Writer Sanjay reveals the secret behind Mohanlal’s viral look as Ithikkara Pakki!

Mohanlal’s look as Ithikkara Pakki in Rosshan Andrrews movie Kayamkulam Kochunni was the talk of the town recently. The actor, who essays the role of a robber named Ithikkara Pakki, is shown in a unique look with costumes resembling that of ancient Greek warriors. 

However, social media is rather skeptical about the authenticity of the look, considering the fact that Ithikkara Pakki was a Malayali. One among the scriptwriters of the film, Sanjay, clears the air, saying that the look of Ithikkara Pakki, the predecessor of Kayamkulam Kochunni, has been picked by the director from more than 25 sketches made after intense research. “When we narrated the script, Roshan visualized a look for Ithikkara Pakki and it was finalized after many trials. We wanted him to have an eclectic look as he was an adventurous traveler and also a thief,” Sanjay says.
The writer adds that Ithikkara Pakki lived in a time when there was a lot of trade between Indians and the Arabs, the British and the Portuguese. The look was an amalgamation of all their cultures as well. “Pakki means butterfly, and Ithikkara Pakki was a thief who used to move swiftly like a butterfly. So the attire too should be comfortable for his actions. He also looted traders, so why shouldn’t he have such a look?” asks Sanjay.

Thus, the look can have similarities with characters like Maximus Decimus Meridius in the film Gladiator, he adds. “The film has an exact description of how Ithikkara Pakki got his attire. However, the protagonist of the story is Kayamkulam Kochunni. So we will only see Ithikkara Pakki as a skilled thief with a lot of traveling experience and exposure. He has a lot of international connections. Ithikkara Pakki is unique, and so is his look,” sums up Sanjay. Nivin Pauly plays the title role of Kayamkulam Kochunni in the movie. Sunny Wayne, Babu Antony, and Priya Anand are playing important roles in the movie.