When ‘Devadoothan’, the mystery drama directed by Sibi Malayil, released 24 years ago, the filmmakers never imagined that it would be a huge failure at the box office. Now, in 2024, the film, which has been remastered in 4K, is touted to be one of the most awaited re-releases in Mollywood this year. Speaking to Onmanorama, Sibi Malayil said that the film has been remastered following requests from various quarters. He also said that the film has been trimmed by 30 minutes considering the feedback he has been getting from people.

“The film didn’t do well at the box office when it was released in 2000. However, we believe it will do wonders at the box office if it is re-released. It was way ahead of its time then. We believe this is the perfect time to re-release the film,” he said. “I have cut 30 minutes from the film based on people’s feedback. We believe this will enhance the film better,” he added.

The film, starring Mohanlal and Jaya Prada in prominent roles, revolves around a composer’s quest to find the truth behind the unknown spirit that guides him when he returns to his college. Written by novelist and screenwriter Raghunath Paleri, the film also features Jagathy Sreekumar, Vijayalakshmi, Vineeth Kumar, Murali and Jagadish in prominent roles.

Criticism of the film
One of the criticisms leveled at the film was the parody of Jagathy Sreekumar’s character. Jagathy as Sthevachan in ‘Devadoothan’ was not particularly funny and even ruined the mood of the film, which otherwise had a surreal, mysterious tone. A Reddit user hoped that most of the scenes involving Jagathy’s character would be removed from the film. Another Reddit user criticized Mohanlal’s acting in the film and felt that he was still in the ‘Narasimham’ hangover even though he acted in the film.