Real-life drama of a college lecturer inspires Walter D'Cruz film

An incident that shocked Kerala is getting its screen interpretation with Mullapoo Viplavam, directed by Walter D'Cruz. Based on the real-life drama of how a group of people chopped off the hand of a college lecturer accusing him of blasphemy, the film has veteran actor Nedumudi Venu in the lead.
Also featuring Sona Nair, Indrans and Karamana Sudheer, among others, the film is a big leap for Walter, who had earned acclaim with his debut feature, Puthappu, that was accomplished with UAE-based talents.
An indie film that took a strong stand by being uncompromising in its approach to cinematic aesthetics, Puthappu was noted for how Walter narrated an entire feature-length film with just two characters and that too confined in a room.
Scouting for talent in Dubai, Walter has been crystal clear about his cinematic vision. It is about telling a strong story without frills. Mullapoo Viplavam, therefore, is expected to be a tough narrative that could even be controversial. Walter has always been a keen observer of human life, narrating stories that few others brave to explore. His first work was a documentary on artist TK Padmini titled The Girl Who Flew A Kite.
A fascinating portrayal of the lady who died young leaving behind a rich legacy of paintings, won the special jury mention at the International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala. It also won the award for best documentary at the Female Film Festival and state television award for best director.
Walter was also the co-writer of the feature film Thakarachenda. He believes that the Malayalam film industry has become extremely commercialized and that it is important for arthouse films to define their space.
With its known star cast and a powerful social commentary to back it, Mullapoo Viplavam has the potential to bring back the fragrance of indie cinema to Kerala, a trend that has already gained currency with the success of films like Kanyaka Talkies, Crime No 89 and Unto the Dusk.