Chithram
A woman hires a stranger to pose as her husband because she doesn't want her ailing father to know that her fiance broke their engagement.
Directed by Priyadarshan · Comedy · Drama · Musical · 159 min · 1988
Director
Priyadarshan
Writer
Priyadarshan
Studio
Shirdi Sai Creations
Release
23 Dec 1988
Runtime
159 min
Genres
Comedy, Drama, Musical
Full Plot
Kalyani (Renjini) decides to marry her boyfriend against her father's (Poornam Vishwanathan) wish. But her boyfriend ditches her when he comes to know that she would be disinherited. Kalyani's father Ramachandra Menon, who stays in US, is unaware of the broken engagement and comes to India to spend his vacation with his newlywed daughter and son in law. This prompts Kaimail (Nedumudi Venu), who takes care of Kalyani, to hire a stranger named Vishnu (Mohanlal) to play the role of Kalyani's husband. But Kalyani's cousin Bhaskaran (Sreenivasan) is aware that Vishnu is not Kalyani's husband and tries to inform Menon about the truth with proof so that he can inherit Menon's wealth. Meanwhile Vishnu and Kalyani never get on well and keep on fighting. But later she develops an affection for him and wishes that she could marry him. But the arrival of a mysterious stranger (M. G. Soman) gives the story a twist as it unfolds Vishnu's past.
Cast & Characters
Vishnu
Mohanlal
Adv. Purushothama Kaimal, Kalyani's Uncle
Nedumudi Venu
Renjini
Kalyani, Vishnu's Love Interest
Ranjini
Ramachandra Menon, Kalyani's Father (voice by Narendra Prasad)
Poornam Viswanathan
Bhaskaran Nambiar, Kalyani's Cousin
Sreenivasan
Jail Superintendent
M. G. Soman
Revathy, Vishnu's Deceased Wife
Lissy
Vishnu's Friend
Jagadish
Murugan, Nambiar's Helper
Maniyanpilla Raju
Subhadra, Ramachandra Menon's Sister and Bhaskaran Nambiar's Mother
Sukumari
Did You Know?
Priyadarshan has directed 8 films in our catalog, including Hera Pheri, Kilukkam.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
Mohanlal appears in 21 films in our catalog, including Jailer, Manichitrathazhu.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
Chithram was released during a Christmas weekend on 23 December 1988.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Critical Assessment
Chithram holds 8.6/10 on IMDb (6,279 votes).
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of July 30, 2026
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.6/10 on IMDb (6,279 votes)), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chithram's IMDb rating?+
Chithram has a 8.6/10 rating on IMDb from 6,279 votes.
Is Chithram good? What are critics saying?+
Chithram holds 8.6/10 on IMDb (6,279 votes).
How long is Chithram?+
Chithram has a runtime of 159 min.
Who directed Chithram?+
Chithram was directed by Priyadarshan.
Fan & Critic Buzz
Chithram received widespread critical acclaim upon its release, breaking records in Malayalam cinema and achieving significant commercial success. The film's extended run and impressive box office earnings solidified its status as a notable achievement in the industry. Its success was not limited to Malayalam cinema, with the movie also performing well in Tamil Nadu.
Source: Wikipedia — Critical reception (CC BY-SA)
