Virus is a Malayalam movie, directed by Aashiq Abu, which released this Eid. It is making noise all over Kerala and is Mollywood's one of the finest documentation. The movie is the narration of a gloomy period that overtook Kerala last year. It is the story of a real-life deadly incident inspired by true events that occurred during the epidemic. It was a courageous fight against Nipah Virus, which led to many deaths in Kozhikode, also known as Calicut, last year. Mollywood is all praises for the medical thriller.
The film is a saga of a group of brave people who stood up in the time of adversity, risked their lives to fight against the infection. The movie portrays the characters of many professionals and our superwoman Dr Seethu Ponnu Thampi, a post-graduate medical student. She is one of the professionals who contributed to the solution. All ministers, officials, health workers came together and took measures from preventing the virus to spread any further.
Dr Seethu’s Reaction
Dr Seethu felt very happy after watching the movie. She said that the movie is very close to the incidents that took place in 2018 during the Nipah Virus breakout in Kerala. According to her, the movie has succeeded in depicting the plight of everyone through that period along with the cinematic effects.
“I’d told her I was tense to enter a room full of higher officials and a minister and present my findings. Parvathy has studied me so well...” Dr. Seethu told the news minute.
“The movie has managed to capture the original story, with a few cinematic liberties.”
Parvathy’s character and preparation
Parvathy plays the character of Dr Seethu Ponnu Thampi in the movie named Rohini, a smart second-year PG student. She gets a lot of appreciation for her presentation and findings of the epidemic. When this virus started affecting people, the first cases came to her husband. Her observation and research about the first patient cases and the link among first cases and new cases was her smart idea. The entire team praised her for the work she has done.
Parvathy prepared a lot for her character so that she can make it look real on the screen and the viewers do not leave disappointed from the cinema hall. She spoke to Dr Seethu about her state of mind while working on this epidemic and observed her completely from her style of walking, talking, carrying herself in real life to her dressing sense to put her attributes in the character for appearing convincing to the audience.
“Parvathy has studied me so well. My old friends called to say she even walked like me, dressed like me.”
Other characters
All other actors have also portrayed their characters well on screen.
The makeover of the veteran actor Revathy who plays the role of Kerala Health Minister Prameela is flawless. Producer Rima Kallingal was an apt actor to play real-life nurse Lini who wrote a letter to her husband from her deathbed. Actors like Tovino Thomas, Indrajith Sukumaran, Rahman, Kunchacko Boban, and other actors have done justice to their respective roles. It is well-crafted documentation of the Nipah Virus attack. As a result of good acting and cinematic experience, it is a hit on big screen.
Picture Credits: Virus Movie
Read Also: Reel vs Real: Meet the Nipah heroes whose actions inspired 'Virus' characters
Sejal Agarwal is an intern with SheThePeople.TV