Tovino Thomas’ Period Drama (Photo Credit – Instagram)
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Tovino Thomas began this year with an unfortunate theatrical flop, Identity. Despite not being a bad film, it struggled with both critical and audience reception. However, it was an enjoyable watch and deserved more success than it received.
Fans of Tovino Thomas now have something to look forward to. His long-awaited film Palli Chattambi, announced six years ago but stalled for various reasons, is finally back on track. This big-budget venture officially resumed production with a pooja ceremony on February 19, 2025.
The film is directed by Dijo Jose Antony, known for making socially relevant films like Jana Gana Mana. Although his last movie, Malayalee from India, didn’t perform well at the box office, he has proven his talent with previous projects.
The screenplay is penned by S. Suresh Babu, whose notable works include Thandavam, Dada Sahib, Shikkar. The music is composed by Jakes Bejoy, who recently worked on films like Officer on Duty, Saripodhaa Sanivaaram, Hello Mummy. Cinematography is handled by Divakar Mani.
The film is a period drama set in the mid to late 1950s, during a historic moment in Kerala’s political landscape. For the first time in world history, a communist government was democratically elected, unlike in other countries where communist regimes rose to power through revolutions or coups. However, the party’s ideology clashed with the Church, leading to tensions between the state and religious institutions, a common scenario wherever communism took hold.
This conflict culminated in the Vimochana Samaram (Liberation Struggle), a movement that sought to protect the interests of various groups, including the Church. In the film, Tovino Thomas portrays a hired goon brought to Malabar by the Church to safeguard its interests against the government.
