Actor Appani Sarath (Angamaly Diaries, Malik) will essay the role of Madhu, the tribal youth from Palakkad's Attapadi district who fell prey to mob lynching in 2018.

Titled Adivasi (The Black Death), the film will be helmed by Vijeesh Mani from his script in the Muduga tribal language. Thankaraj M has penned the dialogues.

Sarath informs the film will begin rolling by the second week of October. The actor, who is currently training to speak in the Muduga language, will be joined by cast members from the Attapadi region.

"We have sought the help of Madhu's friends and local artists to prepare for this project. Since hunger is the subject, I'm working to have my physique resemble his," says Sarath.

The most important and responsible thing to do in the film, the actor feels, is getting right the "psychological state of someone who is starving for several days" in order to do justice to Madhu and others like him.

P Murugeshwaran will handle the camera while B Lenin edits. Chandran Mari is penning the lyrics. Sohan Roy's Aries Group banner is backing the film.