Chithram
Encyclopedia
Chithram is a 1988 Malayalam screwball comedy film
Screwball comedy film
The screwball comedy is a principally American genre of comedy film that became popular during the Great Depression, originating in the early 1930s and thriving until the early 1940s. It is characterized by fast-paced repartee, farcical situations, escapist themes, and plot lines involving...

 written and directed by Priyadarshan
Priyadarshan
Priyadarshan is an Indian film director, producer, and screenwriter. In a career spanning over two decades, Priyadarshan has directed over 80 films in several Indian languages including Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu...

, based on a story by Sreenivasan. The film stars Mohanlal
Mohanlal
Mohanlal Vishwanathan Nair , known mononymously as Mohanlal , is a National Award-winning Indian actor, producer, singer and writer who is well known for his versatile and natural acting in Indian cinema & hence widely known as the Universal Star...

, Ranjini
Ranjini (actress)
Ranjini was a popular South Indian actress in the mid 1980s. She debuted in Tamil cinema and acted in all South Indian languages, doing some memorable characters in Malayalam and Tamil cinema. She acted opposite top actors like Mohanlal, Mammootty, Suresh Gopi etc.-Personal life:Ranjini was born...

, Nedumudi Venu
Nedumudi Venu
Nedumudi Venu is a popular Malayalam film actor from Kerala, India. He has also written screenplays and has directed one film.- Early life :...

, Poornam Vishwanathan
Poornam Vishwanathan
Poornam Viswanathan was a theater artist and film actor in the Tamil film industry. He started performing on stage at age 18. He worked as a reader for All India Radio. He acted in movies such as Chithram, Varusham 16, Thillu Mullu, Keladi Kanmani, Moondram Pirai, Aasai, Mahanadi' and Varumaiyin...

, Sreenivasan, Soman
M. G. Soman
M. G. Soman was an actor in Malayalam film. He was considered to be one of the superstars in Malayalam cinema along with Sukumaran and Jayan during the 1970s. He was born in Tiruvalla, Travancore...

, Sukumari
Sukumari
Sukumari is an Indian film actress who has primarily acted in Malayalam and Tamil films. She has been acting since she was 10 years old and has acted in various roles. The total number of her films is presumed to be about two-thousand. In 2003, she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of...

, Innocent
Innocent Vincent
Innocent Thekkethala , popularly known as Innocent, is a Malayalam film actor and producer. He was born in Irinjalakuda in Thrissur district of Kerala, India. He is one of the most successful and leading comedy actors of Malayalam cinema...

, and Maniyanpilla Raju in the main roles. The film was a phenomenal success in Kerala and broke all existing records in Malayalam cinema
Malayalam cinema
The Cinema of Kerala or Malayalam cinema refers to the film industry in the Indian state of Kerala, which makes films in the Malayalam language. Malayalam movies typically portray social or family issues and are considered more realistic than films from other parts of India. Malayalam cinema has...

 at the time. It had a theatrical run of more than 365 days in some centres and is said to be one of the highest grossing Malayalam films of all time.It collected 3+ crores from major centres

Plot

Kalyani (Ranjini
Ranjini (actress)
Ranjini was a popular South Indian actress in the mid 1980s. She debuted in Tamil cinema and acted in all South Indian languages, doing some memorable characters in Malayalam and Tamil cinema. She acted opposite top actors like Mohanlal, Mammootty, Suresh Gopi etc.-Personal life:Ranjini was born...

) is the daughter of a wealthy NRI Ramachandra Menon (Poornam Vishwanathan
Poornam Vishwanathan
Poornam Viswanathan was a theater artist and film actor in the Tamil film industry. He started performing on stage at age 18. He worked as a reader for All India Radio. He acted in movies such as Chithram, Varusham 16, Thillu Mullu, Keladi Kanmani, Moondram Pirai, Aasai, Mahanadi' and Varumaiyin...

) who resides in the United States. Kalyani, brought up in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...

 by her father's friend Kaimal (Nedumudi Venu
Nedumudi Venu
Nedumudi Venu is a popular Malayalam film actor from Kerala, India. He has also written screenplays and has directed one film.- Early life :...

), falls in love with another man and decides to marry against the wishes of her father. When her boyfriend finds out that she will be disinherited, he ditches her at the altar.

