Ustaad (1999 film)

Ustaad was a powerful underworld don in Mumbai. He decides to stop everything and settle down in his home town with his sister Padmaja. Before he goes back, he sends his people Sami and Sethu to Yousuf Shah Associates to withdraw his share. Yousuf Shah, however, is not ready to give him a single penny. When Sulaiman, Yousuf's manager, creates a problem, Ustaad uses it to take his share of the money by force.

Back in Kozhikode, his hometown, Ustaad is merely Parameshwaran, an adorable brother and guardian to his younger sister Padmaja. He maintains a low profile as a businessman who has ventured into real estate.

Padmaja has fallen in love with her friend Nandan, who is the son of Koliyodan Shekharan, a businessman who has not been doing so well, mainly because of the extravagant lifestyle of his older son Koliyodan Giri. Mohan Thampy, Shekharan's son-in-law, is a business tycoon and a politician as well. Thampy originally was helped financially by Shekharan, but over time, he got more involved with the underworld, and due to that they have a strained relationship.

Varsha, a newly appointed police commissioner, does not like Parameshwaran. Meanwhile, Padmaja wants to marry Nandan, to which Parameshwaran gives his approval. The night before the wedding, Parameshwaran is arrested by Varsha for gold smuggling. He learns that his arrest was set up by Yousuf Shah and Thampy. Varsha later realizes her mistake, and vows to support Parameshwaran.

Thampy then devises a plan to vanquish Ustaad. He force Padmaja to vow her properties to help her father-in-law who has a large debt to Thampy. As a mediator, Thampy gives some money to Giri and advise him to keep it on Nandan's office room and will inform the police and make Nandan and Padmaja arrest for money laundering. This enrages Ustaad. He finds Thampy who is in the protection of a minister. He makes him speak all the truth in front of Varsha.

Later Yousuf threatens Ustaad by telling him that he will kill his sister by bomb and breaks his right hand. Ustaad hunts down Yousuf Shah, who flees to Dubai, and finally defeats him in the desert. He flies back to join his sister and family.

• Mohanlal as Ustaad / Parameshwaran
• Divya Unni as Padmaja / Pappa
• Indraja as Kshama
• Rajeev as Yousuf Shah
• Siddique as Irani (Cameo appearance)
• Vani Viswanath as Commissioner Varsha Varma IPS
• Janardhanan as Swamy
• Innocent as Kunji Palu
• Vineeth as Koliyodan Nandan, Padmaja's husband
• K. B. Ganesh Kumar as Sethu
• Maniyanpilla Raju as Adv.Abraham
• Augustine as Ali Abu
• Saikumar as Koliyodan Giri
• N. F. Varghese as Mohan Thampy
• Narendra Prasad as Koliyodan Shekharan
• Cochin Hanifa as Shivaji Rao/Kuttikrishnan
• Chithra as Ambika, Mohan Thampy's Wife
• Kunchan as Appootty
• Jomol as Sister of Yousaf Shah (Cameo Appearance)
• Sudheesh as Husband of Yousaf Shah's Sister (Cameo Appearance)
• Srividya as Dr.Malathi Menon, Kshama's Mother
• Sadiq as Police Superintendent
• Kozhikode Narayanan Nair as Kshama's Uncle
• Sindhu as Raji, Giri's Wife
• Santhakumari as Devakiyamma
• Thambi Kannanthanam as Yousaf Shah's Partner
• Manka Mahesh as Varsha's Mother
• Sajitha Betti as Kshama's Friend
• Mafia Sasi as Sulaiman, Yousaf Shah's Henchman
• Abu Salim as Yousaf Shah's Henchman
• Prasanna Master as dancer(cameo appearance)

The song "Theerchayilla Janam" was filmed at the AVM Studio in Chennai, for which a set was constructed resembling a bar. It was choreographed by Kala. The song was sung by Mohanlal and featured himself along with dancers, club members, and the villains.[3]

The songs soundtrack was composed by Vidyasagar and Thej Mervin ("Thirchayilla"). The lyrics were by Gireesh Puthenchery and Kannan Pareekutty ("Theerchayilla").

Ustaad was released on 5 May 1999. The film was average at the box office.[1] The movie was speculated to be an inspiration for the 2015 Tamil movie Vedalam.[4]

• Ustaad at IMDb