Bekal to host Mani Ratnam, Manisha Koirala for Bombay anniversery
KASARAGOD: Bekal, one of the best-preserved forts of Kerala, has appeared in more than 50 films. Yet, it was Tamil song Uyire Tu Hi Re in Hindi from the Mani Ratnam-directorial Bombay (1995) that put it on the tourism map of the cine world. So, it is only fitting that Bekal host the 30th anniversary reunion of the acclaimed Tamil flick. The Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC) is organising the geet-together at Bekal Beach on December 20. The films director Mani Ratnam, lead actor Manisha Koirala and cinematographer Rajiv Menon, who captured the forts beauty in the monsoon, would participate in the event. Bombay was the first movie to popularise Bekal in a grand manner. We are conducting Bombay Reunion to reintroduce Bekal as the centre of cinema tourism, said BRDC MD Shijin Parambath. The decision to invite Mani Ratnam to Bekal was taken at the BRDC board meeting in August. Interestingly, this year also marks the 30th anniversary of BRDC. The 17th century fort gained prominence after the Union government in 1992 identified Bekal as one of the five Special Tourism Zones in the country to be developed for beach-based tourism. Puri in Odisha, Sindudurg in Maharashtra, Daman and Diu Islands and Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu were others. The state government formed BRDC to promote to develop tourism in and around Bekal. The corporation managed to develop three 5-star resorts out of the six proposed in the area while improving the tourism infrastructure around the fort. Bekal Fort was constructed by Keladi Nayakas, the feudal chieftains who ruled from Keladi (present day Shivamogga) in 1650. Hyder Ali took over when he invaded the Malabar region and his son Tipu Sultan fortified it with a watch tower. The fort faded into obscurity during the British Raj and remained one of the many ruined forts of Kasaragod district till the 1990s. Bombay features an inter-faith couple who are caught in the Bombay riots that followed the Babri Masjid demolition.
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