‘Chalakuddikaran’ is a tribute
Late actor Kalabhavan Mani began his career as a mimicry artist and later made his mark in films as a comedian.
Mani, who died at the age of 46, is now brought to life on-screen by director Vinayan. This biopic titled Chalakuddikaran Changathi follows Mani from his childhood to his death in 2016.
Mani was a Dalit (member of the lowest rung in the Hindu caste system) who rose from poverty to stardom, yet never forgot his roots and his suffering, said Vinayan, who found a close friend in Mani, with whom he’s worked on in 13 films.
Chalakuddikaran Changathi while tracing Mani’s rise as an actor, also talks about the discrimination he faced in the film industry on account of his colour and caste.
Newcomer Senthil Krishna selected through auditions from a list of 5,000 participants plays Mani in the film.
Chalakuddikkaran Changathi releases in the UAE today.