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Superstar Rajnikanth’s film 2.0 has been stealing headlines and winning over crowds for its marvellous 3D lately. 3D (and more) has now become a given when it comes to our favourite action-packed films hitting the theatres, but what many don’t know is that Indian cinema’s tryst with 3D started back in 1984. The film was My Dear Kuttichathan directed by Jijo Punnoose and it soon became a landmark film not just for Malayalam cinema but that of the country for its technological achievements, something that was way ahead of its time.
My Dear Kuttichathan was dubbed into Hindi and released in 1985 as Chhota Chetan and in Telugu as well following the success of the original. The film follows the story of three children and a ‘kutti chathan’ they befriend that had been trapped by an evil magician. The idea of a 3D film started brewing for Jijo after an article he read about the technology in American Cinematographer magazine.
He made a number of trips to the US to learn about the technology needed to put together such a film in India keeping in mind the infrastructure and resources that were available. This required special equipment and camera lenses that were imported from the US. Jijo brought on award-winner Ashok Kumar as the cinematographer, Ilaiyaraaja for music and Raghunath Paleri on the script.
The film’s ‘upside-down song’ has become infamous, capturing the imagination and whimsy of adults and children alike. A special rotating set was created with Ilaiyaraaja’s composition for Aalippazham Perukkam choreographed to the beats and steps of the children. “I remember how happy Ilaiyaraaja was to be part of the first 3D film in the country,” said SL Puram Anand, who worked as production executive for the film in an interview.
The film has become a classic for the brilliance of Jijo Punnoose and his team – his magic employed to create a cinematic masterpiece that will stand the test of time.
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