Soon after its shooting commenced, the makers of Drishyam 2, the second part of Mohanlal’s blockbuster 2013 hit, found themselves in a small controversy. The crew of the upcoming movie, which is being directed by Jeethu Joseph, was found to be holding a shoot on protected land. The film’s crew has been shooting in Thodupuzha in Idukki district for over one week.
The film’s crew was holding the shoot on a green islet which comes under the Haritha Kerala Mission project in the Kudayathur panchayat in Idukki. The land has been protected by the government and has been taken up for afforestation. It was also inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan a few days ago. However, as soon as Panchayat authorities noticed that the shooting was taking place in the islet, they sent a notice to the higher authorities.
“We had been planting saplings with the help of Kudumbashree workers in this land for over two years now. Recently, a board has also been erected near the place stating that it is protected land. However, no permission was taken by the crew of the Drishyam 2 film before shooting in this location,” says Pushpa Vijayan, secretary of the Kudayathoor panchayat. The panchayat authorities also fear that the saplings planted there may be destroyed if the crew shot on the land. With the help of the Haritha Kerala Mission workers, the panchayat authorities visited the land and blocked the crew from shooting.
According to reports, the film’s producers have said that they had taken permission to shoot in the land, which is part of the Muvattupuzha Valley irrigation project. The issue was eventually resolved after the Idukki district collector H Dinesan intervened and permitted the crew to shoot at the site with certain conditions.
The crew was made to offer a bond of Rs 25,000 along with the promise that they will conduct the shoot without destroying the saplings. Henceforth, the shooting would also continue under the supervision of panchayat officials.
The Kerala government’s Pachathuruthu (green islet) scheme under the Haritha Kerala Mission was launched in June 2019. The aim of the scheme is to afforest 500 acres of barren land across 250 village panchayats in the state. Under the project, saplings of indigenous trees will be planted on vacant land across the state. The scheme is implemented with the help of local bodies, Kudumbashree workers and the Haritha Kerala Mission volunteers in the state.
Drishyam 2, directed by Jeethu Joseph, and starring Mohanlal and Meena, is the sequel to Drishyam, which was released in 2013. The shooting of the film, which was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, started a week ago.
Watch video of the shooting set: