Why Ad film maker, ‘Thudarum’ villain Prakash Varma’s dream home is a star

In the past, this house was one of the locations of the Mammootty movie ‘Kutty Srank’, and in the present day, is again in the limelight, being the home of Prakash Varma, the actor gaining applause as George Sir, the antagonist in ‘Thudarum’, the latest Malayalam blockbuster starring Mohanlal.

The old house and property were purchased by Varma and the structure was rebuilt. Open spaces in the old house were retained to enable ventilation and, finally, ‘Nakshatra Mana’ (house of stars) came into being.

Location
The mansion is located at Poothotta, close to Mammootty’s birthplace, Chempu, in Kerala. Situated right on the bank of the Muvattupuzha River, the surroundings are pristine, and the river is visible from the main gate itself as the doors and glass windows of the house are arranged accordingly.

The house retains the charm and grandeur of a ‘nalukettu’, while offering the amenities of the modern age. The frontage of the residence faces the river and a large pond on this side provides a unique aura to the structure.  The main gate which allows entry to vehicles is on the rear side of the house.

Wooden articles recovered from demolished traditional dwellings in North India were utilized in the makeover of Varma’s dream home. Carpenters from Kerala well-versed in construction methods of the past were employed to renovate the house. Each part of the building was carefully planned and constructed.

“Most of the doors, windows and other necessities of the house were purchased from ancient artefacts during our long journeys. My spouse Sneha Iype was with me during every stage of constructing the house, similar to the times when we established the Nirvana advertising agency,” says Varma.

“It is our family’s dream home. I come here from a city such as Bengaluru whenever I feel the need to spend a few days as a completely local man,” he adds.

Well-ventilated rooms
Varma’s home has three properly ventilated bedrooms on the ground floor as well as a parlour, dining room and kitchen designed around a central courtyard. Upholstered sofas arranged in the parlour provide a stately appearance along with comfort. Paintings adorn the walls of the dining area, bringing back memories of tea shops of the past. A painting of water lilies in full bloom on the main wall of the parlour will cool one’s senses, as the covering over the AC is also immersed in this greenery.  The washroom of one of the bedrooms on the ground floor also is special – it receives rainwater directly. Another attraction of the house is the artwork from South America on the wall of the master bedroom which could be described as ‘Blessing Heart.’ The upper floor has rooms for reading and writing.

Though the interiors of the house are properly ventilated, there is no excessive illumination. Lighting is subtle and attention is given even to minute details such as the design of the bulb shades. Sensors are fixed on the wooden shelves so that the lights are automatically switched on when the almirahs are opened. Paintings adorning the walls are done in pastel shades.