Veluthambi Dalawa (film)

The story begins during the tyrannical regime of Jayanthan Namboodiri, the 'Dalawa' of Travancore. The country was plagued by corruption and mismanagement at all levels. Veluthampi, who was in royal service, succeeded in exposing the tyranny of Jayanthan Namboodiri and rose to the position of Dalawa. Jayanthan Namboodiri’s ears were cut as punishment, and he was banished from Travancore.

Veluthampi resorted to harsh punishments in order to improve the law and order of the kingdom. His overbearing conduct created resentment among his colleagues. The corrupt revenue officer Mallan Pillai was punished and terminated from service. The powerful cabinet official Kunju Neelan Pillai and his group were supporters of the British East India Company. They leaked the defence secrets of the country to the Resident British Officer Macaulay. Veluthampi was vigilant and, in his landmark 'Kundara Proclamation' urged the people to fight against the British. This made him popular among the states of Cochin and Kozhikode, and they offered their support to him in his fight against the British.

Jagadambika was in love with Veluthampi and supported him in his plans against the British. She entered Macaulay’s bungalow in disguise and managed to recover the defence files, but was shot dead. Before she died, Jagadambika handed over the files to Veluthampi. He took an oath to drive away the British from the country.

The British succeeded in invading and bringing under their control several towns and villages surrounding Thiruvananthapuram. Veluthampi requested the king to release more arms and ammunition, including rifles, to fight against the British. Kunju Neelan Pillai alleged that it was Veluthampi who provoked the British against Travancore. The king believes the allegation, and Veluthampi quit his post as Dalawa. After conducting the marriage of his niece Seethalakshmi and Unni Namboodiri, Veluthampi left to take refuge in the sanctum sanctorum of Mannadi Temple along with his brother Padmanabhan Thampi. The British surrounded the temple, but Veluthampi killed himself before they could enter; Padmanabhan decapitated Veluthampi.

The music was composed by V. Dakshinamoorthy and Parthasarathy and lyrics were written by Abhayadev. The tracks "Innu Nalla Laakkaa", "Viral Onnillenkilum", "Enthinu Moham", and "Kaathu Kolka Njangale" were popular during those times.[1]

The film's success and the performance of Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair as Veluthampi Dalawa prompted Udaya Studio and director Kunchacko to cast him as Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja in their historical film Pazhassi Raja (1964), but it did not perform well at the box office.[2]

• The Hindu article