Kireedam
And
Bharatham
Restoration:
As
film
lovers
gather
in
Goa
for
the
56th
International
Film
Festival
of
India
(November
20
to
28,
2025),
two
Malayalam
mainstream
classics
are
preparing
for
a
historic
return.
Kireedam
(1989)
and
Bharatham
(1991),
two
milestone
films
of
the
Mohanlal-Sibi
Malayil-A.
K.
Lohithadas
combo,
are
being
digitally
restored
by
the
National
Film
Archive
of
India
(NFAI)
under
the
National
Film
Development
Corporation
(NFDC).
The
news
was
confirmed
in
a
Mathrubhumi
interview
with
NFDC
Managing
Director
Prakash
Magdum,
who
revealed
that
Kireedam’s
restoration
has
already
been
completed
and
will
be
showcased
in
4K
visual
quality
at
IFFI
on
November
26.
He
also
stated
to
Mathrubhumi
that
Mohanlal
has
been
invited
to
introduce
the
restored
version
to
the
festival
audience.
Why
This
Restoration
Matters
Now
More
Than
Ever
The
restoration
of
these
films
comes
at
a
time
when
Malayalam
vintage
films
are
grappling
with
one
of
its
biggest
challenges,
the
alarming
lack
of
original
film
prints.
Due
to
decades
of
inadequate
archival
practices,
countless
Malayalam
films
from
the
70s,
80s,
and
90s
are
now
nearly
impossible
to
restore.
Attempts
to
remaster
hits
like
Chithram,
Kilukkam,
Thalavattam,
New
Delhi,
and
Dhruvam
have
reportedly
hit
a
dead
end
because
not
a
single
usable
print
could
be
recovered.
In
this
context,
the
NFDC
and
NFAI
restoration
of
Kireedam
and
Bharatham
is
not
just
timely,
it
is
a
significant
achievement.
Prakash
Magdum
told
Mathrubhumi
that
NFDC
is
currently
prioritising
films
with
national
awards,
critical
acclaim,
and
historical
value.
Kireedam
and
Bharatham
unquestionably
fit
that
category.
A
Revival
Amid
Kerala’s
Remastering
Trend
In
recent
years,
Malayalam
cinema
has
seen
a
wave
of
remastered
re-releases.
Audiences
have
welcomed
the
trend,
but
several
releases
faced
criticism
for
their
inconsistent
picture
and
sound
quality.
With
NFDC
and
NFAI
overseeing
these
two
major
restorations,
expectations
are
higher,
especially
because
the
process
involves
close
collaboration
with
the
original
cinematographers
and
filmmaker
Sibi
Malayil,
ensuring
authenticity.
The
goal
of
the
restoration
is
to
bring
the
films
as
close
to
their
original
form
as
possible,
preserving
the
look,
sound,
and
overall
essence
from
when
Kireedam
was
first
released
in
1989
and
Bharatham
in
1991.
Damage
caused
by
aging,
including
color
fading,
scratches,
or
audio
deterioration,
is
carefully
corrected,
but
no
changes
are
made
to
the
original
content.
Restored
versions
will
be
made
available
in
4K
or
8K
visual
quality,
allowing
the
younger
generation
to
experience
the
circumstances
and
culture
of
the
past.
Notably,
modern
enhancements
like
Dolby
Atmos
remixing
are
not
applied,
preserving
the
films’ original
soundscape
and
cinematic
integrity.
Kireedam:
The
Film
That
Redefined
Mohanlal
As
An
Actor
Kireedam
holds
a
special
place
in
Mohanlal’s
career.
Released
in
1989,
it
showcased
one
of
his
earliest
and
most
controlled
performances,
an
emotionally
devastating
portrayal
of
a
young
man
crushed
by
circumstances.
His
scenes
with
legendary
actor
Thilakan
remain
some
of
Malayalam
cinema’s
most
powerful
father-son
moments.
The
film’s
blend
of
action,
family
drama,
and
realism
made
it
a
rare
commercial
and
critical
triumph.
Its
themes,
dialogues,
songs,
and
climax
have
become
part
of
Kerala’s
collective
memory.
The
success
of
Kireedam
also
elevated
director
Sibi
Malayil
and
writer
A.
K.
Lohithadas
into
cultural
icons.
Additionally,
Mohanlal
received
a
National
Award
Special
Mention
for
his
performance
in
the
film.
That
Kireedam
is
returning
in
4K,
three
decades
later,
is
a
moment
of
pride
for
Malayalam
cinema,
as
highlighted
in
Mathrubhumi’s
report.
Bharatham:
The
Film
That
Earned
Mohanlal
His
First
National
Award
If
Kireedam
revealed
Mohanlal’s
intensity,
Bharatham
showcased
his
grace
and
emotional
depth.
The
film,
rooted
in
Carnatic
music,
gave
Mohanlal
his
first
National
Award
for
Best
Actor.
His
on-screen
rapport
with
Nedumudi
Venu,
another
master
performer,
remains
unforgettable.
Both
actors
delivered
nuanced
performances
while
portraying
classically
trained
musicians,
something
extremely
difficult
to
achieve
convincingly.
The
film’s
songs,
composed
by
Raveendran,
remain
evergreen.
According
to
Mathrubhumi’s
report,
the
restoration
of
Bharatham
is
in
its
final
stage
under
NFDC’s
supervision
and
is
expected
to
be
completed
soon.
An
Honour
That
Arrives
at
the
Right
Time
In
2025,
the
Government
of
India
honoured
Mohanlal
with
the
Dadasaheb
Phalke
Award,
recognising
his
extraordinary
contribution
to
Indian
cinema.
That
the
restorations
of
Kireedam
and
Bharatham
are
happening
in
the
same
year
feels
symbolically
perfect,
as
if
cinema
itself
is
paying
tribute
to
one
of
its
finest
performers
while
celebrating
the
remarkable
collaboration
of
Mohanlal,
Lohithadas,
and
Sibi
Malayil.
For
Malayalam
cinema,
a
treasure
trove
of
iconic
works
often
at
risk
of
being
lost,
the
restoration
of
Kireedam
and
Bharatham
represents
another
hopeful
turning
point.