From 'Kireedam' to 'Vettam': Classic Malayalam films return to big screen
Malayalam cinema’s wave of re-releases, which had sparked considerable excitement among audiences, is once again gaining momentum after a brief slowdown. The 4K restored version of Kireedam is set to hit theatres on July 10. Following this, several other classics, including Kalapani, Kakkakuyil, Thenmavin Kombath, and Vettam, are also being prepared for theatrical re-release.
The remastering efforts are being led by premier digital media production and distribution platform Matinee Now, which has been actively involved in upgrading several Malayalam classics. The remastered versions of Vettam and Kakkakuyil, released earlier on YouTube, have already received a strong response from viewers.
However, the re-release trend saw a slight dip in activity during the first half of 2026, with only two titles- Run Baby Run and the dubbed film Happy Be Happy- making it back to theatres. Industry observers attribute the slowdown to underwhelming box office returns for several re-releases, along with a growing perception that frequent re-releases may not always be financially viable.
Box-office successes of re-releases
In 2023, as many as 13 films, from Spadikam to Happy Be Happy, were re-released in theatres, excluding those that ran on a limited number of screens.
Among the notable successes, Devadoothan collected ₹5.40 crore, followed by Spadikam with ₹4.95 crore. Other strong performers included Manichitrathazhu (₹4.71 crore), Ravanaprabhu (₹4.70 crore), Chotta Mumbai (₹4.37 crore), and Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha (₹1.53 crore).
Key hurdles: restoration cost and availability of prints
Restoring older films and converting them into 4K theatrical versions involves significant costs. On average, it costs around ₹1 crore to remaster an old film print into a 4K-quality version suitable for theatrical release. When promotional expenses are added, a re-release typically needs to earn more than ₹1.5 crore at the box office to become profitable.
Another major challenge is the availability of original film negatives. Many older movies do not have properly preserved or accessible source prints. This has further complicated the process of restoring and re-releasing the classics.