Dam 999
Encyclopedia
Dam 999 is a 2011 English 3-D
UAE
-India
n co-production film produced by BizTV Network, UAE and directed by Sohan Roy
. The film is based on the award winning short documentary DAMs - The Lethal Water Bombs
. and the Banqiao dam
disaster of 1975 that claimed the lives of 250,000 people in China and anticipated calamity for outdated dams in the world. The film falls in the category of an emotional thriller. The ancient Indian concept of Navarasas, or the nine human emotions, are represented by an assortment of actors from India and Hollywood. The movie also portrays the concepts of Ayurveda
as well as lost love against the backdrop of the story of a dilapidated colonial dam.
disaster in China.As per producer-director Sohan. “The central character of the story is this dam and the life of a few mariners living near it. There are nine characters in the movie, representing the Navarasas. I believe that every individual is born with a sthayi bhava, but when his suppressed feelings burst, like a dam, it changes,”
. Veteran Malayalam actor Thilakan
was originally cast to do an important role in the film. He was replaced later, following a notice from Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) stating that if Thilakan acted in the film, the association would boycott it. Sohan said they were forced to seek for a substitute for Thilakan when it came to a point that shooting might be disrupted. Eventually, Rajit Kapur was cast instead of Thilakan. There were reports that Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) also had intervened in Thilakan's replacement. In a related development, Thilakan and his supporters had a march towards the shooting location of the film at Alappuzha
.
. A lot of unexpected hurdles was faced by the crew with the progression of the movie. Veteran malayalam actor Thilakan
, who was supposed to be a part of Dam 999, was made to drop out of the project due to his battle with AMMA
. However the problem was solved by replacing Thilakan with Bollywood Actor Rajat Kapoor
. Thilakan was paid seven lakhs as compensation. While the prior issue sublimed, another lead character from India walked out due to disputes with the crew, while the shoot was in progress, making the movie come to a halt. The star cast of the movie was immediately altered and the initial sequences in Kerala was completed as planned. From various exotic locations such as Ooty in India, the shoot of the movie progressed to Fujairah, UAE, where Dam 999 has captured a couple of its sequences on an oil tanker. The climax of the movie was compiled in an expensive set in Ramoji film city in Hyderabad, built by the Art Director Padmashree Thotta Tharani. While in the stage of post production the movie grabbed the attention of the world owing to its story and title. Debates around the world regarding the ever existing fear of outdated dams have started to spring up. Award winning film maker James Cameron intends to make a movie based on displacement of indigenous people due to construction of dams; this movie is expected after DAM999.
& co-written by Naufal Ashraf and soon will be offered to the readers by the publisher.Indra Publishing House (IPH) is a publication house which provides a path to the fresh talent as well as existing authors. They have a wide distribution network across the nation and it covers all major cities of India.
(DMK) complained that the film is based on the Mullaperiyar Dam dispute between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The DMK party chief M. Karunanidhi
urged the Tamil Nadu
chief minister J. Jayalalitha to ban the movie considering "people's safety" . A day before its scheduled release on 25 November, the film was banned by the State Government of Tamil Nadu
on the grounds that the release would disturb the cordial relations between Tamil Nadu
and Kerala
.
3-D film
A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
UAE
Cinema of the United Arab Emirates
The Cinema of the United Arab Emirates is minimal but expanding. There was only one full-length Emirati feature film as of 2007, Al-Hilm, about a group of frustrated actors/directors wandering aimlessly in the desert. However there are a large number of short films from the country...
-India
Cinema of India
The cinema of India consists of films produced across India, which includes the cinematic culture of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Indian films came to be followed throughout South Asia and...
n co-production film produced by BizTV Network, UAE and directed by Sohan Roy
Sohan Roy
Sohan Roy S K is a businessman who is active in film direction and literature. He is the CEO of the Aries Group, a consortium of firms based in Dubai, Sharjah, India and Singapore. He founded Aries Marine, the flagship of the group, in 1998 and has developed it to the largest ship design...
. The film is based on the award winning short documentary DAMs - The Lethal Water Bombs
DAMs - The Lethal Water Bombs
DAMs - The Lethal Water Bombs is an Award winning thought provoking short documentary movie that gives a scientific explanation on the disastrous nature of the Mullaperiyar Dam thereby bringing out those who turn a blind eye towards the reality of a possible natural disaster and sustaining the need...