After a short while her father decides to retract his disapproval and spend a fortnight's vacation with his daughter and son-in-law in his estate near a tribal community where Menon is the chief. Because her father is already ill and because this may be his last vacation, Kalyani and Kaimal want to make it as happy for him as possible. They decide to conceal the fact that her boyfriend dumped her.

Kaimal hires Vishnu (Mohanlal
Mohanlal
Mohanlal Vishwanathan Nair , known mononymously as Mohanlal , is a National Award-winning Indian actor, producer, singer and writer who is well known for his versatile and natural acting in Indian cinema & hence widely known as the Universal Star...

) to play the part of the husband for a fortnight. Meanwhile Kalyani's cousin Bhaskaran Nambiar (Sreenivasan) who is the caretaker of the estate was expected to inherit Menon's estate and property when Kalyani was disinherited, is determined not to let go without a fight. He knows that Vishnu is not Kalyani's boyfriend and makes various botched attempts to prove this.

Initially Vishnu and Kalyani do not get along and keep bickering. But as time passes, she develops an affection towards Vishnu and hopes to marry him for real. A couple of days after they have a mysterious visitor (Soman
M. G. Soman
M. G. Soman was an actor in Malayalam film. He was considered to be one of the superstars in Malayalam cinema along with Sukumaran and Jayan during the 1970s. He was born in Tiruvalla, Travancore...

) who claims to be a relative of Vishnu.

Finally it is revealed that Vishnu is actually an escaped convict from jail who is sentenced to death and the visitor turns out to be the prison warden. Vishnu's past is shown in flashback and he was a freelance photographer who was married to a woman named Revathy (Lizy Priyadarshan), a mute dancer. They also had a child. Vishnu discovers that a man was visiting his wife when he was not around and begins to suspect her. Coming home one day he finds the man there and tries to attack him. Revathy dies in the scuffle, Vishnu discovers that the man is actually her brother who is a naxalite
Naxalite
The word Naxal, Naxalite or Naksalvadi is a generic term used to refer to various militant Communist groups operating in different parts of India under different organizational envelopes...

. He tells Kalyani that he escaped prison to make money for the surgery of his child.

On the last night of Vishnu's stay at the house, he asks Jail Warden, is it possible for him to live, as he started to like life again. The warden did not reply to his question as he is helpless regarding this. After a happy fortnight, Kalyani's father returns to the US. The final scene shows the warden taking Vishnu to jail, with Kalyani watching him leave, where his execution awaits him.

Cast

Actor Role Other notes
Mohanlal
Mohanlal
Mohanlal Vishwanathan Nair , known mononymously as Mohanlal , is a National Award-winning Indian actor, producer, singer and writer who is well known for his versatile and natural acting in Indian cinema & hence widely known as the Universal Star...

Vishnu
Ranjini
Ranjini (actress)
Ranjini was a popular South Indian actress in the mid 1980s. She debuted in Tamil cinema and acted in all South Indian languages, doing some memorable characters in Malayalam and Tamil cinema. She acted opposite top actors like Mohanlal, Mammootty, Suresh Gopi etc.-Personal life:Ranjini was born...

Kalyani
Nedumudi Venu
Nedumudi Venu
Nedumudi Venu is a popular Malayalam film actor from Kerala, India. He has also written screenplays and has directed one film.- Early life :...

Kaimal
Poornam Vishwanathan
Poornam Vishwanathan
Poornam Viswanathan was a theater artist and film actor in the Tamil film industry. He started performing on stage at age 18. He worked as a reader for All India Radio. He acted in movies such as Chithram, Varusham 16, Thillu Mullu, Keladi Kanmani, Moondram Pirai, Aasai, Mahanadi' and Varumaiyin...

Ramachandra Menon Narendra Prasad
Narendra prasad
Narendra Prasad was a popular Indian movie actor, playwright, director, teacher and literary critic. He was born at Mavelikara, Alappuzha District, in the south Indian state of Kerala....

was the dubbing artist for him
Lizy
Lizy (actress)
Lissy Priyadarshan is a popular South Indian film actress of 1980s. She is popularly known by the mononym Lissy. Though, was a leading heroine in Malayalam, she had also acted in several Tamil and Telugu. She gave up acting after her marriage with famous film director Priyadarshan in 1990...

