Saga of Veerappan gets a 'reel encore' on TV

Chennai, Oct 6 (UNI) The life of slain forest brigand Veerappan has been shot in the form of a teleserial and it would be aired in a private Tamil Satellite Channel, from October 15.

The 125-episode serial titled, ''Santhanakaadu'' (Sandal forests) directed by V Gauthaman, will depict the life of Veerappan and would be aired in Makkal TV from 2030 hrs to 2100 hrs everyday for five days a week.

The teleserial depicts the full life of Veerappan, right from his birth to death, and would highlight both the negative and positive aspects of the brigand, his love for Tamils.

''All the incidents that took place in his life, including the attack on police stations, abduction of late Kannada matinee idol Rajkumar and the sufferings of Tamils in Karnataka during the Cauvery row have been encapsulated in the serial,'' Gauthaman told reporters here today.

He said he had managed to get the stay, got by Veerappan's wife Muthulakshmi, vacated and the serial was shot in the forest areas of Mettur and Sathyamangalam for over four months.

Even the alleged atrocities committed by the STF, which had eventually gunned him down, are shown in the serial, which contains about 500 to 600 instances that took place in Veerappan's life.

UNI