{ "id": "epex880cc6", "slug": "irupatham-noottandu", "title": "Irupatham Noottandu (ഇരുപതാം നൂറ്റാണ്ട്)", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema", "label": "Indian films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.malayalam-films-before-2010", "label": "Malayalam films before 2010", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.malayalam-films-before-2010" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.malayalam-films-before-2010", "label": "India · 1946 to 2000: Malayalam films before 2010", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.malayalam-films-before-2010", "path": [ { "id": "geo.ind", "label": "India", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946", "label": "India · 1946 to 2000", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema", "label": "Indian films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.malayalam-films-before-2010", "label": "Malayalam films before 2010", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.malayalam-films-before-2010" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Irupatham Noottandu (ഇരുപതാം നൂറ്റാണ്ട്, Twentieth Century) is a 1987 Malayalam crime thriller directed by K. Madhu, written by S. N. Swamy, starring Mohanlal as cult character Sagar Alias Jacky; not the 2019 Pranav Mohanlal film.", "snippet": "Irupatham Noottandu (ഇരുപതാം നൂറ്റാണ്ട്, Twentieth Century) is a 1987 Malayalam crime thriller directed by K. Madhu, written by S. N. Swamy, starring Mohanlal as cult character Sagar Alias Jacky; not the 2019 Pranav Mohanlal film.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.malayalam-films-before-2010", "markdown": "# Irupatham Noottandu (ഇരുപതാം നൂറ്റാണ്ട്)\n\n**Irupatham Noottandu** (ഇരുപതാം നൂറ്റാണ്ട്, \"Twentieth Century\") is a 1987 Indian Malayalam-language crime thriller film directed by K. Madhu, written by S. N. Swamy, and produced by M. Mani under the Sunitha Productions banner, starring Mohanlal as the smuggler Sagar Alias Jacky.[1](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/movies/irupatham-noottandu/story.html) • [2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlAvazTWf1A) On release it broke box office records to become the highest-grossing Malayalam film until then, and its title character entered Malayalam popular cinema as a cult figure.[2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlAvazTWf1A) • [3](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/trends/2018/Aug/20/brains-and-brawn-style-and-substance-7511.html)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Original title | ഇരുപതാം നൂറ്റാണ്ട് (\"Twentieth Century\")[4](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/irupatham-noottandu) |\n| Director / writer | K. Madhu (director); S. N. Swamy (story, screenplay, dialogue)[1](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/movies/irupatham-noottandu/story.html) |\n| Lead cast | Mohanlal (Sagar Alias Jacky), Suresh Gopi (Sekharankutty), Ambika (Aswathy Varma), Urvashi (Jyothi), Jagathy Sreekumar (Chanakyan)[5](https://letterboxd.com/film/irupatham-noottandu/) |\n| Release | May 1987; sources give 6 May, 14 May, or 15 May[1](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/movies/irupatham-noottandu/story.html) • [2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlAvazTWf1A) • [6](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/1250/malayalam/irupatham-noottandu/index.htm) |\n| Runtime | 150 minutes (2 h 30 min)[4](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/irupatham-noottandu) |\n| Box office | More than ₹20 million (₹2 crore) gross; ran over 175 days in theaters; highest-grossing Malayalam film until then[2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlAvazTWf1A) |\n| Music | Shyam, with lyrics by Chunakkara Ramankutty[1](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/movies/irupatham-noottandu/story.html) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Plot\n\nInvestigative reporter Ashwathy (Ambika) works for a news magazine looking into the connection between politics and crime in Kerala. Her reporting draws her to Sagar Alias Jacky (Mohanlal), who runs a clandestine gold smuggling operation for Sekharankutty ([Suresh Gopi](https://www.edgepedia.org/suresh-gopi)), the son of the state Chief Minister. Jacky refuses to let the smuggling business grow into narcotics on ethical grounds, and pines for Jyothi (Urvashi), who is serving a prison sentence for murder. Ashwathy publishes a sensational article linking Jacky to the minister's family, pushing the uneasy relationship between Sekharankutty and Jacky into open confrontation.[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0292023/plotsummary/) • [4](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/irupatham-noottandu)\n\n## Production and crew\n\nThe film was produced by M. Mani for Sunitha Productions and distributed by Aaroma Release. S. N. Swamy handled story, screenplay, and dialogue; [Vipin Das](https://www.edgepedia.org/vipin-das) was the cinematographer, V. P. Krishnan the editor, and Thyagarajan staged the stunts.[1](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/movies/irupatham-noottandu/story.html) • [5](https://letterboxd.com/film/irupatham-noottandu/) Shyam composed the music and Chunakkara Ramankutty wrote the lyrics.[1](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/movies/irupatham-noottandu/story.html)\n\nThe film's theme music was reused, with slight changes, in the 2009 follow-up *Sagar Alias Jacky Reloaded*, and its crane and jib camera movements, shifting perspective from high to low and back, were uncommon in the Malayalam film industry at the time.[8](https://archives.christuniversity.in/disk0/00/00/71/58/01/1424011_Joseph.pdf)\n\n## Sagar Alias Jacky and the film's standing\n\nWhen K. Madhu and S. N. Swamy introduced Sagar Alias Jacky, they did so without fanfare: the character first appears at a car rally that is later revealed as a front for a smuggling operation. The underworld don with a code of conduct, who detests those who make money from drugs, evokes [Vito Corleone](https://www.edgepedia.org/vito-corleone) from [Mario Puzo](https://www.edgepedia.org/mario-puzo)'s *The Godfather*, and the central conflict grows from opposing principles between Jacky and an ally. The character became one of [Malayalam cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/malayalam-cinema)'s cult figures and one of the early roles that treated Mohanlal as a superstar rather than primarily an actor.[3](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/trends/2018/Aug/20/brains-and-brawn-style-and-substance-7511.html) • [5](https://letterboxd.com/film/irupatham-noottandu/)\n\nThe film retains a cult following decades after release; it marked 33 years since its theatrical run in May 2020 and is remembered alongside Mohanlal's other films of the period.[9](https://m-malayalam-uat.webdunia.com/article/malayalam-best-movies/33-years-of-irupatham-noottandu-120051400028_1.html) It is currently available for streaming in India on Eros Now (via the Eros Now Select Apple TV channel).[4](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/irupatham-noottandu)\n\n## Release date\n\nSources disagree on the exact day of release in May 1987. FMDb, FilmiBeat Malayalam, Digit, and [Letterboxd](https://www.edgepedia.org/letterboxd) list 6 May 1987;[1](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/movies/irupatham-noottandu/story.html) • [10](https://fmdb.mov/movie/191337) • [11](https://www.digit.in/digit-binge/movies/irupatham-noottandu-741720.html) • [5](https://letterboxd.com/film/irupatham-noottandu/) the Amrita Movies upload of the full film, the Webdunia anniversary piece, and the Thai-language film wiki give 14 May 1987;[2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlAvazTWf1A) • [9](https://m-malayalam-uat.webdunia.com/article/malayalam-best-movies/33-years-of-irupatham-noottandu-120051400028_1.html) and Nowrunning lists 15 May 1987.[6](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/1250/malayalam/irupatham-noottandu/index.htm)\n\n## Remakes and follow-ups\n\nThe film was remade in Kannada as *Jackey* (1989) and in Telugu as *20va Shatabdam* (1990), with Devaraj portraying Shekarankutty in both versions.[2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlAvazTWf1A) In 2009, [Amal Neerad](https://www.edgepedia.org/amal-neerad) directed *Sagar Alias Jacky Reloaded*, described as a spiritual sequel, with Mohanlal reprising his role.[2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlAvazTWf1A)\n\nA separate 2019 Malayalam film, *Irupathiyonnaam Noottaandu* (ഇരുപത്തിയൊന്നാം നൂറ്റാണ്ട്, \"Twenty-First Century\"), directed by Arun Gopy and starring [Pranav Mohanlal](https://www.edgepedia.org/pranav-mohanlal), shares a similar title but has no story connection to the 1987 film; its makers stated before release that it was not a continuation, and reviewers confirmed no connection to the classic.[12](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/reviews/malayalam/2019/Jan/25/irupathiyonnaam-noottaandu-review-well-intentioned-and-charming-but-overlong-9779.html) • [13](https://www.madhyamam.com/amp/movies/reviews/irupathiyonnam-noottandu-review-movie-news/588830)\n\n## References\n\n1. [ഇരുപതാം നൂറ്റാണ്ട് കഥ | Irupatham Noottandu Movie Story, FilmiBeat Malayalam](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/movies/irupatham-noottandu/story.html)\n2. [Irupatham Nootandu | ഇരുപതാം നൂറ്റാണ്ടു | Car Raid Scene, Amrita Movies (YouTube)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlAvazTWf1A)\n3. [Brains and brawn, style and substance, The New Indian Express (Cinema Express)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/trends/2018/Aug/20/brains-and-brawn-style-and-substance-7511.html)\n4. [Irupatham Noottandu streaming: where to watch online?, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/irupatham-noottandu)\n5. [Irupatham Noottandu (1987), Letterboxd](https://letterboxd.com/film/irupatham-noottandu/)\n6. [Irupatham Noottandu Malayalam Movie, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/1250/malayalam/irupatham-noottandu/index.htm)\n7. [Irupatham Noottandu (1987) - Plot, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0292023/plotsummary/)\n8. [Joseph, dissertation on cinematography in Malayalam cinema, Christ University archives](https://archives.christuniversity.in/disk0/00/00/71/58/01/1424011_Joseph.pdf)\n9. [നാർക്കോട്ടിക്‍സ് ഇസ് എ ഡേർട്ടി ബിസിനസ് - ഇരുപതാം നൂറ്റാണ്ടിന് 33 വയസ്, Webdunia Malayalam](https://m-malayalam-uat.webdunia.com/article/malayalam-best-movies/33-years-of-irupatham-noottandu-120051400028_1.html)\n10. [ഇരുപതാം നൂറ്റാണ്ട് (1987), FMDb](https://fmdb.mov/movie/191337)\n11. [Irupatham Noottandu Movie (1987), Digit Binge](https://www.digit.in/digit-binge/movies/irupatham-noottandu-741720.html)\n12. [Irupathiyonnaam Noottaandu Review, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/reviews/malayalam/2019/Jan/25/irupathiyonnaam-noottaandu-review-well-intentioned-and-charming-but-overlong-9779.html)\n13. [ഇരുപത്തിയൊന്നാം നൂറ്റാണ്ടിലെ ഗോവൻ കാഴ്ചകൾ - റിവ്യൂ, Madhyamam](https://www.madhyamam.com/amp/movies/reviews/irupathiyonnam-noottandu-review-movie-news/588830)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Malayalam films before 2010*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/irupatham-noottandu", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/irupatham-noottandu.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Irupatham Noottandu (ഇരുപതാം നൂറ്റാണ്ട്)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/irupatham-noottandu. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Irupatham Noottandu (ഇരുപതാം നൂറ്റാണ്ട്)](https://www.edgepedia.org/irupatham-noottandu)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/irupatham-noottandu](https://www.edgepedia.org/irupatham-noottandu). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Irupatham Noottandu (ഇരുപതാം നൂറ്റാണ്ട്)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/irupatham-noottandu. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Irupatham Noottandu is a 1987 Malayalam crime thriller directed by K. Madhu, written by S. N." }