KG George, Kottayam and the story of 'Panchavadi Palam'

Kulakkattil Geevarghese George, widely recognized as K.G. George, passed away on Sunday leaving behind a vacuum in Malayalam cinema.

The memories surrounding his contribution to cinema have once again brought us back to the banks of the Meenachil River, Kottayam, the location of George's political satire 'Panchavadi Palam'. 

The life and happenings in the hilly district of Kottayam, known for rubber plantations, had perpetually constituted an integral facet of George's cinematic universe. George was first exposed to international cinema during his time in Kottayam, long before he unveiled the enchanting secrets of cinematic artistry at the Pune Film Institute. 

He was also a regular at Thiruvalla's Rajmahal Theatre, watching International Films at least once a week. He later joined G Aravindan's 'Kottayam Film Society'. 

So, like, when you think about it, George's works were all about the everyday happenings that went down in Kottayam. His characters revealed the fascinating ways in which individuals tackled their challenges and navigated the complex web of societal norms and expectations.  

Irakal, the 1985 psychological thriller from George, for instance, speaks about a wealthy Christian family from Kanjirappally. The film delves deep into the psychology of violence and portrays the political situation of the time, including the Emergency. 

A year before the movie was released, George filmed his iconic work 'Panchavadi Palam' in Kottayam. The film was based on the story Palam Apakadathil (1981) written by Veloor Krishnankutty. The film features two bridges that play a crucial role in advancing the plot. One of the bridges was built near Kumarakkom across a tributary of the Meenachil River. 

The bridge can be seen in the film getting collapsed on the day of inauguration. Due to rain and flood, the film shooting was stopped, and the public began using the bridge. Eventually, the shooting resumed, but the locals protested against destroying the bridge for the movie. K Suresh, who was the SFI state president at the time, intervened and held talks with locals. Eventually, with the permission of the locals, the bridge was destroyed to shoot the scene. 

Recently, the Kerala High Court quoted the 'Panchavadi Palam' while considering a case related to the Palarivattom Bridge in Ernakulam.