# Chotta Mumbai

Chotta Mumbai (transl. Little Mumbai) is a 2007 Indian Malayalam-language action comedy film directed by Anwar Rasheed, written by Benny P. Nayarambalam, and co-produced by Maniyanpilla Raju. The film stars Mohanlal in the lead role with Siddique, Jagathy Sreekumar, Kalabhavan Mani, Indrajith Sukumaran, Manikuttan, Bijukuttan, Sai Kumar, and Bhavana in supporting roles. Rahul Raj composed the score and songs of the film. The plot follows Vasco da Gama (Thala) and his gang of friends, all unemployed and leading a happy-go-lucky life until they encounter a corrupt police officer and gangster, Nadeshan.
The film was released on 7 April 2007 to positive reviews and was a great success at the box office.

## Plot

The film starts in a street in Fort Kochi where Vasco da Gama, the son of a wrestler named Michael, lives. Vasco and his gang of five – "Mullan" Chandrappan, Susheelan, Sainu, "Padakkam" Basheer, and cousin, Tomichan, are small-time goons, involved in petty offenses. As the movie progresses, these characters turn out to be more endearing than bad.
Vasco goes by the nickname Thala (head) since he is the gang leader. Though Michael rebukes his son time and again for his lifestyle choices, he loves him and has big dreams for him. The plot progresses when a marriage broker contracts a wedding between Vasco and auto-rickshaw driver Latha, the only daughter of Pambu Chakochan who is a heavy drinker and a longtime friend of Michael.
Vasco likes Latha, but she pleads with him to tell her father that he does not like her because she plans to elope with her boyfriend. Overjoyed at having discovered a fellow drinker in Vasco, Chakochan does not even let him voice his opinion. Vasco decides to help Latha out, but her plan to elope fails when she discovers that her boyfriend Suni is involved in human trafficking. She returns to Vasco.
Later when Vasco, Michael, Chandrappan, and Latha travel in her auto-rickshaw, they clash with a gang that has been on the run after stabbing an honest police officer named Mohandas. Vasco and his father were witnesses to the murder that was committed by Satheesan, the younger brother of the corrupt circle inspector Nadesan. This forms the remaining plot of the film.

## Cast

* Mohanlal as Vasco da Gama a.k.a. Thala
* Siddique as Mullan Chandrappan, Thala's friend and sidekick
* Jagathy Sreekumar as Padakkam Basheer, Thala's friend and sidekick
* Kalabhavan Mani as CI Nadeshan, the main antagonist
* Indrajith Sukumaran as Tomichan, Thala's cousin and sidekick
* Manikuttan as Sainu, Thala's friend and sidekick
* Bijukuttan as Susheelan, Thala's friend and sidekick
* Bhavana as Latha, Thala's girlfriend
* Sai Kumar as Pehlwan Michael Ashan, Thala's father
* Rajan P. Dev as Pambu Chackochan, Latha's father and Michael's longtime friend
* Vinayakan as Satheeshan, Nadeshan's younger brother and the secondary antagonist
* Maniyanpilla Raju as Advocate Pradeep Menon
* Mallika Sukumaran as Rosily, Tomichan's mother and Thala's aunt
* Suraj Venjaramoodu as Mama Suni, Latha's ex-boyfriend
* Cochin Haneefa as Vasuttan, Susheelan's cousin
* Bheeman Raghu as CI Alex, Nadeshan's associate
* Vijayaraghavan as CI Mohandas
* Baburaj as Bhargavan, Satheeshan's henchman
* Jasper as Sebbatti, Thala's rival
* Sanusha as Daisy, Tomichan's sister
* Thara as Rachel, Thala's sister
* Saranya Sasi as Sherin, Thala's sister
* Geetha Vijayan as Bhama, Pradeep's wife
* Ramu as DGP Rajendran Nair IPS
* Kunchan as Philipose, announcer at the carnival
* Narayanankutty as Nanappan, Basheer's rival
* Rony David as Shaji, Nadeshan's gang member
* Biju Pappan as SI Hameed, Nadeshan's associate
* Kalabhavan Haneef as Kunjoonju, broker
* Kochu Preman as Premachandran, Banker
* Nisha Sarang as Saritha, Nadeshan's wife
* Shakeela as herself (cameo appearance)
* Rachana Maurya as an item girl Song Vasco da gama (cameo appearance)
* Santhosh Jogi as Sebastian, Nadesan's henchmen

## Production

Jayasurya was cast in a role, but he had to opt-out from the film due to scheduling conflicts with Kangaroo (2007 film).

## Music

Composer Rahul Raj made his feature film debut through this film. The songs Thalaa and Vasco da Gama became chartbusters.
| Track | Song Title | Singer(s) | Lyricist | Other notes |
| 1 | "Vasco da Gama" | Afsal, Rimi Tomy, Vipin Xavier | Sarath Vayalar | Carnival song in the climax |
| 2 | "Poonila" | Sangeeth, Sangeetha Prabhu | Santhosh Varma | Raga: Kalyani, Sindhu Bhairavi Not picturised |
| 3 | "Thala" | Shankar Mahadevan, Arjun Sasi, Sangeeth, Rahul Raj | Sarath Vayalar | Highlighting the lead character Thala |
| 4 | "Chettikulangara" | M. G. Sreekumar, Sayanora Philip | Sreekumaran Thampi, Sarath Vayalar | Mohanlal's intro song Cover version of yesteryear song composed by M. K. Arjunan |
| 5 | "Chotta Mumbai" | Rahul Raj, Sreerag, Sreelakshmi | Sarath Vayalar | Title song. Showing the life of Chotta Mumbai gang. |
| 6 | "Chettikulangara (Tell Me Now)" | M. G. Sreekumar, Sayanora Philip | Sreekumaran Thampi, Sarath Vayalar | Not picturised |

## Release

The film was released on 7 April 2007 in 60 screens in Kerala, the biggest release for a Malayalam film.

### Critical reception

The film was well received by critics. Unni R. Nair, in his review for Nowrunning.com said, "An out and out entertainer, it's a film that you would like to just sit back and enjoy, pushing all logical thinking to the background. Chotta Mumbai is a film that cashes in on Mohanlal's superstar image and its aim is merely to entertain and enthrall." Paresh C Palicha of Rediff.com gave the film a rating and positively reviewed the film's script, Mohanlal's lead performance, Anwar Rasheed's direction as well as the performances of the supporting cast. Sify.com also published an extremely positive review and said: "What makes the film tick is Mohanlal's at the heart of this mad, mad, mad world with his impeccable sense of comic timing. Clearly, he is at home playing this type of character- for him, it is the equivalent of an old pair of Hawai slippers. If laughter is the best medicine then Anwar Rasheed has earned his stripes yet again."

### Box office

The film was a blockbuster at the box office and became one of the top five highest-grossing Malayalam films of the year. It ran for over 101 days in theatres.