India’s first 3D film, My Dear Kuttichathan, is drawing fresh attention after Prithviraj Sukumaran picked the 1984 Malayalam classic as the one Malayalam movie he would want every Indian to watch.
KOCHI: More than four decades after it transformed the movie-going experience in India, India’s first 3D film, My Dear Kuttichathan, is back in the conversation following a glowing endorsement from Malayalam actor and filmmaker Prithviraj Sukumaran.
During the recent 16th edition of Expresso in Mumbai, Prithviraj was asked which Malayalam film he would choose if he could make every Indian watch just one. His answer was director Jijo Punnoose’s 1984 children’s fantasy My Dear Kuttichathan. He highlighted its significance as India’s first film shot in 3D and described its makers as pioneers.
What made My Dear Kuttichathan special?
Written by Raghunath Paleri and produced by Navodaya Studios, the film follows a mystical goblin who befriends three children after they rescue him from an evil sorcerer. Master Arvind, Master Mukesh, Master Suresh and Kumari Sonia played the leading roles.
Master Arvind, Master Mukesh, Master Suresh and Kumari Sonia played the leading roles. However, it was the technology behind the film that made it truly groundbreaking for Indian cinema.
How India’s first 3D film was created
Before production, Jijo travelled to the US several times to learn about 3D filmmaking. The movie was filmed at Navodaya Studios in Kochi and took about 90 days to shoot.
The production team also faced a major challenge because Indian cinemas were not generally equipped to screen 3D movies. Navodaya selected theatres in Kerala and installed special lenses on projectors, while components required for 3D glasses were imported from the US.
The rotating set behind an iconic scene
One of the movie’s most memorable sequences featured Kuttichathan and the children appearing to walk on a wall during the song Aalippazham Perukkaan, composed by Ilaiyaraaja.
Rather than relying on modern computer-generated effects, the filmmakers constructed a rotating set to create the unusual sequence.
Made on a reported budget of Rs 40 lakh, India’s first 3D film reportedly went on to gross around Rs 2.5 crore. It later returned to cinemas several times, while its Hindi-dubbed version, Chotta Chetan, also found a large audience.
The original film also won the National Film Award for Best Children’s Film.
Why My Dear Kuttichathan is back in focus
Prithviraj’s recommendation has now put the pioneering Malayalam production back in the spotlight, introducing its technical achievements to another generation of cinema fans.
Its return to the conversation also highlights how filmmakers experimented with ambitious visual techniques decades before digital effects became commonplace in Indian cinema.
Impact to expect
The renewed attention could encourage younger audiences to discover the technological legacy of Malayalam cinema and recognise how regional filmmakers helped pioneer ambitious filmmaking techniques in India.
For India’s first 3D film, the latest spotlight is also a reminder of how an ambitious experiment from 1984 continues to hold a distinctive place in Indian cinema history.
