When a mass entertainer starring Malayalam cinema’s finest hits the big screen, it’s no surprise to see long queues winding outside theatres, shows going housefull, and fans turning screenings into full-blown celebrations. Think spontaneous dancing in the aisles and ticket stubs tossed into the air like confetti.
This kind of frenzy is usually reserved for a much-anticipated new release, probably on the first day — but right now, Kerala’s theatres are reliving that exact euphoria for a film that first hit screens 18 years ago. Yes, of course, we are talking about Chotta Mumbai.
Though several yesteryear hits have been re-released in recent times, the nostalgia wave has never been this electric. Directed by Anwar Rasheed and headlined by Mohanlal, alongside a beloved ensemble cast including Siddique, Jagathy Sreekumar, Bhavana, Kalabhavan Mani, and Rajan P Dev, the film has etched its characters — ‘Thala’ Vasco da Gama, ‘Mullan’ Chandran, ‘Padakkam’ Basheer, ‘Parakkum’ Latha, ‘Paambu’ Chacko, ‘Phylwan’ Michael aasan, and Inspector Nadeshan — deep into the memories of those who grew up in the 2000s.
Dancing to the cult anthem Vasco da Gama went to the drama, and shouting out iconic one-liners in perfect sync, the audience has proved that some movies never lose their magic.
“Cochin Carnival was happening inside the theatre, the vibe was unmatched and it was electrifying,” says Manoj Mathasseril, artist and cartoonist.
“I had watched this film in the theatre when it was released in 2007, along with my son who was just 10 at the time. Now, I went with my son again, now 28, and it felt like going back in time. It was a blockbuster back then, but the film-viewing experience wasn’t as celebratory — a whistle and some applause would pretty much sum it up. But today, youngsters are rushing to the front and dancing with josh. Some theatres have even scheduled special midnight screenings, and they are still running housefull. If this is how it’s going to be, I would love to watch it again.”
The josh inside the theatres has been organic and inclusive. Nobody had to think twice before they wholeheartedly screamed “Thalaaaa…”, they say.
“Everyone knew the scenes by heart,” says Vishal Abraham, an IT professional. “The recall value was extraordinary — even minute moments got huge reactions. Rajan P Dev’s dialogue ‘Tuskerrrrr!’ was echoed by the audience. Meme culture played a role too; the film has lived on through WhatsApp stickers, GIFs, and social media expressions.”
Vishal also points out that Chotta Mumbai is a rare case where every major character, not just Mohanlal’s, has gained cult status. “Each of them is unique. All of their intros received a huge reception,” he says.
“Yes, we have seen re-releases in recent years — Devadoothan, Spadikam, Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha, Manichitrathazhu. They too created buzz. But only true entertainers — those with action, comedy, dance, and mass appeal — can recreate this kind of ‘mass’ magic.”
Aby John Mathew, a marketing professional and cinephile, says nostalgia alone doesn’t guarantee the success of a re-release. “Chotta Mumbai is still fresh, be it the humour or the songs. Even after over a decade, it has proved to pique the interest of different generations,” he adds.
“CID Moosa, Yodha, Raavanaprabhu, Chathikkatha Chandhu, Chandralekha… these are some of the films that rush to mind while thinking of re-releases. This trend is welcome. The enthusiasm around these films shows there’s still demand for high-energy entertainers. From an audience perspective, this is also a form of cultural restoration. Most prints of old films are in poor condition. If classics like Kilukkam are remastered and re-released, we will be preserving a good cinema output.”
For journalist and film buff Amritha A Raj, the biggest takeaway from the re-release was the shift in theatre celebrations.
“Earlier, it was just about young men having a blast. But now, women, including elderly ones, and families can be seen dancing in front of the screen,” she smiles.
The euphoria around Chotta Mumbai hasn’t just swayed fans. It has pleasantly surprised theatre owners as well. Vipin Thulaseedharan, manager of AriesPlex SL Cinemas in Thiruvananthapuram, notes that the re-release of Chotta Mumbai has also attracted an audience that never had the chance to watch it in theatres the first time.
“So as we expected, the crowd largely ranges from teenagers to those in their 40s,” he says.
“Re-release of Vijay’s Ghilli had generated a phenomenal response. I believe Chotta Mumbai is the first Malayalam film to trigger such a massive wave of excitement and nostalgia among fans.”
Saju Johney, owner of Kavitha Theatre in Ernakulam, says the frenzy has been “far beyond expectations”. “People are coming in from outside Ernakulam as well. What’s surprising is that bookings are happening from the front rows first — these are usually the last to fill. This shows how eager people are to just be part of the experience,” he notes.
“Seeing this response, now there are rumours about the re-release of more entertainers like Udayananu Thaaram and Rajamanikyam.”
Linto Davis, who runs Vanitha-Vineetha theatres, offers a more cautious perspective. “I won’t prioritise the idea of re-releasing films. In the past few days, most of our audience has come in only for this re-release. Some new films, unfortunately, are getting lost in this celebratory wave,” he points out.
He, however, acknowledges that in a time when most people prefer watching movies on OTT, re-releases have brought some welcome attention back to the ‘theatre experience’.
Linto also highlights the need for genuine quality upgrades while re-releasing films. “Not all are fully satisfactory, especially when producers don’t invest in proper remastering,” he says.
“In such cases, it is like they’re just re-projecting what already exists — no audio upgrades, no visual clean-up. When that happens, it’s the theatre owners who face the backlash.”
Buzz & the biz
The Malayalam film industry has been riding the re-release wave for over a year, with Devadoothan widely seen as the film that set the trend. “After Devadoothan, there was a discussion on online forums to bring Chotta Mumbai to screens, especially since some of its key actors have passed away or are currently inactive on screen. This thought made [the film’s producer] Maniyanpilla Raju remaster the film into 4K Atmos,” says P Sivaprasad, founder of Hy Studioz, which has handled 4K remastering for major re-releases including Devadoothan and Chotta Mumbai.
Sivaprasad adds that though Devadoothan ran for over 50 days and collected Rs5 crore, the team did not expect such a huge reception Chotta Mumbai. “Since the output was of good quality, we knew it would run decently for two days. We first released it in 90 theatres across Kerala and Bengaluru,” he says.
“But, we have now exceeded that to 94 in Kerala and 12 in Bengaluru. Bengaluru alone, on the first day, saw a collection of Rs6 lakh. In Kerala, collection has risen to Rs1.2 crore in just 3 days. First day was above Rs40 lakh. It is clear that re-release isn’t just a passing fad, but a viable business option — if done the right way.”