As Pallichattambi gears up for its April 15 theatrical release, now aligned with the Vishu festival after being postponed from April 10 due to a delay in censor certification amid the election code of conduct in Kerala, filmmaker Dijo Jose Antony finds himself navigating both excitement and expectation. Known for films like Queen, Jana Gana Mana, and Malayalee From India, Dijo now steps into unfamiliar terrain with a period action drama headlined by Tovino Thomas. Set in the late 1950s, the film unfolds in Kerala’s high ranges, tracing the struggles of migrant farming communities under an oppressive system. At its centre is a man known as Pallichattambi, a figure who embodies resistance and local power.
Dijo leans into the title of his new film before anything else. “Pallichattambi isn’t just a name. It’s more like a title or identity,” he explains. “Back in the 1950s and 60s, terms like ‘chattambi’ were used to describe someone with influence or authority in a locality. Today, we might loosely compare it to a local strongman. In our film, pallichattambi represents the central figure of a place, the hero of that region.”
The film is not drawn from documented history, he clarifies. He describes it instead as an alternative history, a fictionalised narrative inspired by many small, region-specific stories. “The story is set in post-independence Kerala, during the 1950s and 60s, a time of major social and political change,” he says. “We took inspiration from such contexts and built a fictional narrative. So while it feels real, it is ultimately a fictionalised story,” he explains.
That distinction becomes crucial, especially in a genre where familiarity often helps audience acceptance. Dijo recounts that, unlike stories based on known figures, this one demanded complete invention. “When you make a film on someone people already know, there is a certain safety. But here, we are building everything from scratch. We are creating a world and evolving a hero within it. That is a big challenge,” he says. Dijo adds that with a period film, everything has to feel right from the first frame to the last, and getting the sense of time and authenticity right pushes a filmmaker’s craftsmanship.
Responding to whether he also sees Pallichattambi as a mass entertainer beyond its period setting, Dijo says, “It is a mix of everything. There is family emotion, romance, drama, and action. At the same time, it is also a tricky space,” he admits. He explains that balancing the rootedness of a period film with elements that connect with a wider audience was one of the key challenges. Reflecting on his earlier work, he adds, “Even Jana Gana Mana was tricky in its own way. Every film teaches you something, and this one has pushed me into a completely different genre.”
Those who arrive expecting the sharp political commentary of Jana Gana Mana may need to recalibrate, he reflects. “Pallichattambi is primarily a film driven by emotions and human connections. Since it is set in a time of change, those elements naturally exist in the backdrop. Don’t expect a strong political statement in Pallichattambi. The focus is more on people and their emotional journeys,” he explains.
The project has been years in the making. The screenplay comes from S Suresh Babu, marking a departure from Dijo’s long-standing collaboration with writer Sharis Mohammed. He recounts that the association with the veteran began around 2018, soon after the completion of his directorial debut Queen. “After Queen, I heard this story from Suresh Ettan, and we even announced it back then. However, things were delayed for several reasons, including COVID. Over time, it became a natural collaboration,” he says.
At the core of that story is a deceptively simple idea. “It is the story of a place and its central figure, the hero of that land,” he says. “That one-line idea has remained the same from the beginning. Over time, we refined and updated the script to reflect evolving cinema trends and audience expectations. But the soul of the story has not changed,” he adds. Behind the scenes, long shooting schedules and unpredictable weather tested the team’s resilience. Dijo recalls that they faced continuous rain for nearly 15 days at one point.
Casting Tovino Thomas in the lead, Dijo says, came from a long-standing instinct. He explains that Tovino has always been someone he found inherently exciting to work with. “Like how Raju (Prithviraj Sukumaran) ettan or Suraj (Venjaramoodu) ettan were exciting in Jana Gana Mana or Nivin (Pauly) in Malayalee From India, I’ve always found Tovino exciting as an actor,” he says. “Even back in 2018, when I was working on Queen, I had Tovi in mind for a different project. When I narrated this story to him, he had the same energy and enthusiasm I felt when I first heard it. That connection made him the perfect choice.”
Dijo adds that Pallichattambi allowed him to tap into that energy fully, noting that he has tried to use Tovino’s full potential in this film. Kayadu Lohar, who plays Rebecca, was on his radar well before her recent visibility. “I had her in mind even before Dragon came out, after seeing Vinayan sir’s Pathonpatham Noottandu,” he recounts.
Looking back at the mixed response to Malayalee From India, Dijo takes a measured view of audience reception. “Every film has its own journey. You cannot always predict how people will respond,” he says, pointing out that some viewers drew comparisons with Aadujeevitham, a film he deeply admires. “But each film stands on its own. There will always be different opinions, and that is part of cinema,” he adds.
Looking ahead, Jana Gana Mana 2 is firmly on the cards, even as he stays cautious about when it will begin. “Jana Gana Mana 2 is definitely happening. That is a promise,” he says, while indicating that he may take up another film before returning to it. “Every film needs its own time to be developed properly,” Dijo adds.