Third Sankskrit Film after Two Decades

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vinod Mankara, director of ‘Ottamandaram’ and ‘Karayileku Oru Kadal Dooram’, has said he will start filming for a film made in Sanskrit language from July 1, which will be the first such movie after a gap of 22 years and only the third Sanskrit film to be made in India.

The film, ‘Priyamanasam’, will tell the tale of Unnayi Warrier, the poet and scholar who wrote the ‘Nalacharitham’ aattakatha. “Despite creating such a masterpiece in ‘Nalacharitham’, Unnayi Warrier today neither has a memorial nor got the recognition he deserves,” said Vinod Mankara.

“Priyamanasam will, thus, aim at creating an awareness of the great man in the present generation as well as promote the language of Sanskrit around the world,” he said. The film, which will be the first Sanskrit film to be made after director G V Iyer’s Bhagavad Gita in 1993, is being produced by Baby Mathew Somatheeram through Soma Creations. Adi Shanakaracharya, the first Sanskrit film to be ever produced in 1983 also is in the credit of Iyer. 

According to Mankara, the film deals with internal conflicts of Unnayi Warrier who was born in Irinjalakkuda during the 17th century and wrote the ‘Nalacharitham’ at the palace of the King of Travancore. Actor Rajesh Hebbar will don the role of the poet. Kuchipudi dancer Prateeksha Kashi will portray the female lead while Bharatanatyam dancer Meera Sreenarayanan is also among the cast.

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