Real squad leader S Sreejith on Kannur Squad: ‘The film is a tribute to Kerala police’

The Mammootty-starrer police procedural Kannur Squad has been running successfully at the theatres since its release on September 28. The Roby Varghese Raj directorial is based on the real-life experiences of an investigation unit under the Kerala Police, called ‘Kannur Squad’. After watching the film with its cast and crew, the members of the actual Kannur Squad - including its team leader S Sreejith, who is also the current Transport Commissioner of Kerala - shared their thoughts about the movie. Sreejith said that the film depicted their work in a realistic manner, which is not often the case in Malayalam cinema.

‘Kannur Squad is an honest portrayal of the way the state police force functions’

According to Sreejith, police officers have often been portrayed as humorous characters or superheroes in movies. However, Kannur Squad has largely remained true to the authentic procedures and operations of the police force, although the crew did take some artistic liberties to ensure the film’s commercial success.

Also Read: When the real ‘Kannur Squad’ turned up to watch the Mammootty-starrer 

When asked about his contribution to the making of the film, Sreejith said that he met with the director and screenwriters during the post-production phase. The film’s crew had also reached out to the other members of the squad before writing the script. But none of them, including himself, were particularly interested or enthusiastic about it because of the way police stories are portrayed in films. He also reminded that there are many unsung heroes in the real investigation team, who faced numerous hardships while on the job.

Kannur Squad was the brainchild of Sreejith. It was formed during his tenure as the Kannur SP. The squad was created as an investigation unit when the crime rate increased in the Kannur district of Kerala.

Also Read: Kannur Squad OTT release rights bagged by this platform for a record sum? Here’s when the film is expected to stream 

The plot of Kannur Squad

The plot of the movie revolves around four police officers - George, Jose, Jayan and Shafi - who belong to the Kannur Squad. They are assigned a case by the Superintendent of Police in Kannur that falls outside their jurisdiction. Assistant Sub-Inspector George and his team face numerous challenges in their pursuit of capturing the criminals.