Lohithadas Interview

Lohithadas Interview

ACE scriptwriter and director Lohithadas made a mark for himself by touching upon the raw lives of Kerala's rural folk through his films. And, his favorite location for shooting was none other than the Valluvanad area, comprising the Ottappalam-Shoranur belt in Palakkad district.Once asked as to why he chose Ottappalam to buy a house, Lohithadas said, "The gurgling Bharathapuzha, the pristine greenery of the paddy fields and the hillocks are still here and have not been swallowed by concrete jungles. Here, I am able to relax and find peace".Naturally,

Lohithadas bought a house in Lakkidi on the banks of the Bharathapuzha which enabled him to come face to face with the rural characters. He christened his house, located behind the Akallur Shiva temple at Lakkidi, `Amaravathi'.The old-tiled house resembles a 'nalukettu' and when one opens the doors of the `padippura' one could see the vast expanse of green paddy fields which can soothe any heart.The house at Lakkidi was a retreat for the story-teller where he would sit for days and narrate incidents that jell with the common folks. Lohithadas, with his `mundu' and a cigarette in one hand, was a common sight to the people here. It is from here that the stories of 'Vaalsalyam', 'Bhoothakkannadi' and his last work 'Nivedyam' flowed from Lohithadas' pen. Varikkassery Mana and Kunnath House at Ottapalam were his favourite locations.He has written stories for 44 films, directed 11 films and acted in five films. A major portion of the shooting of these films were done at the Ottappalam and Shoranur areas.One of the wishes he expressed in an interview was to be laid to rest at Lakkidi, proving his strong association with the place.Two months ago, Lohithadas was asked whether he would like to write his biography to which he replied that there was enough time for it in his life. But fate was not that kind enough.