ODIYAN HISTORY

In ancient Valluvanad, Odiyans, who hailed from Panar, Pulayar and Choklear communities were considered professional assassins, hired by Nairs to kill members of the rival families. Being an agrarian society, most of the rivalries centered around land disputes. The Odiyans were known for their physical agility and worshiped tribal deities. It was believed that they were also into black magic.

According to folklore, the Odiyans applied an oil obtained from a slain human fetus on their ear, which gave them powers to assume forms that they desired. The stories say that they never actually changed into the forms or object they intended to be but created a sensory illusion on their prey. Odiyans would assume the shape of a bull or a cat or even a rock, lie on the route that the victim routinely used at night and prey on them.

SCREEN

Directed by ad filmmaker VA Shrikumar Menon, Mohanlal plays the last surviving Odiyan in the state. Made on a huge budget, Manju Warrier and Prakash Raj are also part of the cast. This thriller is scripted by Harikrishnan who won the National Award for his script for Kutty Srank. The film reportedly covers a 50-year period in a village in Palghat, Kerala, from 1950 to 2000. Increasing electrification and lighting slowly drives the Odiyans to death.

The shooting is set to begin in July. Their first look motion poster featuring a much slimmer Mohanlal in the garb of Odiyan has already grabbed eyeballs for all the right and wrong reasons.