R.
Sukumaran's
much-anticipated
multi-starrer
Yugapurushan,
a
period
film
based
on
the
life
and
times
of
Sree
Narayana
Guru
(1856-1928),
a
prophet,
saint,
sage
and
social
reformer
of
Kerala,
will
start
rolling
from
the
first
week
of
January,
2009.
The
director
is
planning
to
complete
the
film
in
two
months'
shooting
in
and
outside
Kerala.
For
the
last
couple
of
years,
Yugapurushan
has
been
in
the
news
hinting
that
megastar
Mammootty
would
enact
the
title
role
of
Sree
Narayana
Guru.
However,
Mammootty,
who
had
initially
agreed
to
act
in
this
role,
decided
to
gracefully
withdraw
from
the
role,
stating
that
he
may
not
be
the
right
choice.
Mammootty
believes
that
he
can
hardly
substitute
the
original
looks
and
grace
of
the
great
soul.
Still,
Mammootty
will
play
another
role,
that
of
a
revolutionary
who
lived
and
supported
the
guru"s
teachings
in
the
same
period.
The
crew,
who
were
engaged
in
the
huge
task
of
selecting
a
fresh
face
in
the
lead
role,
have
now
finalized
two
persons
to
depict
the
religious
icon
between
the
ages
of
30
and
73.
Tamil
actor
Thalaivasal
Vijay
will
don
the
role
of
Sree
Narayana
Guru
in
his
seventies.
The
movie
will
also
present
historic
personalities
like
Mahatma
Gandhi,
Tagore,
Chattambi
Swamikal,
poet
Kumaranasan,
T.K.
Madhavan,
Ayyankaali
and
Mannathu
Padmanabhan,
who
all
lived
and
interacted
with
the
guru,
when
he
was
vigorously
fighting
for
his
ideals:
equality,
social
justice
and
casteless
society.
Notably,
Superstar
Mohanlal
will
appear
as
Swami
Vivekananda
in
the
movie.
Also
in
the
cast
are
Kavya
Madhavan,
Jagathy
Sreekumar,
Kalabhavan
Mani,
Saikumar,
Siddique,
Babu
Antony,
Devan,
Saiju
Kurup,
Sukumari
and
Shobha
Mohan.
Ramachandra
Babu
handles
the
camera.
The
film
is
produced
by
A.V.
Anoop
in
association
with
AMMA
(the
Association
of
Malayalam
Movie
Artistes),
which
recently
released
Malayalam's
first
ever
biggest
multi-starrer
Twenty:20.