The film ‘Higuita,’ starring Suraj Venjaramoodu, will be released in theaters on March 31. The film, directed by Hemanth G. Nair, sparked controversy after writer and political commentator N. S. Madhavan accused the producers of using the title of his acclaimed short story as the film’s title.
Many people backed N. S. Madhavan, while others argued that it was not fair for the writer to claim the title as his own. The Kerala Film Chamber also weighed in on the matter. The film’s producers have threatened to take the matter to court. The filmmakers have now released a poster announcing the film’s release date while retaining the title.
According to Hemanth, the film is completely unconnected to Madhavan’s short story and revolves around a politician. He explained that they chose the title because a political leader is like a goalkeeper who defends his party, and they wanted a name with a punch, so they named the film ‘Higuita.’
Madhavan had previously claimed that the Colombian goalkeeper had entered Kerala’s consciousness through him. The short story by NS Madhavan was about a Catholic priest named Geevarghese, who was a fan of the famous and retired Colombian football goalkeeper Rene Higuita. Though the story has no direct connection to the legendary goalkeeper, his characteristics have been infused into the protagonist’s character.
The film is produced by Bobby Tharian and Sajith Amma and directed by Hemanth G. Nair, with Suraj Venjaramoodu in the title role and a supporting cast that includes Dhyan Sreenivasan, Manoj K. Jayan, Indrans, Abu Salim, Vineeth Kumar, and Sangeerthana.
