A mega budget film roughly estimated at Rs 50 crores, on Saint Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ who had spread the Christian faith in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, is under production.
A period film, St.Thomas spanning continents is to be made in Tamil first with the help of technicians from Hollywood , Bollywood and Kollywood.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Mr.M.Karunanithi is launching the ambitious project of the Catholic Archdiocese of Mylapore on July 3.
Dr.Paulraj Lourdusamy, the chief researcher and script writer of the film says that superheroes like Vijay and Kamal will not play the lead role of St.Thomas and search is on for someone who resembles St.Thomas.
Though the film is a tragedy ending with the killing of St.Thomas in Chennai, it will have enough entertainment with nine songs.
According to the blueprint of the film,‘In the two songs that St.Thomas sings in Kerala.22 types of dances of Kerala with their distinct music will be included.In a song that St.Thomas sings in Tamil Nadu, we will present 12 types of Dances of Tamil Nadu and their special music as the background to the songs.’
The story begins with the journey of the apostle to Edessa, a town in Syria around 29 A.D.Thomas’s travel through Persia to Taxila in modern Afganisthan and return to Jerusalem is also covered. He reaches Kerala by around 52 AD and the next 20 years of preaching Christian faith in the continent is the major part of the film.
St.Thomas’s meeting with Thiruvalluvar is an interesting part of the story.
His encounter with the ‘reported animal and human sacrifice in the Chennai of First Century’ may create some controversy once the film is ready for release in 2010.