Malayalam cinema is known for its realistic and grounded treatment of slice-of-life tales. Much of it is inspired by the rooted stories that exist in Kerala. In this article, I shall be listing seven such real-life stories from Kerala that could prove to be compelling films.
In no particular order, here are the real-life stories from Kerala.
Man hides girlfriend in his own room for 11 years, while the whole village had been searching for her frantically
As absurd and shocking as this sounds, it is a real incident that took place in Palakkad. According to the news reports, a man hid his girlfriend in his own house for 11 years, where he lived with his parents and sister. This girlfriend belonged to a religion. Since he feared that society would turn against the relationship, he resorted to this method of a live-in relationship.
He had secretly created a room for her, where he would provide her with food and water. Late in the night, after everyone in the house and neighbours slept, he let her come out so that she could have some freedom. While the girlfriend was living this secret custodial life with her lover, her parents had filed a missing complaint. Since the man and the girl lived in the same town, suspicion never drew upon the man.
However, the “cute romantic secret custodial life” became public when the man went missing from his house and was found in a nearby town. He revealed to the police that he had shifted to a rented house a few months ago with his lover, who lived with him for 11 years.
This incident is nothing short of a cinematic plotline. Amidst all the toxic love stories shown on the big screen, we have this “cute romantic secret custodial life”, which has all the ingredients of being a thoroughly engaging movie. The story has the scope of showcasing some intense love and romantic angles, as well as giving a social commentary on the stigma that still exists regarding interfaith relationships.
The life of music prodigy Balabhaskar
Balabhaskar was a musician, who is remembered for the magic he created each time he played the violin. Regarded as a music prodigy, Balabhaskar had created history by becoming the youngest individual to compose music for a feature film in Malayalam at the age of 17.
Hailing from a musically affluent family, music was a known tide for Balabhaskar. He entered the music industry at the age of 12 and went on to be associated with close to 20 films. The style of his compositions was lauded by music enthusiasts, due to his ability to connect with the audience through his music. Apart from composing songs for films, Balabhaskar was an active figure in stage shows, where he used to play the violin. His daughter and his untimely death in a car accident had left many individuals in a state of shock and grief.
There are conspiracy theories regarding his death. Some say it wasn’t an accident. This music prodigy’s life is nothing short of an inspirational story. A full-length feature film on his life could be a great tribute to the talented musician he was, and also give us an insight into his personal life.
Life journey of Govindaswamy and the Soumya murder case
According to the police reports, Soumya was a salesperson who was raped in the woman’s compartment of a train by a habitual offender named Govindaswamy. After slyly entering the ladies’ compartment, he illegally confined her and physically tortured her by hitting her head repeatedly on the walls of the compartment. Following that, he pushed her out of the moving train, due to which she suffered fatal injuries. Govindaswamy’s lust didn’t die and he hurriedly tore her clothes, raped her, and then ransacked her belongings.
When the case came to the High Court, Govindaswamy was given a death sentence, however, in the Supreme Court, the prosecution couldn’t prove murder and Govindaswamy was only convicted of rape. In the court, it was stated that Govindaswamy was reportedly a mentally unstable beggar and a petty thief. However, the advocates who defended him in the High Court and Supreme Court were advocates who charged 5 lakh for a case. This raised suspicions regarding the crime as well as the profile of Govindaswamy.
Was he really a beggar and a mentally unstable person? Did someone hire him for the crime? Are there more powerful individuals who have a hand in this crime? A storyline which focuses on who and what Govindaswamy is and the conspiracy theories regarding this crime could be an intriguing film to watch. A courtroom drama where the truth unfolds, somewhat similar to what we saw in Jana Gana Mana, could prove to be a highly engrossing film.
Kerala Government’s gold smuggling racket
News that shocked the entire state of Kerala and Malayalis across the world was the huge gold smuggling scam.
Here’s what happened. Since the law prescribes a lot of procedures and formalities to check official baggage, the customs officers had not thoroughly checked the baggage. However, after receiving an anonymous tip-off, the customs officers decided to check the official luggage of an ex-UAE consulate employee. They had busted one of the biggest gold smuggling rackets.
They did the same in the presence of a senior officer from the high commissioner’s office in Delhi as well as the accused. Following the retrieval of the smuggled gold, it was revealed that several other individuals holding important positions in government offices as well as businessmen were involved in this racket.
With the investigation and trials still underway, there still might be more names to come out in this particular case. The whole premise of this incident, wherein the ex-employee of the UAE consulate is someone who is claimed to be under-qualified to hold the post, got many conspiracy theories brewing. A thrilling investigation story is something that can come out brilliantly if this incident is adapted into a full-length feature film.
Koodathayi cyanide murder case
A murder case which shocked everyone is the Koodathayi cyanide murder case. The cyanide murders, instituted by a middle-aged woman, included 6 murders over a span of 14 years. Upon investigation, it was revealed that this woman had poisoned the food and drinks of her family members, including her parents-in-law and her husband. She went to the extent of even killing her step-daughter and the toddler’s biological mother too.
The reason for the murders, as per police findings, is recorded as greed for property and wealth. The extent to which an individual can go to fulfil their greed, the nuances with which she planned the murders without getting caught for 14 years, and finally falling into the pit she created can definitely serve to be an intriguing crime thriller. This goes something along the lines of what Srinath Rajendran did with his latest directorial venture Kurup.
Also Read: 4 Murderers In Kerala Who Were As Deadly As Jolly Joseph
Love Jihad case
A case that stirred up a lot of controversy was the Love Jihad case. As per court reports, a young Hindu woman, who was pursuing a degree in Homoeopathy, had converted to Islam. She later married a Muslim youth, who was an active member of an infamous political party, and also had 4-5 cases registered against him.
The young woman’s father filed a case against the Islamic youth, claiming that he had brainwashed the young woman to change her religion, and to use her for terrorist activities, under the guise of marriage and love. The young woman stated that she had married and converted on her own will and wasn’t forced into anything.
With the High Court ruling in favour of the woman’s father, he had his daughter restricted in the house and even discontinued her studies. She was also forbidden from meeting her husband. The woman challenged the verdict in the Supreme Court, which delivered a verdict in favour of the woman. They stated that she could continue her studies and live with her legally wedded husband.
This is an incident that showcases the violation of the basic rights of an individual, and also has the touch of an interesting love story.
Here are my picks of a few real-life stories and cases from Kerala, which can prove to be great films to watch. Which other incident or case do you think can be adapted into a movie? Mention them in the comments below.
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