After My Dear Kuttichathan/ Chotta Chetan 3D (1984), all through the last two decades there were suggestions to make a sequel to it.

All of us in the creative team felt that merely repeating a 3D may not be advisable - having shot almost all the 'off-the-screen' bolts in the first one. But the idea of a fantasy film was always appealing.

We had even attempted a few storylines to do a sequel.

(1) by Raghunath Paleri - When the children grow up to become teenagers, they bring back their old friend - as a teenager like themselves.

(2) by Rajeevkumar - A teenaged girl (not the one in the original) discovers the talisman and requests Kuttichathan/ Chotta Chetan to come in her own split image. Karishma Kapoor was contracted to do the dual role by Nitin Manmohan after I suggested the theme during the Chota Chetan 3D re-release in 1998. (This project was about to take off when Anil Kapoor convinced Nitin Manmohan that it would be better to do a Mr. India (part II) in 3D instead. Both together came down to Navodaya Office at Mahalingapuram, Chennai and browbeat me. To escape the uncomfortable situation, I said they should first get me a written permission from Shekar Kapur - even if the IP Rights were held by Boney Kapoor. That never happened. My brother Jose and Rajeev agreed with me that the non-happening was a matter of good ethics.
 

Once (I think it was in 1997), Mr. Manirathnam honored me with a request to see Kuttichathan in 3D again. He said that he was considering the idea of doing a children's subject, and since Chotta Chetan was then the benchmark for children's film (!) he wanted to have one more look at it. After the screening he asked me why I never attempted the genre once again. The answer I gave him was "Mani sir, did you notice that 'Jurassic Park' - the Spielberg film in which dinosaurs terrify humans, is the most celebrated children's film of the times? ... and that today children's literature has moved on to 'Harry Potter' ? ... There has happened a loss of innocence, I don't mean it as negative, but the fact is today a children's film has to have a different attitude than that in the years your 'Anjali' or my 'Kuttichathan' were made. This is my reading. Maybe, I am wrong"

Having filed the above caveat, I move on to the mythical roots of this subject Thiru Vaazhithan - a fantasy film for the grownups.

Since the narrative is visual and in many places non-linear, a person used to reading novellas may find it a bit frustrating. Yet, I have tried to keep the flow intact. Hope you enjoy reading this.

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Jijo, Chennai, August 2013

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Kuttichathan is known in all parts of South India.

When subjugated, this spirit - a poltergeist full of pranks, can bring our desires to fruition.

If crossed, it can also turn malevolent! Having no physical form, there is nothing 'childlike' about it.

Except that the pranks are similar to that of a spoilt kid. So in adapting the story, it was our idea to make him come in the form a boy.

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Likewise, Thiru Vaazhithan is a spirit known in some parts of South India.

A fantasy, based on this character we had considered in 1983.

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It was while exploring the possibilities of having fun with 'a de-praved spirit' or 'a genie with spelling mistakes', that Fazil told me the Legend of Thiru Vaazhithan. Kavalam Narayana Panicker had a musical stageplay based on this character.

Unlike the spirit Kuttichathan, this personality had started off as a 'living human character'.

Thiru Vazhithan was once a rich landlord powerful in the art of ancient Indian magic. HE was always more than eager to help others with advice, money, material and magic. To a recipient of HIS favor, HE would be heaven-sent ... or the divinity itself! For, who else would help you so selflessly?

However, there is a sting in the tail. HIS every benevolent act, given due time, backfires. >>> continued in PREFACE see .pdf

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