Kannur Deluxe: A(n Accidental Feminist) Caper

Once upon a time there was a deluxe KSRTC (Kerala State Road Transport Corporation) express bus, the most majestic of its kind, connecting Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur - the southern and northern ends of the habitable civilized world of the kingdom of Kerala. To hop on this bus's tale, please ignore certain fundamental facts, such as - Kerala is not a kingdom, but a southern Indian state formed after the independence of India in 1947. Kannur is not the northern most district of Kerala, it is Kasargod which is mostly Karnataka in disguise, thus Kasargod can be conveniently overlooked the same way KSRTC disregarded it as any kind of destination worth traveling to, back in the sixties.

Kannur Deluxe is one of the first road movies in Malayalam. This sensational 1969 whodunit stars Sheela and Prem Nazir in the lead roles.  The story travels from Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala to Kozhikode in the north, the last but one destination of the KSRTC 's longest and premium bus service at the time, called the Kannur Deluxe Express. This deluxe express bus service was like the Concorde of that era - fast and sensational, a mythical creature that zoomed past to glamorous destinations, while the rural countryside stood by and gaped, their mouths wide open.

Deluxe Express Bus from the movie Kannur Deluxe (1969)

This is the same bus my parents used to take on their yearly vacations to go back to their homes in Kannur from Thiruvananthapuram where they both lived and worked, before I was born. Indian Railways didn't have an unbroken train service connecting the state capital with Kannur at the time, so Kannur Deluxe - the 12 hr. overnight KSRTC bus service was a practical and convenient transportation solution for them. To immortalize these journeys my parents even got me a wooden KSRTC express bus toy - my first ever toy vehicle, that kind of looks like this. This guy makes these miniature scale model toy buses for anyone nostalgic about old Kerala public transport buses.

Sheela, K.P. Ummer, G.K. Pillai in Kannur Deluxe

Kannur Deluxe, the movie, is a crime caper that opens with a damsel in distress - Sheela, is seen running from the cops and finds refuge at a rich old guy's (G.K. Pillai) house. Why is she running from the police - this question along with several other burning questions will be answered before the curtain falls, hold on tight. The rich guy gives her a stenographer job at his company, while his son (K. P. Ummer) is a bit sweet on her. 

Prem Nazir and Sheela in Kannur Deluxe

Being a disposable employee for the company (Sheela does not know she is), Sheela is tasked with delivering a stash of cash from the company H.Q at Thiruvananthapuram to a business partner at Kozhikode and she uses the Kannur Deluxe as her mode of transport. The money is stolen and then dramatics and excitement ensue. The crime that forms the crux of the movie was an adaptation of a real life crime incident that happened in Kerala a few years before this movie was released. 

Prem Nazir and his side kick Adoor Bhasi are also on the bus as a slightly off the rocker Namboodiri and his helper. So is Jose Prakash - the favored villain in those days. Up and coming directorial talents - I.V. Sasi and Hariharan assisted the director Antony Bhaskar Raj or A.B. Raj (Trivia : A.B.Raj is south Indian actress Saranya's father.) Nellikkode Bhaskaran has the glamorous job as the conductor of the Kannur Concorde and devises a clever plan that traps the small time crook Jose Prakash, half way through the journey. There are also other familiar faces like Sankaradi, Paravoor Bharathan and T.R. Omana. 

Kannur Deluxe at Kollam KSRTC bus stand

As a firm believer in the religion of inspirational quotes, I know it is not the destination that matters, it is all about the journey. Kannur Deluxe is the movie for us believers. A lot of drama and songs happen as the journey progresses and cleverly the layers of intrigue are peeled off, leading to an unexpected revelation at the climax, which I won't reveal since I am not into spoilers. All I am willing to give away is at the end Kannur Deluxe becomes an exercise in accidental feminism. 

The journey through the length of Kerala in the company of an unpredictable story is thoroughly engaging. Along with the riveting story and characters the movie also gives a window view of the scenes and places of everyday Kerala from the 1960s, keeping it authentic. There is Palayam church at Thiruvananthapuram, Neendakara bridge and clock tower at Kollam, the round and Vadakkumnathan at Thrissur, Feroke bridge near Kozhikode, KSRTC bus stands at Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Ernakulam, Aluva and Kozhikode and a lot more Kerala in the frames in-between. If you are a Malayali who wants to take a trip down the memory lane through the geographical length of Kerala, take a ticket on Kannur Deluxe - the accompanying  story of intrigue and mystery enacted by your favorite actors is a bonus.