Dam 999

Did You Know?

• A novel titled DAM999 – The Novel, penned by director Sohan Roy and co-written by Naufal Ashraf, was published by Indra Publishing House before the film's release.
• The film's music was officially released at an event presided over by A. R. Rahman, where music director Ouseppachan handed the first copy to him.
• Thilakan was paid seven lakhs as compensation after being dropped from the project.

Plot

The story follows nine characters representing the nine emotions (Navarasa) and an outdated dam. Vinay, a mariner, visits his native place in Kerala with his diabetic son Sam to see his father Shankaran, a village doctor and master of astrology. Meera, an orphan raised by Shankaran, loves Vinay, but Shankaran's horoscope reading warns that their love will bring disaster, so Meera sacrifices her feelings. Vinay marries Sandra, a TV journalist, but later rekindles his bond with Meera. A leak is discovered in the dam, and a heavy storm triggers a high alert.

Production

The film is dedicated to the 250,000 victims of the 1975 Banqiao Dam disaster. Director Sohan Roy stated that the dam is the central character, with nine characters representing the Navarasa. Ashish Vidyarthi was cast; veteran Malayalam actor Thilakan was originally cast but later replaced by Rajit Kapur after intervention by the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). Thilakan and his supporters marched toward the shooting location at Alappuzha. Shooting began in Alleppey, Kerala, but faced hurdles including Thilakan's removal and another lead actor walking out. Sequences were shot in Ooty, India, and on an oil tanker in Fujairah, UAE. The climax was compiled at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad, with art direction by Padmashree Thotta Tharani. Visual effects were done by EyeQube Studios.

Controversies

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) claimed the film was based on the Mullaperiyar Dam dispute between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. DMK chief M. Karunanidhi urged Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa to ban the film for 'people's safety'. The Tamil Nadu government banned the film a day before its scheduled 25 November release, citing potential disturbance of cordial relations between the states. Producer-director Sohan Roy challenged the ban in the Supreme Court, arguing it violated his fundamental right to freedom under Article 19(1)(a). The Supreme Court initially directed the Tamil Nadu government to hear Roy's objections, but on 24 January 2013 dismissed his petition, stating the court must respect the sentiments of the people and not aggravate the situation.

Recognitions

Three soundtracks—'Dakkanaga Dugu', 'DAM999 Theme song', and 'Mujhe Chodke'—were nominated for the 84th Academy Awards. The film was submitted for Best Picture and was eligible for Best Original Score at the same awards. It was the first Indian movie selected for the Golden Rooster Awards 2012 in China, competing in 12 categories. Dam 999 won Best Director and Best Feature Film at the Cinerockom International Film Festival, Best International Feature Film and Special Jury Award at the International Film Festival for Environment, Health, and Culture 2013, and Best English Film at the Sangli Film Festival. It was also screened at festivals including Tehran, Jaipur, Kuala Lumpur, and several in the USA and Italy.