Rölli

Rölli-peikko (Finnish for "Rölli the Troll") is a character from Finnish television portrayed by Allan "Allu" Tuppurainen. The character originally appeared in segments on the children's TV show Pikku Kakkonen on YLE's Channel 2 in 1986. Original episodes were produced until 2001 and older episodes have been seen in constant reruns on the program. In these segments Rölli would tell stories of his amazing adventures while often criticising and questioning public norm or the activities of people (especially humans).

Rölli has also appeared in five feature-length films. The first, made in 1991 and titled Rölli - hirmuisia kertomuksia ("Rölli - Terrible Stories") was much truer to the TV character, whereas the 2001 Rölli ja Metsänhenki ("Rölli and the Forest Spirit") was more of a traditional fantasy/adventure film. Rölli has appeared in an animated film Röllin sydän (Quest for a Heart) which appeared in Finnish movie theaters December 2007. This film was a co-production made in four countries. [1] The latest films were called Rölli ja kultainen avain (2013) and Rölli ja kaikkien aikojen salaisuus (2016).

A notable feature of the show and later the movies are the many songs sung as a part of the story. Consequently, Rölli has been the basis of many successful children's cassettes and CDs.

Despite popular belief, Rölli isn't really a troll. Allu Tuppurainen has said himself that he though Rölli was part of this strange species which wasn't animal but not human either and that species is called Rölli. The reason why other röllis have "names" and main character Rölli is just Rölli is a mystery. (The common word rölli refers to the grass genus Agrostis, e.g. nurmirölli is common bent.)

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