New Delhi (1987 film)
New Delhi (ന്യൂ ഡൽഹി) is a 1987 Indian Malayalam-language revenge thriller directed by Joshiy and written by Dennis Joseph, in which a journalist is illegally jailed for exposing two corrupt politicians and later exacts revenge through a mysterious newspaper he runs.1 It stars Mammootty as the journalist G. Krishnamoorthy, with Sumalatha, Urvashi, Suresh Gopi, and Thyagarajan in principal roles.2 The film became the highest-grossing Malayalam film of its time and is remembered as the picture that restored Mammootty's career after a run of failures.3 • 4
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Original title | ന്യൂ ഡൽഹി (Malayalam)1 |
| Director / writer | Joshiy; screenplay by Dennis Joseph5 |
| Lead cast | Mammootty as G. Krishnamoorthy; Sumalatha as Maria Fernandez; Urvashi, Suresh Gopi, Thyagarajan2 |
| Runtime | 143 minutes (2 h 23 m)3 |
| Production | Jubilee Productions; producer Joy Thomas; music by Shyam5 |
| Box office | Reported earnings of 25 million (2.5 crore), then a record for Malayalam cinema3 |
| Remakes | Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi versions with Krishnam Raju, Ambareesh, and Jeetendra6 |
Spoilers
Plot and genre
The central character, G. Krishnamoorthy, is a Malayali journalist who exposes corrupt practices by politicians and is punished with illegal imprisonment, first in a mental asylum and later in jail, on false charges.1 • 4 With help from fellow prisoners, he takes revenge on those who ruined his life and family, using a mysterious newspaper as his instrument.4 Databases classify the film variously as action, crime, drama, and thriller.5 • 3 Onlookers Media describes it as loosely based on Irving Wallace's novel The Almighty.4
Production
Producer Joy Thomas recalled that the story thread came from Dennis Joseph after a Delhi trip: a journalist who eliminates his rivals and creates news from the results. Joseph and lyricist Shibu Chakravarthy were housed at a seafront hotel in Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram, to write the screenplay.6 Thomas chose Mammootty for the lead at a moment when the actor's recent films had failed and Mammootty was considering leaving the industry.6
The shooting unit reached Delhi on 15 January 1987, during Rajiv Gandhi's prime ministership, when heavy security followed threats from Khalistani separatists. Permissions for locations were arranged through Minister of Parliamentary Affairs M. M. Jacob, with help from the Prime Minister's private secretary V. George, and the Republic Day parade of 26 January was filmed. Permission to shoot inside Tihar Jail was refused; the jail exteriors were shot in front of a tomb, and the interior prison scenes were filmed at Poojappura Central Jail in Kerala.6 The Maria Fernandez role played by Sumalatha was added after the story was first discussed, and the climax in which Maria shoots the villain Shankar drew audiences to their feet in theaters.6
The censor board initially objected to the film's violence, saying scenes of Mammootty's leg being broken could make audiences faint; the film was sent to the revising committee in Bombay, chaired by P. Bhaskaran, which cleared it for release.6
The technical crew included cinematographer Jayanan Vincent, editor K. Sankunny, music director Shyam, and action choreographer A. R. Basha.5
Release and box office
The release date is reported differently across sources: IMDb gives 24 July 1987 (India),3 FilmiBeat lists 24 June 1987,2 nowrunning lists 28 July 1987,5 and Joy Thomas's memoir, as reported by Manorama, gives 17 July 1987.6
IMDb's trivia section records the film as the highest-grossing Malayalam movie of all time at that point, with earnings of 25 million (2.5 crore), breaking the records held the same year by Irupatham Nootandu; the record was broken the very next year by another Mammootty film, Oru CBI Diary Kurippu, and then by Chithram by the end of that year.3 Onlookers Media reports a run of almost 200 days in Kerala and calls it the top grosser of the year.4 Budget figures also differ: IMDb lists an estimated budget of ₹350,000,3 while Joy Thomas recalled that the film cost more than ₹3 million (₹30 lakh) at a time when a Malayalam film could be made for 1.5 million to 1.6 million (15 to 16 lakh).6 The Indian Express likewise reported a budget of more than ₹3 million (₹30 lakh).7
Remakes and legacy
Sudhakara Reddy of Kalyani Films acquired the Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi remake rights and produced versions starring Krishnam Raju (Telugu), Ambareesh (Kannada), and Jeetendra (Hindi); none matched the Kerala success, which Joy Thomas attributed to Mammootty's performance.6 Rajinikanth, after seeing the film, asked to remake and star in the Hindi version, but by then the rights for the Kannada, Telugu, and Hindi remakes had already been sold.8
The film's commercial turnaround is treated as a turning point for its star: Onlookers Media writes that before its release Mammootty was going through the biggest lean patch of his career, and that New Delhi decided his fate as a star.4 The film is also referenced in later Malayalam cinema, including Pidakkozhi Koovunna Noottandu (1994).3
Availability
The film streams on subscription services including Sun Nxt (in Malaysia) and Eros Now through Airtel Xstream Play, is listed on Apple TV with English and Arabic subtitles, and plays free on an official YouTube channel via OTTASIA without an account.1 • 9 • 10
References
- New Delhi (1987) – JustWatch
- New Delhi Cast & Crew – FilmiBeat
- New Delhi (1987) – IMDb
- New Delhi, trendsetter of Mollywood – Onlookers Media
- New Delhi (1987) – nowrunning
- Joy Thomas' New Delhi memoir – Malayala Manorama
- Mammootty to superstardom – The Indian Express
- Why Rajinikanth couldn't procure the Hindi remake rights – Onmanorama
- New Delhi – Airtel Xstream Play
- New Delhi – Apple TV
Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026
Your notes
© 2026 Biostate AI. Free to use with credit under the Edgepedia Community License. Embed a reference card.