Swabhiman Anchal of Malkangiri district of Odisha is spread over an area of 372 sq km. The area has been witness to Maoist violence between 2008 and 2021. During this, 101 civilians and 77 security personnel were killed in different violent incidents. From May this year, a different kind of shooting is going to happen here. Hyderabad-based film production company Mythri Movie Makers produced the blockbuster film ‘Pushpa’ in 2021. The people of this producing company have done Reiki of the areas of Swabhiman Anchal. The sequel of Telugu superstar Allu Arjun’s Pushpa will be shot here from May.
P Venkateswara Rao, Production Manager, Mythri Movie Makers, informed about the updates related to the shooting of Pushpa-2. He said, ‘Our senior production team is satisfied after seeing the areas of Swabhiman Anchal. The team includes Fight Master, Associate Director and Art Director. Huntlaguda, Saptadhara and Jhoolapola are the locations that have been tentatively finalized for the shoot of Pushpa 2. We have taken permission from Malkangiri District Collector and Superintendent of Police for shooting with drone cameras. We discussed this with the Border Security Force. They are ready to cooperate in the shooting. If everything goes according to plan, the shooting may start in the month of May.
‘Team on the spot for ground work’
The Art Director, Fight Master, Associate Director as well as some crew members are already in Malkangiri. The team has been sent to the spot for ground work. The makers of Pushpa 2 are scouting for a location where the lorry can be seen chasing the jeep. He got this location in Hantalguda. Here in January 2020, the tribals retreated in the fight against the Maoists. Rao told that around 150 to 200 people will be present in Swabhiman Anchal for the shooting. However, it is not yet known whether Allu Arjun himself will come to shoot at these locations or not.
History of Swabhiman Anchal linked to Maoist incidents
The filmmakers have sought permission from the District Magistrate and the SP for the shoot. These people have assured the officials to follow the rules during the shooting. It may be known that Swabhiman Anchal was separated from mainland Odisha by the Balimela reservoir built in the 60s. This area remained off the map of development for four decades. Swabhiman Anchal was geographically close to Andhra Pradesh. The Maoists had made this area their base, making it impregnable from government officials. Malkangiri witnessed several violent incidents only after 2008, when the police of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh launched a crackdown against them.
