‘Padavettu’ bags ‘Honourable Jury Mention’ at 13th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Fest
New Delhi, May 2: ‘Padavettu’, the debut Malayalam production of Yoodlee Films, the film studio of Saregama India Ltd, has received the ‘Honourable Jury Mention’ at the 13th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival.
The political action thriller, helmed by Liju Krishna and is headlined by Nivin Pauly. The title ‘Padavettu’ stands for battle for justice and narrates the story of an aspiring athlete in rural Kerala whose dreams are shattered after an accident. Confined to his home, he is manipulated by a political party but gradually transforms into a force of resistance against heedless privilege and oppressive power.
It is also an inspirational tale of one man against a vitiated system and his triumph over adversity as he stops being a pawn, takes back his power and inspires others to rise against injustice. The film was released in theatres on October 21, 2022 and is currently streaming on Netflix.
Lauding the cast and crew of ‘Padavettu’, Sr Vice President, of Films & Events at Saregama India Ltd, Siddharth Anand Kumar said, “This honour is a testimony to the hard work and dedication of the ‘Padavettu’ team. We knew right from the onset that Liju was a talent to watch out for. This is a story that was very close to his heart and we also became equally invested in it. Nivin too played his role with great conviction. Praises like these validate our intention of creating content-driven films across languages and we will continue to look for stories that are a class apart.”
Nivin says that this recognition is a well-deserved honour for Malayalam cinema and added, “Malayalam cinema has always stood apart for its realism and its impactful stories and now its connecting with an incredibly diverse and vast audience. ‘Padavettu’ is a universal story that anyone can relate with and I am very happy that it has not only been loved by the audience but is also being recognised by an esteemed jury.”
Director Liju Krishna shared, “This honour will encourage me to continue making cinema that I believe in. Due to the pandemic, we faced many challenges while shooting and releasing this film, but it is heartening that ‘Padavettu’ has been recognised at such a prestigious platform like the Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival.”
The movie also stars Shine Tom Chacko, Aditi Balan, Shammi Thilakan, Indrans, and Remya Suresh.
