Before its re-release on Friday, 29 November, a preview of the movie was held in Kochi, where the crew members including the producer of the movie Baiju Ambalakkara, and cinematographer Ravi Varman were present.
Published Nov 29, 2024 | 6:31 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 30, 2024 | 10:16 AM
Mammootty in 'Vallyettan'. (X)
The 2000 Onam release Vallyettan is a milestone film in the career of Mammootty. It is now back in the theatres across Kerala and the Gulf countries after 24 years. The film is releasing in 4K in 120 theatres across Kerala.
During its release, the movie had a huge fan following and was telecast on the Malayalam satellite channel Kairali TV for a record number of times.
The action entertainer’s major highlight was the punch dialogues by Arakkal Madhavan Unni played by Mammootty. Apart from this, the action scenes, Mammootty’s swag and technical aspects were the USP of Vallyettan. The cinematography by Ravi Varman also added charm to the frames.
The story of Vallyettan revolves around Arakkal Madhavan Unni, who is supported by his four brothers, played by Siddique, Manoj K. Jayan, Vijayakumar, and Sudheesh. The plot centres on the rivalry between Arakkal Madhavan Unni and his cousin Sivaraman, portrayed by the ace actor Siddique.
Their conflict escalates with the involvement of Mambram Bava (NF Varghese), a negative character who allies with Sivaraman. The story follows how Arakkal Madhavan Unni seeks revenge against these evil forces, which forms the crux of the narrative.
Before its re-release on Friday, 29 November, a preview of the movie was held in Kochi, where the crew members including the producer of the movie Baiju Ambalakkara, and cinematographer Ravi Varman were present.
‘Vallyettan’ re-releasing in 4K. (X)
While speaking about his experience, Ravi Varman recalled that he couldn’t see the scenes at the spot during the shooting as there was no monitor then. “Now watching it during the premiere show, I felt happy,” the ace cinematographer said, adding “Revisiting my old work was a good experience.” Vallyettan was his third Malayalam and first commercial movie.
Baiju Ambalakkara, the producer of the film, revealed that the story of Vallyettan was inspired by the events in his family. He further stated that they were confident that the film would be a superhit, and it happened.
Baiju also revealed that he had plans to make a sequel of Vallyettan, but due to the creative differences between director Shaji Kailas and writer Ranjth, it didn’t materialise. He added that if Mammootty is ready to do a second part, he has a story which can be developed.
Speaking of the rerelease, Baiju claimed that the process was as difficult as making a new movie, “I spoke to director Shaji Kailas, and he gave a green signal, after which we went ahead for re-release. I was inspired after the re-release of Mohanlal’s Spadikam last year.”
Director Padma Kumar, who was an associate of Shaji Kailas, said that the re-release reminded them of all the shooting memories at Ottapalam and other places, where the shooting happened.
The crew members also gave away a lot of trivia related to the film. One such titbit was about the speculation of Mohanlal’s cameo in Vallyettan. According to the makers, the cameo was indeed planned.
In fact, Mammootty had a cameo in Mohanlal’s Narasimham, which was released in January 2000, and was made by Shaji Kailas and Ranjith. However, owing to a foreign trip, Mohanlal couldn’t do the cameo and the script was reworked.
A still from the film ‘Vallyettan’. (X)
At a time when the audience is keen on political correctness, Vallyettan does have its share of dialogues and scenes which haven’t aged well. With the film releasing in 2024, it is expected to be criticised for the same.
Speaking about political correctness, director Shaji Kailas, in an interview, acknowledged that the movie was released 24 years ago and certainly contains elements that may not resonate with modern audiences. He admitted that some dialogues may conflict with the “political correctness” discussed today, but encouraged viewers to watch the new version, which would evoke a sense of nostalgia.
The movie features Mammootty as Arakkal Madhavan Unni, a saviour of his family, including his four brothers, and a figure resembling a feudal lord. Shaji Kailas pointed out that audiences still appreciate a feudal hero, citing Mohanlal’s 2019 film Lucifer as an example.
With Mammootty’s previous re-release Paleri Manikyam Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha (2009) not making an impact at the box office, the audience is eagerly awaiting this re-release, and it is evident from the bookings of the film.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