Revathy
(as Vishnu's wife)
Soman
M. G. Soman
M. G. Soman was an actor in Malayalam film. He was considered to be one of the superstars in Malayalam cinema along with Sukumaran and Jayan during the 1970s. He was born in Tiruvalla, Travancore...

Jail Warden
Sreenivasan Bhaskaran Nambiar
Maniyanpilla Raju A tribal man
Ganeshan
K. B. Ganesh Kumar
Keezhoote Balakrishna Pillai Ganesh Kumar is an Indian film and TV actor and politician, now serving as Minister for Forests & Environment, Sports and Cinema in the Government of Kerala. He was elected to the State Legislative Assembly from Pathanapuram in Kollam district for the first time in...

Revathy's Brother (A naxalite)
Sukumari
Sukumari
Sukumari is an Indian film actress who has primarily acted in Malayalam and Tamil films. She has been acting since she was 10 years old and has acted in various roles. The total number of her films is presumed to be about two-thousand. In 2003, she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of...

Bhaskaran Nambiar's mother
Jagadish
Jagadish
P. V. Jagadish Kumar , popularly known as Jagadish, is a Malayalam film actor and script writer. He became popular through performances in films such as Mukhachitram, In Harihar Nagar, Godfather, Welcome to Kodaikanal, Thiruthalvaadi, Mantrikacheppu, and Hitler...

Vishnu's friend
Unni Mary
Unni Mary
Unni Mary is a film actress and producer who works mainly in Malayalam films. She has also worked in Telugu, Tamil films, where she acted under the screen name Deepa.- Partial filmography :...

Sister of Bhaskaran Nambiar
Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair
Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair
Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair was a Malayali Indian poet, playwright, script writer, lyricist, orator, film director and actor, though he is best known as an actor in Malayalam cinema. He is the recipient of Padmashri from the Government of India, which is one of the highest civilian honours in India....

Revathy's father guest appearance

Soundtrack

The film's music was composed by Kannur Rajan
Kannur Rajan
Kannur Rajan was a notable music composer from Kerala, India. He died in the year 2000 at his home town in Kannur. Though his contributions are few, they are noted as nostalgic in the Malayalam film songs....

 and penned lyrics by Shibu Chakravarthy
Shibu Chakravarthy
Shibu Chakravarthy is noted lyricist,screenplay and script writer who mainly works in Malayalam Cinema.He had been lyricist to around 200 songs and had also been script writer for various films like Nair Saab, Manu Uncle, Adharvam etc.He continues penning for various new films in Mollywood .He...

. M. G. Sreekumar
M. G. Sreekumar
M. G. Sreekumar is a two-time National Award-winning Indian playback singer and music director who works in Malayalam cinema. With a career of over 25 years, he is one of the prominent male singers in the Malayalam film industry. He is known for matching voice with Malayalam actor Mohanlal. He has...

 sang most of the songs in the film. Carnatic music
Carnatic music
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...

 singer Neyyattinkara Vasudevan
Neyyattinkara Vasudevan
Neyyattinkara Vasudevan was an acclaimed Carnatic music vocalist from Kerala in south India. The Padmasree-winning Carnatic vocalist and disciple of Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and Ramnad Krishnan, he combined tradition and innovation in his widely acclaimed career.- Biography :Vasudevan born in a...

 was a guest singer. The classical Krithis like "Nagumo" and "Swaminatha" gained a mass popularity with this film. Playback singer Sujatha Mohan
Sujatha Mohan
Sujatha Mohan , usually credited as Sujatha, is an award-winning Indian playback singer who is popular for singing in Malayalam and Tamil movies. She has also sung for Telugu, Kannada and Hindi movies. She is widely popular for her evergreen melodies and her sweet voice is considered to be her...

 also sang in this movie, marking her return after years of sabbatical. Mohanlal
Mohanlal
Mohanlal Vishwanathan Nair , known mononymously as Mohanlal , is a National Award-winning Indian actor, producer, singer and writer who is well known for his versatile and natural acting in Indian cinema & hence widely known as the Universal Star...

 sang two songs "Kaadumi Naadumellam" and "Aey Monnu".
Track Song Title Singer(s) Other notes
1 Eeran Megham M. G. Sreekumar
M. G. Sreekumar
M. G. Sreekumar is a two-time National Award-winning Indian playback singer and music director who works in Malayalam cinema. With a career of over 25 years, he is one of the prominent male singers in the Malayalam film industry. He is known for matching voice with Malayalam actor Mohanlal. He has...

