Sathyan Anthikkad

Technically sound Films are very rare in Malayalam Film Industry, yet these films are dubbed or remake in to Tamil/Telugu/ Bollywood। The interesting features of Malayalam Film are its simplicity, way of narration, variety in the selection of stories...etc। Nowadays these features are lacking in Malayalam Films because of its nature to imitate the films in Tamil। Another major disaster the industry still facing is the horrible stereotyped comedy characters and lack of sensible stories। However, there is an exception to the films of one and only one director "Sathyan Anthikkad”।

Sathyan Anthikkad, who is specialized in making rural oriented stories with a bit of humor and scintillating musical scores, is a vigilant observer to the simple and minute aspects of every moments of life। That's why a common Malayalee feels nostalgia while seeing his down to earth characters and that makes his film a great success in the commercial sense also। His film assures hundred percent guarantees to the producer even if that was a multi star/superstar film। His sarcastic view of evil aspects of political life is well narrated in the film "Sandesham" and that film has utmost significance in the current political scenario of our country। His another film "Manassinakkare" portrays the inner minds of new generations who are indulged in making love with older people for mainly acquiring financial benefits and through that kind of love they block the entire freedom of older ones। The Hero in this film is a symbol of care and love and the magical affection between him and his father encourages the newer generation viewers to behave friendly to their old aged parents।
We don’t ignore the mastermind behind several Sathyan Hits, ie Sreenivasan। This duo excels everybody in the film field with their successful combination and that’s why a Malayalee viewer always expects some miracles of satire in their films।


Actor Mohanlal and Sathyan Anthikkad is one of the finest combinations the Malayalam industry has ever produced. The duo succeeded to make great box office hits namely “Gandhinagar II nd Street”, “Sanmanassullavarku Samadhanam” and “T.P.Balagopalan M.A.”, “Kaliyil Alpam Karyam” and the recently released “Rasathanthram”. Mohanlal got his first state award for the best actor for his excellent performance in the film “T.P.Balagopalan M.A”. The all time hit comedies of SathyanAnthikkadu are “Nadodikkattu” and “Pattanapravesham”, these two films humorously narrates the problems of the unemployed educated men and the baseless investigation techniques used by our law & order departments. “Varavelppu” is another classical example of his diversity in story selection and this film gives the reasons why a Gulf Malayalee become reluctant to invest his earnings into the god’s own country.

"Sathyan and Mukesh “Symbols of genuine humour”


In his “Sreedharante Onnam Thirumurivu” and “Golandhara Vaarthakal”,he takes the courage to give the role of comedian character to Mammootty, who is not familiar with that type of role at that period of time. Then he has his experiments with Jayaram and the duo gave not only big hits but also some moral treatments to the current social atrocities. Jayaram-Satyan Hits include “Thoovalkkottaram”, Manassinakkare, “Veendum Chila Veettu Karyangal”, and Yathrakkarude Sradhakku...etc. He gave utmost importance to the intimate feelings of parents to children and vice versa. In “Achuvinte Amma”, a Mega hit film which depicts the passionate love between a mother and her lovely girl brings us the real fact that “Subject/Story and its way of narration “play the major role and not the so called worshipped heroes or directors.


It is a tedious task to analyse all the films of “Sathyan Anthikkad” because he directed about more than 40 films. But one can definitely accept the fact that Malayalam film industry will always be grateful to him for his unique style of direction and presentation.


A Brief Description of Sathyan’s Continuing Innings

Date of Birth - January 3, 1954
Place of Birth - Anthikkad village of the Trissur district
Father - M.V. Krishnan
Mother - M.K. Kalyani.
Wife - Nirmala Sathyan
Children - Arun M.S - MBA Students, Akhil & Anoop

He started his career as a lyrcist in Malayalam Cinema and wrote the famous lines “Oru nimisham tharoo Ninnilaliyan, Oru yugam tharoo Ninneyariyan...”. He was successful as a lyrcist and write lyrics for about hundreds of films. But now his level of career boomed as a “Superhit Director”. In the earlier days , he started as an Assistant Director Dr. Balakrishnan. Sathyan started his film direction with Kurukkante Kalyanam in 1982 and there was no turning back.

Year Films Directed

1982 Kurukkante Kalyaanam
1983 Kinnaaram
1983 Mandanmaar Londonil
1984 Veruthe Oru Pinakkam
1984 Appuni
1984 Kaliyil Alpam Kaaryam
1984 Aduthaduthu
1985 Adhyaam Onnu Muthal
1985 Gayathri Devi Ente Amma
1986 Pappan Priyappetta Pappan
1986 T.P. Baalagopalan M.A.
1986 Gaandhinagar 2nd Street
1986 Sanmanasullavarkku Samaadhaanam
1987 Sreedharante Onaam Thirumurivu
1987 Naadodikkaattu
1988 Kudumbapuranam
1988 Pattanapravesham
1988 Ponmuttayidunna Thaaraavu
1989 Lal Americayil
1989 Varvelppu
1989 Artham
1989 Mazhavilkkaavady
1990 Sasneham
1990 Kalikkalam
1990 Thalayanamanthram
1991 Ennum Nanmakal)
1991 Kanalkkaattu
1991 Sandhesham
1992 My Dear Muthachan
1992 Snehasaagaram
1993 Samooham
1993 Golaanthara Vaarthakal
1994 Santhaanagopalam
1994 Pingaami
1995 No:1, Snehatheeram, Bangalore North
1996 Thoovalkottaram
1997 Irattakuttikalude Achan
1997 Oraal Maathram
1999 Veendum Chila Veettu Kaaryangal
2000 Kochu Kochu Santhoshangal
2001 Narendran Makan Jayakaanthan Vaka
2002 Yathrakkarude Sradhakku
2003 Manassinakkare
2005 Achuvinte Amma
2006 Rasathanthram
2007 Vinodayaathra
2008 Innathe Chintha Vishayam