There is no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic impacted the world, and India was no exception. The quarantine, the deaths, and above all, the uncertainty of what would happen - that was the worst part.
However, when Covid-19 first hit India, and more specifically Kerala in 2020, the state had already faced a terrifying battle with a highly contagious and far more fatal virus, Nipah. The Nipah outbreak reported in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts in May 2018 was the first ever in Kerala, and only the third in India, following earlier outbreaks in West Bengal in 2001 and 2007.
The Story Of Virus The Movie
When a deadly virus strikes a community, chaos usually follows. But in 2018, Kerala's response to the Nipah virus outbreak didn't just make headlines, it became a cinematic tale worth telling, and watching.
Directed by Aashiq Abu and released in 2019, Virus is not your typical disaster film. Instead, this Malyalam film is a meticulously crafted, gripping medical thriller based on true events, where the enemy isn't a terrorist or monster, it's an invisible, incurable virus. The film captures real-life heroes, their fears, and their moments of hope.
Principal photography took place from January to February 2019, in a single 52-day schedule. Most of it was shot at the Government Medical College and Government Homoeopathic Medical College in Kozhikode, Kerala.
Now, back to the plot. The story begins with the sudden death of a young man. Soon, others around him, his brother, nurses, even an ambulance driver begin falling ill. Panic spreads rapidly, and the government springs into action. What unfolds is a gripping, race-against-time drama where medical professionals, administrators and public health workers must contain the virus before it spirals out of control.
By the way, the Nipah virus has a high mortality rate ranging between 40% and 75%, far deadlier than many other diseases, including Covid-19. In some outbreaks, it has crossed the 75% fatality mark.
The Real Life Unsung Heroes
The film is set in Kozhikode, where the outbreak first emerged. It opens like a mystery, with patients showing fever and severe neurological symptoms. One by one, people begin dying, while doctors struggle to understand what they are dealing with.
But Virus doesn't glorify a single saviour. Instead, it shines a light on a collective of unsung heroes - doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers, morgue staff, lab workers, and bureaucrats - all stepping up under immense pressure.
The ensemble cast includes Kunchacko Boban as Dr Suresh Rajan, Indrajith Sukumaran as Dr Baburaj, Tovino Thomas as IAS officer Paul V Abraham (based on UV Jose), and Parvathy Thiruvothu as Dr Annu. Revathi plays the state Health Minister CK Prameela, clearly inspired by KK Shailaja, whose leadership during both the Nipah and Covid-19 crises was widely praised. Poornima Indrajith plays Dr Smrithy Bhaskar, Director of Public Health.
A still from Virus. Photo: OPM Cinemas
The film doesn't dramatise for effect - it acknowledges the real systems that functioned effectively. In a world where public health infrastructure is often overlooked, Virus offers a rare and powerful tribute to efficiency, empathy, and resilience. It's a reminder that a coordinated, science-based, and humane response can save lives, and did.
It also showcases what these patients and their family members went through: the pain from their symptoms, the inability to recover the bodies of their loved ones, and the fear among civilians when they saw anyone grappling with any symptoms of the virus.
How Nipah Was Managed In 2018
Nipah, a zoonotic disease transmitted from animals (in this case, fruit bats), had the potential to spread fast and kill even faster. The index patient in Kozhikode passed the virus to 16 others within Medical College Hospital, and a few more were infected subsequently. Tragically, 10 people died in the first week alone, including nurse Lini Puthussery, who cared for the index patient before the diagnosis.
The outbreak soon spread to nearby Malappuram. Swift and strict measures were taken - over 2,000 people were placed in quarantine and kept under observation. Health departments issued advisories across northern Kerala and even neighbouring Karnataka after two suspected cases were found in Mangalore.
One of the critical responses involved sourcing M102.4, a human monoclonal antibody still in clinical trials, from Australia. This was made possible through the help of Nipah researcher Dr Christopher Broder.
Out of the 18 confirmed cases, 16 people died, while only two recovered. The containment strategy was considered a success, and the outbreak was officially declared over on June 10, 2018, less than a month after it began.
Why The Film Matters Even Now
Virus hit the screens just months before the Covid-19 pandemic changed the world. Looking back, the film almost feels prophetic, the fear, the uncertainty, the invisible enemy, the absence of a vaccine, and the dependence on a strained healthcare system.
When Covid-19 hit in 2020, the film found renewed relevance. Viewers across India revisited it, recognising their own lived reality in its tense, heartbreaking scenes.
And now, with Kerala once again on alert after fresh Nipah cases were detected, the lessons from 2018, and Virus, feel more urgent than ever.
The film is not just a tribute to the past, it's a timely reminder of what can be achieved. Now, as history threatens to repeat itself, Virus offers more than entertainment: it offers hope.
READ MORE: Kerala On Alert After 2 Suspected Nipah Virus Cases Spark Concern In 3 districts