 
Raga
Raga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...

:
Madhyamavati
2 Paadam Pootha Kaalam M. G. Sreekumar
M. G. Sreekumar
M. G. Sreekumar is a two-time National Award-winning Indian playback singer and music director who works in Malayalam cinema. With a career of over 25 years, he is one of the prominent male singers in the Malayalam film industry. He is known for matching voice with Malayalam actor Mohanlal. He has...

 
3 Nagumo Neyyattinkara Vasudevan
Neyyattinkara Vasudevan
Neyyattinkara Vasudevan was an acclaimed Carnatic music vocalist from Kerala in south India. The Padmasree-winning Carnatic vocalist and disciple of Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and Ramnad Krishnan, he combined tradition and innovation in his widely acclaimed career.- Biography :Vasudevan born in a...

, M. G. Sreekumar
M. G. Sreekumar
M. G. Sreekumar is a two-time National Award-winning Indian playback singer and music director who works in Malayalam cinema. With a career of over 25 years, he is one of the prominent male singers in the Malayalam film industry. He is known for matching voice with Malayalam actor Mohanlal. He has...

 
Traditional Keerthanam by Tyagaraja
Tyagaraja
Kakarla Tyagabrahmam , colloquially known as Tyāgarājar and Tyagayya was one of the greatest composers of Carnatic music or classical South Indian music. He, along with his contemporaries Muthuswami Dikshitar and Shyama Shastry, forms the Trinity of Carnatic music...


Raga
Raga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...

:
Abheri
Abheri
Abheri is a raga in Carnatic music . It is a Janya raga , whose Melakarta raga is Kharaharapriya, 22nd in the 72 Melakarta raga system....

4 Doore Kizhakkudikkum M. G. Sreekumar
M. G. Sreekumar
M. G. Sreekumar is a two-time National Award-winning Indian playback singer and music director who works in Malayalam cinema. With a career of over 25 years, he is one of the prominent male singers in the Malayalam film industry. He is known for matching voice with Malayalam actor Mohanlal. He has...

, Sujatha
Sujatha Mohan
Sujatha Mohan , usually credited as Sujatha, is an award-winning Indian playback singer who is popular for singing in Malayalam and Tamil movies. She has also sung for Telugu, Kannada and Hindi movies. She is widely popular for her evergreen melodies and her sweet voice is considered to be her...

 
5 Aey Moonnu Mohanlal
Mohanlal
Mohanlal Vishwanathan Nair , known mononymously as Mohanlal , is a National Award-winning Indian actor, producer, singer and writer who is well known for his versatile and natural acting in Indian cinema & hence widely known as the Universal Star...

 
Traditional Folk
6 Paadam Koyyum Munpe Sujatha
Sujatha Mohan
Sujatha Mohan , usually credited as Sujatha, is an award-winning Indian playback singer who is popular for singing in Malayalam and Tamil movies. She has also sung for Telugu, Kannada and Hindi movies. She is widely popular for her evergreen melodies and her sweet voice is considered to be her...

 
7 Swaminaatha M. G. Sreekumar
M. G. Sreekumar
M. G. Sreekumar is a two-time National Award-winning Indian playback singer and music director who works in Malayalam cinema. With a career of over 25 years, he is one of the prominent male singers in the Malayalam film industry. He is known for matching voice with Malayalam actor Mohanlal. He has...

 
Traditional Keerthanam by Muthuswami Dikshitar
Muthuswami Dikshitar
Muthuswami Dikshitar is a South Indian poet and composer and is one of the Musical Trinity of Carnatic music...


Raga
Raga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...

:
Nattai
8 Kaadumi Naadumellam Mohanlal
Mohanlal
Mohanlal Vishwanathan Nair , known mononymously as Mohanlal , is a National Award-winning Indian actor, producer, singer and writer who is well known for his versatile and natural acting in Indian cinema & hence widely known as the Universal Star...

, Sujatha
Sujatha Mohan
Sujatha Mohan , usually credited as Sujatha, is an award-winning Indian playback singer who is popular for singing in Malayalam and Tamil movies. She has also sung for Telugu, Kannada and Hindi movies. She is widely popular for her evergreen melodies and her sweet voice is considered to be her...

, Chorus
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...

