A tale of the jungles 

Maragadhakaadu, which was initially shelved after two songs were picturised, is all set to finally hit the screens this Friday, thanks to the efforts of producer Raghunath and his team. Debutant director Mangaleshwaran, who has previously assisted Bharathiraja, had the blessings of the veteran filmmaker during a promotional event for the film, which he has dedicated to his mentor and the people of the hilly regions where the story is set.

Getting the permission of the state government to shoot in the forest took a whole eight months, but the production house was willing to wait. The location chosen was a forest near Papanasam, and the crew had to walk a good two kilometres each day to reach the spot, says the director, adding, “It was all worth it for the authentic look we achieved. The script focuses on the rights of the Kani tribal people to own land, and there’s a love story woven around this.”

The director says he was privileged to get valuable inputs from the tribal people on how the womenfolk in the forest rose up to protect their land by fighting against the system. “I was able to touch on several pertinent issues in the film as the tribal people willingly came forward to lend realism to the script. My task was simply to ensure to present this in a simple manner for the audience.” 

While it may seem like Maragadhakaadu would be a good fit for film festivals, Mangaleshwaran says that was not his intention when making it. “Though we faced insurmountable odds right through the single long 65-day schedule, everyone in the team was determined to give their best for the film given the strong message it carries.”