It has been reported that director Lijo Jose Pellissery's directorial debut, Nayakan (2010), featuring Indrajith Sukumaran as a vengeful Kathakali artist, would hit theatres again. On Thursday, Indrajith shared a poster confirming that the film is scheduled to rerelease in theatres on October 30, Friday. The new release date has been announced as the makers missed the previous September 04 slot. The Nayakan rerelease will come with a 4K restored version of the film with Dolby Atmos sound.
Written by PS Rafeeque, the film received critical acclaim upon its release in 2010, although it struggled at the box office. At the time, many viewers felt that it prioritised style over substance, even as they commended its technical aspects. It hit theaters just a day after Thanthonni, featuring Prithviraj Sukumaran (Indrajith's brother) in the lead role. Over time, however, the film has gained a cult following and built a loyal audience of its own, particularly as Lijo's reputation as a filmmaker has grown.
Indrajith Sukumaran stars in the film as Varadanunni, a Kathakali artist who enters the underworld to take revenge for his family's murder by a local gangster.
The film is known for its distinctive blend of traditional Kathakali art and hyper-styled action sequences, besides strong performances from a supporting cast that includes Thilakan as a mafia kingpin and Siddique as an underworld don. The ensemble cast also features Jagathy Sreekumar, Vijayaraghavan, Lalu Alex, Kalashala Babu, Chemban Vinod Jose, Dhanya Mary Varghese, Sreejith Ravi, Anil Murali, Salu K. George, Shivaji, Kiranraj, Tosh Christy, Vijay Menon, and Ambika Mohan. Filmmaker Lijo also makes a brief appearance in the film as an underworld henchman.
With its 4K restoration, the Nayakan rerelease offers both longtime admirers and a new generation of viewers an opportunity to experience the film on the big screen.