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Rs1 billion Malayalam film 'Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham' set for December release

'Revered by Arab traders and reviled by Portuguese sailors, Kunjali was a swashbuckling sailor and warrior'

Published: Thu 25 Nov 2021, 9:30 AM

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It is one of the most expensive Malayalam films ever made, estimated to cost about Rs1 billion. Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham, which will be released in theatres on December 2, features Mohanlal in the role of Kunjali Marakkar IV, a naval warrior and adventurer of the 15th century. The film will be screened in Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.

“Revered by Arab traders and reviled by Portuguese sailors, Kunjali was a swashbuckling sailor and warrior who lived and died for his land,” Priyadarshan, the director of the film (who has nearly 100 films in Malayalam and Hindi to his credit) told a newspaper.

According to Priyadarshan, conflicting stories abound about the Marakkars. “Nevertheless, the characters in my film are all historical figures,” he said. “They may not all have been contemporaries. Those are cinematic liberties I have taken.”

Mohanlal and Priyadarshan had, way back in 1996, planned to make a film on Kunjali. But they faced enormous challenges and it had to be postponed for nearly a quarter of a century.

Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham has already won three National Film awards including best feature film, costume and VFX.



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