Cinema VinesAfter the recent release of Girish AD’s short film Bhoothakaalam Kudumba Unit, a track from an unreleased Malayalam movie has taken the internet by storm. The song, titled Yavana Kathayil Ninnu Vanna Idayakanyake, was originally recorded for the shelved feature film Anna, sparking curiosity among fans about the story it was meant to accompany.
The origins of Anna trace back to the early 1990s, when writer and novelist N. Mohanan travelled through Idukki as part of a Sahitya Akademi camp for young people. While directing the camp, he spent time in Thankamani, Rajakumari and Munnar, experiences that later inspired a narrative. Mohanan first shared the tale with his classmate and celebrated poet O. N. V. Kurup, who praised it as “as beautiful as a film” and urged him to turn it into a screenplay.
Mohanan drafted the script and initially aimed it at a filmmaker close to O. N. V. The project stalled until it reached director Joshiy, who recognised Mohanan’s literary reputation and later learned he was the son of famed writer Lalithambika Antharjanam. Impressed, Joshiy passed the screenplay to his friend and lyricist Shibu Chakravarthy, who also found the poetic love story compelling.
Set in Devikulam, the film centered on the romance between Hari, a Brahmin sub‑collector, and Anna, a Christian girl. Aravind Swamy was first cast as Hari and Sridevi as Anna, with Oottupulackal Unnikrishnan chosen to play Hari’s younger uncle, a musician whose lessons to Anna were a key plot point. The soundtrack, composed by Ouseppachan, featured eight songs written by Chakravarthy, including the now‑viral Yavana Kathayil Ninnu Vanna Idayakanyake. Producer Balram of Ambu Films joined the project, and the team planned to shoot in Munnar’s forests, scouting locations with cinematographer Jayanan Vincent to achieve a distinct visual style.
However, scheduling conflicts derailed the production. The dates of Aravind Swamy and Sridevi could not be aligned, leading the team to consider replacing Sridevi with Meena. Even after that change, Swamy’s availability remained problematic, ultimately causing the film to be shelved. Despite never reaching the screen, Anna has found a new audience decades later through its music, reminding viewers of the unfinished story that once promised a unique Malayalam cinematic experience.
