Dec. 01, 2021|India|182 Min.|R
Genre: Action;History;South;Indian;Thriller;War
Description: “Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea” is a 2021 Indian epic war film directed by Priyadarshan. Known as “Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham” in Malayalam and “Maraikkayar: Arabikadalin Singam” in Tamil, the movie is set in 16th century Calicut. It portrays the story of the fourth Kunjali Marakkar, the admiral of the Zamorin’s fleet. The screenplay was co-written by Priyadarshan and Ani Sasi. Produced by Antony Perumbavoor under Aashirvad Cinemas, with Roy C. J. and Santosh T. Kuruvilla as co-producers, the film stars Mohanlal in the lead role. Supporting actors include Arjun, Suniel Shetty, Prabhu, Manju Warrier, Keerthy Suresh, Siddique, Mukesh, Nedumudi Venu, and Pranav Mohanlal. With a budget ranging between 85 to 100 crore, it stands as one of the most expensive Malayalam films ever made.
The idea for the film originated in 1996 when Priyadarshan, Mohanlal, and screenwriter T. Damodaran discussed creating a movie about Kunjali Marakkar. Damodaran proposed a plot in 1999, but high budget constraints delayed its production until 2017, when Priyadarshan resumed research. Due to limited historical records and conflicting narratives, Priyadarshan crafted a unique interpretation blending history, fiction, and folklore. Inspiration was drawn from a third-grade textbook chapter and Damodaran’s contributions.
By June 2018, the final script was ready, and filming began in December 2018 at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad, concluding in March 2019. The 104-day shoot utilized four life-sized ship replicas and a water tank, with the sea entirely recreated using visual effects. Post-production spanned 14 months. Sabu Cyril and Siddharth Priyadarshan managed production design and visual effects, respectively. The film was simultaneously shot in Malayalam and Tamil. The musical score was composed by Rahul Raj, Ankit Suri, and Lyell Evans Roeder, with songs by Ronnie Raphael.
Cast director: Priyadarshan
Cast actor: Mohanlal, Sunil Shetty, Arjun Sarja, Manju Warrier, Keerthy Suresh, Siddique, Prabhu, Nedumudi Venu, Suhasini Maniratnam, Fazil
Original name: മരക്കാർ – അറബിക്കടലിൻ്റെ സിംഹം