. and the Banqiao dam
Banqiao Dam
The Banqiao Reservoir Dam is a dam on the River Ru in Zhumadian Prefecture, Henan province, China. It infamously failed in 1975, causing more casualties than any other dam failure in history, and was subsequently rebuilt....
disaster of 1975 that claimed the lives of 250,000 people in China and anticipated calamity for outdated dams in the world. The film falls in the category of an emotional thriller. The ancient Indian concept of Navarasas, or the nine human emotions, are represented by an assortment of actors from India and Hollywood. The movie also portrays the concepts of Ayurveda
Ayurveda
Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,...
as well as lost love against the backdrop of the story of a dilapidated colonial dam.
Plot
A corrupt mayor builds a new dam for political gains and personal glory endangering millions of innocent lives; A mariner desperate to save his sister from evil; Two not-so-young lovers challenging destiny in a bid to unite; A woman on a mission to win her family back; A little boy battling a deadly disease; A devoted wife wants to be with her husband even in death; And the astrologer who has foreseen their ominous fate - Nine lives entwined by the impending disaster. Take the journey of a lifetime - Nine characters, Nine moods and a crumbling dam of emotionsCast
- Ashish VidyarthiAshish VidyarthiAshish Vidyarthi is an Indian actor who worked predominantly in Hindi films and lately in South Indian films. He has won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for film Drohkaal in 1995....
- Durai, the antagonist in the movie. - Joshua Fredric SmithJoshua Fredric SmithJoshua Fredric Smith is an actor from Northern California. He played onscreen at the age of 12. His latest movie is Dam 999., directed by Sohan Roy.-Career:Joshua landed his first acting job through a...
- Captain Fredrick Brown - Rajit KapurRajit KapurRajit Kapur is an Indian actor. He is particularly known for his award-winning portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi in the 1996 film, The Making of the Mahatma. One of his most popular stints is his portrayal of Byomkesh Bakshi in a television series of the same name based on the character created by...
- Shankaran - Vinay RaiVinay RaiVinay Rai is an Indian film actor, commonly appearing in Tamil films, as well as modelling and catwalking in noted fashion shows. His mother tongue is Tulu.- Career :...
- Vinay - Linda ArsenioLinda ArsenioLinda Arsenio is an American actress and model from Texas. She has predominantly appeared in Indian films in various languages. She is probably best known for her performance as Jessica Beckham in the 2006 Hindi film Kabul Express....
- TV journalist. - Vimala RamanVimala RamanVimala Raman is an Indian film actress, model and a trained Bharatanatyam dancer. She made her acting debut in the 2006 Tamil film Poi and went on to appear primarily in Malayalam and Telugu films.-Early life:...
- Karuna - Megha Burman - Raziya, a Pakistani
- Jaala Pickering - Freddy's invalid sister
- Jineeth Rath - Sam
Development
Dam999 is the result of inspiration of many real-life incidents. The movie is a tribute to the 250,000 people who lost their lives in the 1975 Banqiao DamBanqiao Dam
The Banqiao Reservoir Dam is a dam on the River Ru in Zhumadian Prefecture, Henan province, China. It infamously failed in 1975, causing more casualties than any other dam failure in history, and was subsequently rebuilt....
disaster in China.As per producer-director Sohan. “The central character of the story is this dam and the life of a few mariners living near it. There are nine characters in the movie, representing the Navarasas. I believe that every individual is born with a sthayi bhava, but when his suppressed feelings burst, like a dam, it changes,”
Casting
The cast includes acclaimed Indian actor Ashish VidyarthiAshish Vidyarthi
Ashish Vidyarthi is an Indian actor who worked predominantly in Hindi films and lately in South Indian films. He has won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for film Drohkaal in 1995....
. Veteran Malayalam actor Thilakan
Thilakan
Surendranatha Thilakan , known mononymously as Thilakan, is an Indian actor who works in Malayalam cinema and theatre. He was awarded Padma Shri on 25 January 2009.- Theatre:...
was originally cast to do an important role in the film. He was replaced later, following a notice from Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) stating that if Thilakan acted in the film, the association would boycott it. Sohan said they were forced to seek for a substitute for Thilakan when it came to a point that shooting might be disrupted. Eventually, Rajit Kapur was cast instead of Thilakan. There were reports that Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) also had intervened in Thilakan's replacement. In a related development, Thilakan and his supporters had a march towards the shooting location of the film at Alappuzha
Alappuzha
Alappuzha , also known as Alleppey, is a town in Alappuzha District of Kerala state of southern India. As per 2001 census Alleppey is the sixth largest city in Kerala with an urban population of 177,029. Alleppey is situated to the south of Kochi and north of Trivandrum...
