From Benz, to Contessa & auto: How vehicles were prepped for 'Bheeshma Parvam'

Recently released Malayalam film 'Bheeshma Parvam' is a return journey, a journey back into the Kochi of 1980s. There you can spot the head of a powerful family, who listens to people who come to him and finds solutions to their problems - the hero. He always sides with justice. And Amal Neerad is a director who ensures that every movement of the hero’s eyelashes needs to have layers of meaning. He has developed his characters that carefully.

Throughout the film you can feel the “freshness” of paper that is old, crumbling and has turned yellow. Vehicles, clothes and even utensils have the pomp of the past written all over them. Amal Neerad has deftly deployed a Rajdoot that used to rule the roads once upon a time, a Land Cruiser that struts around like the hero himself, and a Benz to lend a majestic touch to the arrival of the villain. Art director Joseph Nellikkal tells us about these vehicles.

80s' vehicles
Vehicles like Mammootty's Land Cruiser, Sudev's Benz, Shine Tom Chacko's Contessa, Soubin's Premier Padmini, Lena's Maruti 800, Srinath Bhasi's Rajdoot, Kinetic Honda, autorickshaw and the ubiquitous Maruti Omni that was the favourite of Malayalam film villains during a particular time period were all actually in use during 1980s.

The core of a periodical film should be presence of objects that were in use during that period - the 1980s in case of Bheeshma Parvam. Joseph says that they have tried their best to recreate that aura in the film. "Right from the auto in the first scene, audience would understand that. Not just the vehicles, but each object used in the film suits that period," he says.

Number plates
The registration number of Mammootty's Land Rover is KCF 7733. Likewise, every vehicle seen in the film uses a registration number that was in use during the 1980s. This may not strike immediately to the new generation because such vehicles are seen on the road even today, even if less frequently. But what take these vehicles back to the past is their registration numbers. The numbers handwritten in white letters on black background would definitely take them back to that period.

Vehicles that suit characters
Bhishma Pitamah is the most powerful character in the Mahabharata. In the film, Michael is the Bhishma of Anjootti family and required a vehicle equally distinguished. That was how a Land Cruiser was "cast" as the vehicle of the head of a family that controlled Kochi. Shine Tom Chacko gets a Contessa not just because he loves luxury, but he also carries the ambition to become the head of the family. Soubin's Premier Padmini and Lena's Maruti have all aimed to reflect the character they are playing in the film.

Can’t carry coals to Newcastle
Ask who is the biggest auto lover in Malayalam film industry? Mammootty is the only answer one would get. Mammootty is knowledgeable about vehicles and filmmakers take extra care while choosing a vehicle for him. It goes without saying that Mammootty would check if the vehicle would suit the character and the time. Usually, other actors do not go into such details.

Villain's Benz
The Benz used both Bheeshma Parvam and Mohanlal film 'Aarattu' are similar models - the W110 that was available in the 1960s. During that period, only the ultra rich would own a Benz. The use of such a vehicle helped in defining the nature of a villain who has come from the then Bombay.