Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 26 (IANS) After the stupendous success of Malayalam film “Ennu Ninte Moideen”, its debutant director R.S.Vimal said that it will be remade in Tamil and Prithviraj Sukumaran, who played the lead role in the Malayalam film, might also be cast in the Tamil version.
When Vimal made this statement during a media interaction, here on Saturday, Prithviraj, who was sitting by his side smiled.
“See, the decision to make the film in Tamil, has been made and I will be directing it. The story would be the same but, it will be reworked to suit the Tamil audience and it would involve a bigger budget,” said Vimal.
“Ennu Ninte Moideen”, which is currently running in packed movie halls in the state tells a true love story that took place in the Kozhikode suburb of Mukkam in the 1960s. It tells the story of a Muslim youth Moideen and a Hindu woman Kanchanamala who fall in love.
In the film, Prithviraj plays the role of Moideen, while Parvathy is seen as Kanchanamala.
Recalling his association with the film, Prithviraj said that this has been the dream project of Vimal.
“After watching the documentary that he made on the same subject, I spoke to Kanchanamala and she said she has no problem, if I play the role of Moideen. Then Vimal came back a year later and handed me the script which was five books and an year later we started the project,” said Prithviraj.
“Since not even 10 per cent of the true love story has been said in the film, there is enough material for a few more films on the same topic, especially, on the post death events of Moideen,” added Prithviraj.
He said that he spoke to at least 50 people who knew Moideen and one thing he could garner was Moideen was a hero.
“Similar stories would have been told a thousand times before, but what stands out in this film is the dramatisation that has gone in the making and that’s the USP of this film,” said Prithviraj.
Vimal pointed out that he first did a documentary way back in 2006 on Kanchanamala and it was that spark which forced him to quit his journalistic job and embarked on the journey to make this into a commercial film.
“In 2007, when I went to see Kanchanamala, she came with me for the first time in 33 years to the tomb where Moideen has been interned and despite the heavy rains at that time,I could see tears running down her cheeks,” added Vimal.
Vimal also opined that it’s his wish that Kanchanamala never sees the film, because she might not be able to withstand it.
Also present was Moideen’s younger brother Rasheed, a district level Congress leader in Kozhikode and said that he is hugely indebted to the director and Prithviraj for making a wonderful film on his family.
“It has come out so well that, I now feel, I have got back my brother and father. Initially I wanted to produce the film, but later when the director told me that the budget would be beyond my limits, I decided not to. My son has played a small role in the film,” said Rasheed.