During the Mamankam festival held at the banks of Bharathapuzha in Tirunavaya, soldiers from various places used to come together to wager battle.

Kaanal Neer is based on a feature that appeared in one of the most popular Indian dailies about a family that found shelter under a bridge in Kochi, India. Many of the landless people are in search of seeking shelters to protect their women from the city dwellers to avoid the risk of sexual abuse.

The film revolves around two families hailing from the South Indian state of Kerala who have spent some important years of their lives in the Middle East.