Director Ratheesh Raghunandan, who impressed audiences with the hard-hitting “Udal”, is back with “Thankamani”, starring Dileep in the lead role.
“Udala”, a movie that weaved together love, revenge, and helplessness, saw Dileep deliver a stellar performance as a visually-challenged man named Kuttiyappan. Now, in “Thangamani”, he is set to portray another distinct character.
Set in the 1980s
The film is based on a real-life incident that took place in the 1980s in the village of Thangamani in Idukki district. The song “Penninte Peraalla Thangamani, Venda Naadinte Peraallo Thangamani…” (meaning “Thangamani is not the name of a woman, it’s the name of a burnt land”) from the movie has already piqued the audience’s interest. The recently released teaser and trailer have also been generating a lot of buzz on social media and film groups.
Based on a 38-year-old incident
The story of the film blends fact and fiction, revolving around a real-life incident that happened 38 years ago. A conflict over bus services in the village of Thangamani in Idukki district escalated into major violence. The “Elite” bus, one of the few operating between Kattappana and Thangamani, would regularly terminate its service at Paramatha, leaving villagers inconvenienced. Students who protested against this were allegedly manhandled by the bus staff, which eventually led to clashes and police firing. The incident resulted in several deaths and injuries.
Starring Dileep
Apart from Dileep, the film also features actors Shine Tom Chacko, Sudev Nair, Siddique, Aju Aamir, Manoj K. Jayan, Neetha Pilla, and Pranitha Subhash in pivotal roles.
“Thangamani” is set to hit the theaters on March 7, 2024.
