Udayabhanu, Sarojkumar return to big screen; 'Udayananu Tharam' to re-release with 4K visuals

The iconic Malayalam film 'Udayananu Tharam', directed by Roshan Andrews and starring Mohanlal and Sreenivasan, is set for a grand re-release in February, featuring upgraded 4K visuals. Produced by C. Karunakaran under the Carlton Films banner, the film first hit theatres 20 years ago and is widely regarded as one of the finest works in Malayalam cinema.

'Udayananu Tharam' presents a humorous and thought-provoking take on the Malayalam film industry, narrating the story of a film within a film. The script by Sreenivasan was brought to life with stellar performances, including Mohanlal as Udayabhanu, a co-director, and Sreenivasan as Rajappan Thengummoodu, who later transforms into Sarojkumar. Jagathy Sreekumar’s portrayal of Pachalam Bhasi remains a standout, alongside supporting roles by Meena, Mukesh, Salim Kumar, Indrans, Cochin Hanifa and Bhavana.

The film’s music, particularly the song Karale Karalinte, sung by Vineeth Sreenivasan with Deepak Dev's composition, continues to resonate with audiences. The cinematography by S. Kumar and lyrics penned by Kaithapram Damodaran Nampoothiri further enriched the cinematic experience. The background music was composed by Ouseppachan. 

Udayananu Tharam was a box-office hit and earned multiple accolades, including Kerala State Film Awards for Best Debut Director and Best Choreographer. Producer C. Karunakaran says that the success of the re-released films is an inspiration to bring more classic films to theatres again. The re-release follows the successful trend of Mohanlal’s classic films, including Spadikam, Manichitrathazhu and Devadoothan, which were recently brought back to theatres and received overwhelming responses from audiences.