Kaalapani movie: After independence, the administrations of the day used every tool of mass communication to propagate partial truth and hagiographic exaggerations of Congress and its top leadership. As a result, visionary freedom fighters such as Veer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar became an ostracised figure unworthy of mention in the larger scheme of Indian freedom struggle, or were wrongfully vilified for the much-hyped “mercy petition.” Its facts have been busted time and again, and this farce of an accusation is not worthy of any more credence.
When the Bollywood cabal followed the “conspiracy of silence,” there was one Malayalam film that depicted a fair depiction of Veer Savarkar and the torture that Indian revolutionaries faced in the Cellular Jail.
The horrors of “Kaalapani”
Nearly half a century after Independence, Priyadarshan directed the Movie “Kaalapani,” with Mohanlal in the lead role. The Kaalapani movie had acclaimed actors like Annu Kapoor, Amrish Puri, and others as the supporting cast. The film depicted the horrendous atrocities that the revolutionaries were subjected to and how they did not break even in the face of such cruelty.
It is important to note that “Kaalapani” movie was made when the concept of multilingual cinema was not popular, but it was eventually dubbed in several languages, including Hindi.
Also read: “Nehru was honey trapped to Partition India” Why Congress cannot afford to abuse Savarkar
Kaalapani movie: Synopsis
The story takes place in 1965. It revolves around an Indian Army officer who goes to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to investigate the case of a relative who was falsely accused and sent to the cellular jail. The film was ahead of its time and was the costliest film for the Malayalam industry at that time.
Despite this near-realistic portrayal, the film struggled to recover its budget. However, the film received critical acclaim and won four National Film Awards, including Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Audio, and Best Special Effects.
Also read: The Indira Gandhi – Savarkar connection that has come back to haunt Congress
In the film, Annu Kapoor portrayed Veer Savarkar, and it was particularly noteworthy. He, along with Mohanlal and Amrish Puri, did justice to the legacy of the revolutionaries through their unforgettable film.
Unfortunately, it took almost 49 years after independence for a film on the great freedom fighter Veer Savarkar to get a theatrical release. Sadly, the timing was different, and audiences gave it a miss. Had it been released in recent times, it wouldn’t have given a good run for money to content-driven films like “Kantara” or “RRR.”
The story of every Indian freedom fighter is full of heart-wrenching stories and unparalleled courage to free their motherland from the clutches of slavery. It is high time that this unrecognised gem of Indian cinema, movie “Kaalapani,” is given due space and is seen by all history enthusiasts and all those movie makers who are working on projects on the life journey of such freedom fighters.
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