Film Festival of India
The International Film Festival of India , founded in 1952, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. Held annually in the beach town of Goa, in the Western Coast of the country, the festival aims at providing a common platform for the cinemas of the world to project the excellence of...
.