Bala was once a forest brigand, a rather merciless one at that. Today, he is a forest guard, who has taken it upon himself to protect the unprotected in Kerala’s tropical forests.
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The subject has been on the director’s mind for well over a decade now. “I read an article by Vinu Abraham about these former forest brigands, which appeared in an English magazine. I was attracted to the story for its cinematic scope and imagery and also the human element in it. Poachers and poaching have been hogging headlines of late and I thought it was the right time to make the film. I visited Kumily and Thekkady and talked to local poachers-turned-forests guards Kumaran, Saravanan and so on. I found them to be very protective about the forests and ardent environmentalists too,” says Santosh, best known for directing the 2012 feature film, Chattakari.
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It unfolds as Bala narrates his story to a foreigner, Elizabeth, a travel blogger from Finland, whom he is guiding on a trek deep into the jungle. They are accompanied by a 12-year-old local tribal girl.“It’s a philosophical film, really, and looks into how Bala and other poachers-turned-gamekeepers have assumed responsibility for preserving and protecting the forest and its wildlife,” says Santosh.
It has been produced by AV Anoop (he also stars in the film as a forest officer), under the banner of AVA Productions. Cinematography is by Rajeesh Raman. The film is set to be released online during Vishu.