KOZHIKODE: Maoist supporters in Kerala are elated over the overwhelming reception the movie ‘Pada’ has received from various sections in the society that are not inclined to the kind of politics the red rebels pursue. A number of important figures ranging from Tamil director Pa. Ranjith to writer V R Sudheesh have showered encomiums on the movie that captured one of the most dramatics actions of the Maoists in Kerala.
The film hit the theatres at a time when the Maoist movement in Kerala is on a revival path after passing through the worst phase in its history. Continuous arrests and encounter killings had crippled the movement though the Maoist leadership is presenting a brave front. Armed squads of the Maoists have restarted their customary visit to the houses on the fringe of the forests in Kozhikode and Kannur. Police suspect a few Malayali youths have recently joined the Peoples Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) of the CPI (Maoist).
Police protection was given to Chakkittappara grama panchayat president K Sunil after Maoists issued threat against him. The movie has made the Ayyankali Pada activists M N Ravunni, Kallara Babu, Ajayan Mannur, Rameshan Kanhangad and Vilayodi Sivankutty, who took then Palakkad collector hostage, instant heroes. Interviews in media have positioned them as true revolutionaries who were ready to sacrifice their life for a social cause.
Maoists may not have even dreamt of such a positive reaction from a society that viewed them with suspicion till the other day. Ravunni, who was the master brain behind the Palakkad action, is moved by audience response.
“There was a thunderous clap in the theatre when the movie ended. After the movie was over, a group of young men surrounded me and wanted to shake hands and take a selfie,” he said. “They might have identified me from the photograph shown at the end of the movie. They told me that the heroic act has become an inspiration for the youth,” he said.
“I am told that there was shouting of slogan Ayyankali Pada Zindabad at a theatre near Manjeri. The youth might not have heard about Ayyankali Pada as they were born much later,” he said. Ravunni said one of the positive effects of the movie is that the youths have started showing interest in revolutionary politics. “They are awakened to the treachery being meted out to the most oppressed class,” he said.