Udayakrishna-Siby K. Thomas

Udayakrishna and
Siby K. Thomas
Born Kerala, India
Occupation Screenwriters
Years active 1995-Present

Udayakrishna and Siby K. Thomas are an Indian screenwriter duo known for their work in Malayalam cinema.[1] Most of their works are in the comedy genre with films such as Mattupetti Machan (1998), Udayapuram Sulthan (1999), Dhosth (2001), C.I.D. Moosa (2003), Runway (2004), Thuruppu Gulan (2005), Twenty:20 (2008), Pokkiri Raja (2010), Christian Brothers (2011) and Mayamohini (2012); all turning out to be big commercial hits.[2]

The duo started their career as assistant directors and wrote their first screenplay in 1997, for Hitler Brothers. They got their break through Mattuppetti Machan (1998) but it was Udayapuram Sulthan (1999) that made them bankable screenwriters. They made memorable films with directors including Joshiy, Johny Antony, Jose Thomas and Sandhya Mohan.

The duo are often criticised for the lack of content in their screenplays, their continuous association with superstars. But most of their films were big hits owing to the elitist nature of the industry.[3] The duo part away in 2015, Udayakrishna to continue as a scriptwriter while Sibi K. Thomas as a filmmaker. Udayakrishna penned his first Independent script Puli Murugan in 2015 and is scripting for Sibi's first directorial debut.[4]

Career

Both Siby and Udayakrishna started their career as assistant directors. Siby assisted Balu Kiriyath and Sandhya Mohan while Udayakrishna assisted A.R.Mukesh(film script writer), Ali Akbar, K. Madhu and Venu B. Nair.[5] It was actor Manoj K. Jayan who prodded them into a reel partnership and agreed to star in their directorial debut.[5] However, that project did not work out. Subsequently, they wrote their first script, Hitler Brothers (1997), for Sandhya Mohan, followed by Mayajalam for Balu Kiriyath. Both films failed at the box office.[5] The duo's first hit came through Mattuppetti Machan directed by Jose Thomas, and was followed by the Dileep-starrer Udayapuram Sulthan by the same director.[5] Then came Sundrapurushan starring Suresh Gopi which was a moderate success. It was followed by Rajasenan's successful movies, Dileep-starrer Darling Darling and Jayaram-starrer Malayalimamanu Vanakkam. C.I.D. Moosa, directed by Johny Antony and starring Dileep was a notable success in the duo's career. They associated with Johny Antony in most of his directorial ventures thereafter including the commercially successful Kochi Rajavu and Thuruppu Gulan.

They worked with veteran director Joshiy in Dileep-starrers Runway, Lion and July 4, and in the landmark Malayalam film Twenty:20. Twenty:20 was produced by Association of Malayalam Movie Artists in association with Dileep's Grand Productions and starred almost all major actors of Malayalam cinema. The film became the highest grossing Malayalam film of all time and brought several appreciations for Siby and Udayakrishna.[6] Twenty:20 was followed by the Mammootty-starrer children's film Ee Pattanathil Bhootham, which was panned by the critics and became an average grosser. In 2010, they made a comeback with another Mammootty-starrer Pokkiri Raja, which went on to become a big success and the highest grossing film of the year.[7] However, critical responses for Pokkiri Raja were mostly mixed. In the same year, they also scripted debutante Thomson K. Thomas's Kaaryasthan, another Dileep starrer. Despite negative reviews from critics, the film closely followed Pokkiri Raja in collection records of the year.[7] Their only film in 2011 was Christian Brothers, another multi-starrer with Joshiy, which went on to become a huge success.[8][9] They scripted two films in 2012, Mayamohini and Mr. Marumakan, both starring Dileep. The former was a tremendous success and was amongst the highest grossing films of the year while the latter, despite receiving heavy criticism from film critics, managed to become an average hit. The latest release in their combination is Dileep-starrer SringaraVelan.

Style

Most of their films are in the comedy genre. They are known for heavy usage of slapstick comedy in all the films. The protagonists of their films often hail from rich Christian and Hindu families and often the film itself revolves around the family ties or rivalries between two families.[10]

The duo are often criticised for the lack of content in their screenplays and for the continuous association with superstars. They justifiy:

“ Our mantra is to make sure that those who have invested money in the film gets maximum returns and those who pay for the ticket get entertained. We are limiting our experiments to the stars and their stardom as of now.[5] ”

Filmography

Year Film Director Notes Verdict
1997 Hitler Brothers Sandhya Mohan Udayakrishna acts in this film as a thief. Flop
1998 Meenakshi Kalyanam Jose Thomas Average
Mayajalam Balu Kiriyath Flop
Amma Ammaayiyamma Sandhya Mohan Super Hit
Mattupetti Machan Jose Thomas Udayakrishna acts as a driver. Super Hit
1999 Udayapuram Sulthan Jose Thomas Super Hit
My Dear Karadi Sandhya Mohan Average
Tokyo Nagarathile Viseshangal Jose Thomas Disaster
2000 Darling Darling Rajasenan Hit
2001 Sundara Purushan Jose Thomas Average
2001 Dhosth Thulasidas Hit
2002 Malayalimamanu Vanakkam Rajasenan Hit
Snehithan Jose Thomas Disaster
2003 C.I.D. Moosa Johny Antony Blockbuster
Pulival Kalyanam Shafi Super Hit
2004 Runway Joshiy Blockbuster
Vettam Priyadarshan Average
2005 Kochi Rajavu Johny Antony Hit
2006 Lion Joshiy Super Hit
Kilukkam Kilukilukkam Sandhya Mohan Disaster
Thuruppu Gulan Johny Antony Super Hit
Chess Raj Babu Average
2007 Inspector Garud Johny Antony Flop
July 4 Joshiy Flop
2008 Magic Lamp Haridas Disaster
Twenty:20 Joshiy Industry Hit
2009 Ee Pattanathil Bhootham Johny Antony Flop
2010 Pokkiri Raja Vyshakh Blockbuster
Kaaryasthan Thomson K. Thomas Supet Hit
2011 Christian Brothers Joshiy Blockbuster
2012 Mayamohini Jose Thomas Blockbuster
Mr. Marumakan Sandhya Mohan Average
2013 Kammath & Kammath Thomson K. Thomas Udayakrishna and Sibi K. Thomas appear in a song. Average
Sringaravelan Jose Thomas Hit
2014 Avatharam Joshiy Produced by Udayakrishna-Siby K. Thomas Flop
Rajadhi Raja Ajai Vasudev Hit
Mylanchi Monchulla Veedu Benny Thomas Flop
2015 Puli Murugan Vysakh Filming, Udayakrishna alone scripts the film

References

  1. ↑ http://www.mathrubhumi.com/movies/interview/27441/
  2. ↑ "Star Talk – Sibi K Thomas And Udaya Krishna". Indiaglitz. 14 April 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  3. ↑ http://www.mathrubhumi.com/movies/interview/188412/
  4. ↑ Udayakrishna And Sibi K Thomas Part Ways
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Scripting blockbusters". The Hindu. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  6. ↑ "Box-office report 2008". Indian Filmdom. 9 November 2008. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  7. 1 2 "2010 Top 10". Sify.com. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  8. ↑ "Christian Brothers box office collection". Keralaboxoffice.com. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
  9. ↑ "Many stars, poor show". Deccan Herald. 22 March 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
  10. ↑ http://www.mangalam.com/life-style/success/34748

External links

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