.
Filming
Dam999 started its shooting at Alleppey, KeralaKerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. A lot of unexpected hurdles was faced by the crew with the progression of the movie. Veteran malayalam actor Thilakan
Thilakan
Surendranatha Thilakan , known mononymously as Thilakan, is an Indian actor who works in Malayalam cinema and theatre. He was awarded Padma Shri on 25 January 2009.- Theatre:...
, who was supposed to be a part of Dam 999, was made to drop out of the project due to his battle with AMMA
Association of Malayalam Movie Artists
Association of Malayalam Movie Artists is the association of film actors who work in Malayalam cinema. The association was first of its kind in India, and the functioning of it led to formation of actors guilds in film industries of other Indian languages as well.-General body:The AMMA General...
. However the problem was solved by replacing Thilakan with Bollywood Actor Rajat Kapoor
Rajat Kapoor
Rajat Kapoor is an Indian actor, writer and director born in 1961.Kapoor was born in Delhi, India. As a teenager he would watch films with his family and decided to become a filmmaker at the age of 14. He mainly focused on acting at first...
. Thilakan was paid seven lakhs as compensation. While the prior issue sublimed, another lead character from India walked out due to disputes with the crew, while the shoot was in progress, making the movie come to a halt. The star cast of the movie was immediately altered and the initial sequences in Kerala was completed as planned. From various exotic locations such as Ooty in India, the shoot of the movie progressed to Fujairah, UAE, where Dam 999 has captured a couple of its sequences on an oil tanker. The climax of the movie was compiled in an expensive set in Ramoji film city in Hyderabad, built by the Art Director Padmashree Thotta Tharani. While in the stage of post production the movie grabbed the attention of the world owing to its story and title. Debates around the world regarding the ever existing fear of outdated dams have started to spring up. Award winning film maker James Cameron intends to make a movie based on displacement of indigenous people due to construction of dams; this movie is expected after DAM999.
Distribution
Warner Bros.released DAM999 in India in both 2D and 3D on 25th of November 2011 . The title would also have a worldwide release in prominent countries simultaneously.Novel
DAM999 – The Novel is published by Indra Publishing House and was made available in the market before the release of the movie.Unexpected huge demands rose for the novel, this is penned by director Sohan RoySohan Roy
Sohan Roy S K is a businessman who is active in film direction and literature. He is the CEO of the Aries Group, a consortium of firms based in Dubai, Sharjah, India and Singapore. He founded Aries Marine, the flagship of the group, in 1998 and has developed it to the largest ship design...
& co-written by Naufal Ashraf and soon will be offered to the readers by the publisher.Indra Publishing House (IPH) is a publication house which provides a path to the fresh talent as well as existing authors. They have a wide distribution network across the nation and it covers all major cities of India.
Controversies
The Dravida Munnetra KazhagamDravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is a state political party in the states of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, India. It is a Dravidian party founded by C. N. Annadurai as a breakaway faction from the Dravidar Kazhagam headed by Periyar...
(DMK) complained that the film is based on the Mullaperiyar Dam dispute between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The DMK party chief M. Karunanidhi
M. Karunanidhi
Muthuvel Karunanidhi is an Indian politician and a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He is the head of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam , a Dravidian political party in the state of Tamil Nadu. He has been the leader of the DMK since the death of its founder, C. N...
urged the Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
chief minister J. Jayalalitha to ban the movie considering "people's safety" . A day before its scheduled release on 25 November, the film was banned by the State Government of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
on the grounds that the release would disturb the cordial relations between Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
and Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
.
Representation in events
BizTV network, the production house of Dam 999, represented the title in numerous film festivals and film markets such as Marche Du Film 2011, Hong Kong Filmart 2011, European Film Market 2011, American Film Market 2010 and Dubai International Film Festival 2010.Reception
The film released in 550 theaters in India, bringing in mixed reviews, critics panned the plot and acting mentioning that only 10 minutes of footage is related to the dam while other half appreciated the director of the movie.External links
- DAM999, 3D Independent Movie on newkerala.com
- Dam 999 on The Movie Insider
- Dam 999 on Rediff.com
- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/news-interviews/Hariharans-a-rock-n-roller/articleshow/10813846.cms