Anna, a shelved film from the 1990s is set for revival after Pulimurugan producer Tomichan Mulakuppadam has bought the rights to the film. The revival comes after a song from the film received attention after featuring in Girish AD's Nivin Pauly-Mamitha Baiju family romance film Bethlehem Kudumba Unit. Anna's rumoured lead star, Arvind Swamy, has quashed rumours of his involvement in the film in a recent podcast appearance.
While Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, Nivin Pauly and Mamitha Baiju’s romantic family entertainer, became a fan favourite and went on to emerge as the highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time, a song woven into its narrative also caught the attention of audiences. ‘Yavanakathayil’, which features in the film, was originally composed for Anna, a shelved project rumoured to have starred Tamil actor Arvind Swamy and the late Sridevi.
After the song became the soundtrack to Justin and Ashley's love story in BKU, producer Tomichan Mulakuppadam (Pulimurugan, Pokkiri Raja) has announced that he has acquired the rights to the film and plans to revive the project.
As discussions about the film have reignited with the revival of both the film and the song, its rumoured lead actor Arvind Swamy has revealed in a recent podcast on the Truly Ram Show that he was never involved in Anna.
The actor cleared the air in the interview, detailing that he was still new to the industry when the film was in production, and that perhaps it was an assumption made that he was signed on to act in it. "I was new to the industry. I was very upset because I don't know who communicated to them that I was supposed to act in it. Maybe they just assumed that I was going to act in it."
He also clarified that since he never acted in it, the film's status remains shelved, and not unreleased. "I didn't sign for a film called Anna. I haven't heard the story and didn't hear about the film. It is not unreleased. I never acted in it."
With 'Yavanakathayil' now in the hearts of audiences, producer Tomichan Mulakuppadam announced in a Facebook post that he was going to revive the film.
"It is with great joy that we share the news of acquiring the rights to the film Anna, which began in the 1990s but remained incomplete due to various reasons. Years later, when the song "Yavanakathayile Idayakanyake" from the film became a sensation among audiences once again through the movie Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, a lot of inquiries and discussions arose about the film Anna," he wrote.
He added that the film is being brought back with new creators, and that the new team will be announced shortly. "Driven by the desire to bring the story of that movie and its accompanying memories back to the new generation through new creators, we have taken over the production rights of Anna. A fresh beginning for a film that stopped halfway three decades ago... Details regarding the director and cast of the film will be announced later. Anna is returning to the silver screen through Mulakuppadam Films."
As per reports by Onmanorama, Anna, was originally planned as an interfaith love story, scripted by novelist N Mohanan and set to be helmed by master filmmaker Joshiy. With music envisioned as a key element of the film, the makers brought on board legendary composer Ouseppachan and veteran lyricist Shibu Chakravarthy. The duo completed eight songs for the project, including ‘Yavanakathayile’, even before the film went on floors.