 

Trivia

  • P. K. R. Pillai of Shirdi Sai Creations started 2 films together, Chithram and Nair Saab
    Nair Saab
    Nair Saab is a 1989 blockbuster Malayalam film directed by Joshiy and starring Megastar Mammootty in the title role. It was released on the occasion of Onam.-Plot:...

    , but as he faced financial issues, he sold Nair Saab to Basheer of Liberty Productions and completed Chithram. Ultimately both films became blockbusters.

Remakes

Year Film Language Cast Director Box Office
1990 Alludugaru
Alludugaru
-Awards:*K. J. Yesudas won Nandi Award for Best Male Playback Singer for the song Muddabanthi Puvvulo.-External Links:*...

Telugu
Telugu cinema
The Cinema of Andhra Pradesh, also referred to as Telugu Cinema or Tollywood, is the Telugu film industry in India. The Telugu language film industry is known for being one of the three largest in terms of no.of films produced yearly in India. The Prasads IMAX theatre in Hyderabad is one of the...

Mohan Babu
Mohan babu
Mohan Babu is an actor & producer in Telugu Cinema. He is a former Member of Parliament - Rajya Sabha and Educationist from Andhra Pradesh...

, Shobana, Ramya Krishna, Kongara Jaggaiah
K. Raghavendra Rao
K. Raghavendra Rao
Kovelamudi Raghavendra Rao shortly K. Raghavendra is a renowned director. He is one of the most commercially successful directors of Telugu cinema, and many believe that his contribution has been instrumental to the success of Telugu cinema. As of 2006, Raghavendra Rao has directed 103 films...

Super Hit
1991 Pyar Hua Chori Chori
Pyar Hua Chori Chori
Pyar Hua Chori Chori is a 1991 Hindi-language Indian feature film directed by K.Bapaiah, starring Mithun Chakraborty, Gautami, Shikha Swaroop, Shafi Inamdar, Shakti Kapoor and Anupam Kher-Plot:...

Hindi Mithun Chakraborty
Mithun Chakraborty
Mithun Chakraborty is an Indian film actor, social activist, and entrepreneur, who has won three National Film Awards. He made his acting debut with the arthouse drama Mrigaya , for which he won his first National Film Award for Best Actor....

, Gautami, Shikha Swaroop
Shikha Swaroop
Shikha Swaroop is an Indian actor, and a former Miss India winner.She was born in a Kayastha family. While still in college, she was crowned Miss India 1988 and continued to wear this crown until 1991 when she relinquished it to Preeti Mankotia. No beauty contests were held during 1989 and 1990...

, Shafi Inamdar
Shafi Inamdar
Shafi Inamdar was an Indian actor. He started his film career with the film Vijeta and continued in Ardh Satya. He acted in a number of television serials including Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi. Shafi married actress Bhakti Barve. He died on 13 March 1996...

, Anupam Kher
Anupam Kher
Anupam Kher is an Indian actor who has appeared in nearly 400 films and 100 plays. Though mainly appearing in Bollywood films, he has had roles in some films from other nations as well...

K. Bapayya
Kovelamudi Bapayya
Kovelamudi Bapayya or K. Bapaiah is famous Indian film director. He has directed about 80 films in Telugu and Hindi languages.-Early life:...

Moderate
1995 Engirundho Vandhan Tamil
Tamil cinema
Tamil cinema is the film industry based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to the production of films in the Tamil language. It is based in Chennai's Kodambakkam district, where several South Indian film production companies are headquartered...

Sathyaraj
Sathyaraj
Sathyaraj is a Tamil film actor and media personality in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. A Tamil activist and a political influence, he has acted in over 150 films, ranging from action and drama to comedy. In 2007, he played the role of Periyar E. V. Ramasamy in the Tamil Nadu government-sponsored...

, Roja, Aamani
Aamani
Aamani is an actress who worked with Telugu cinema in the 1990's. She started her career doing small roles in films like Aadadhi . She played the role of a vamp in this film. She first appeared as heroine opposite Naresh in the film Jambalakidipamba. The film turned out to be a hit as a comedy...

Santhana Bharathi
Santhana Bharathi
Santhana Bharathi is a popular Tamil language film celebrity in Kollywood, the Tamil film industry in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. He has directed several films such as Guna and the National Film Award winner, Mahanadhi...

Flop
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