30 odd members of a Malayalam film crew, including actor Manju Warrier, are stranded in Himachal Pradesh due to heavy rains and landslips. The stranded cast and crew were in Himachal for the shoot of award winning director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan’s current project titled Kayyatam for which he had roped in Manju Warrier.
The cast and crew of the film, including Sanal and Manju, are currently stranded in the shooting location as the access road has collapsed due to a landslip. (Update: Actor Manju Warrier and crew being moved to safety, says Himachal CM)
Speaking to TNM, Manju’s brother, Madhu Warrier, said that the crew, which requires immediately help, was experiencing a shortage of food as they are unable to move from the shooting location.
The crew has been shooting in Manali for almost three weeks. Currently, they are in a place called Chhatru, a small village on the way to Kaza, a popular tourist location in the Spiti valley.
A heavy landslide had happened in the Dharamshala-Kangra road near Chhatru three days ago.
"She told me that the food would last only for two more days and she asked me to get help. I spoke to V Muraleedharan at noon on Tuesday, he said that he will speak to Himachal CM Jairam Thakur. I asked him if evacuation is not possible, can food be air-dropped? The minister said they will explore all ways," Madhu Warrier told TNM.
Madhu also told TNM that Manju was not even aware that floods had happened in Kerala and that her mother's house had been affected too. "She had called me three weeks ago when they reached Manali and told me that she would be out of range. On Monday, she called me from a satellite phone and told me to get help."
Madhu believes that there are roughly around 250 stranded persons in the locality, including the crew, tourists and villagers.
According to reports, around 2000 tourists are stranded in different parts of Spiti valley in Himachal Pradesh. Chhatru is a small village on the way to Kaza, a popular tourist location in the Spiti valley.