Cast: Mamooty,Sharath Kumar,Padmapriya,Kanika
Music Director: Illayaraja
Director: T.Hariharan
Release Year:2009
Language:Tamil
The movie is about the king Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja (Mammootty), who belong to the Kottayam royal family, and his guerilla revolts against the (British East India Company) when they imposed high revenue policies towards the peole of Kottayam. Kottayam kingdom comprised the present day Wayanad.
Pazhassi Raja was the ruler of Kottayam. His family helped the British to fight against Tipu Sultan when the latter tried to invade Wayanad. But soon after the British imposed high taxes on the people of Wayanad. Pazhassi Raja opposed this movement and didn't agree for the new taxes. This made the British Rulers angry with him. With the help of Pazhassi Raja's uncle Kurumbranaadu Raja Veeravarma (Thilakan), who was jealous with Pazhassi for his success and influence on the people, and Pazhassi's old companion Pazhayamveedan Chandhu (Suman), the British started war against Pazhassi. This forced Pazhassi Raja to escape to the forest.
There begins the most glorious part of Pazhassi's life, and the movie. He started guerrilla war against the British. He was well supported by his army chief Edachena Kunkan (Sarathkumar), and brother-in-law Kaitheri Ambu (Suresh Krishna). In the guerrilla war-front Pazhassi uses the expertise of Thalakkal Chandu (Manoj K. Jayan),a Kurichya soldier, and Chandu's fiancée Neeli (Padmapriya). Neeli was the leader of the Kurichya women warriors.
During the initial phases of the war, the British lost lots of men and money. It compelled them to make a peace treaty with Pazhassi Raja. Pazhassi agrees hoping that this move will bring peace to the area and his people. However, the conditions of the treaty were never observed by the British. This prompted Pazhassi to start the war again.
He formed useful alliances with many rulers and powerful families in the nearby places like Unni Mootha (Captain Raju) and his men. Pazhassi Raja and his army successfully started the war again. But the British used heavy forces armed with guns against him and succeeded to lure many tribal leaders. This led to the capture and subsequent hanging of Thalakkal Chandu; he was cheated by a tribal head (Nedumudi Venu). The British started hunting for Pazhassi and his army chief Edachena Kunkan. In a bloody fight, Edachena Kunkan killed Pazhayamveedan Chandhu. But he was surrounded by the British. Instead of surrendering before them, he committed suicide. This made Pazhassi's army very weak. But the brave-heart Pazhassi Raja, knowing that he was going to be killed, went to fight against the British. Pazhassi, who fought with a sword, was killed by the British, who used guns. Even then he had killed many British soldiers before he was shot.
The story ended with the Assistant Collector Baber's (Harry Key) words "He was our enemy. But he was a great warrior, a great man"