Nellu (1974)
Plot
Nellu (transl. Paddy) is a 1974 Malayalam-language drama film directed by Ramu Kariat from a screenplay by K. G. George based on the 1972 award-winning novel of the same name by P. Valsala. It features an ensemble cast of Prem Nazir, Jayabharathi, Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair, Sankaradi and Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair. The film portrays the life of the Adiyar community, a tribe of the forests in the Wayanad hills of Kerala, through the eyes of an outsider. In 1972, Kariat approached Valsala for permission to adapt the novel, and when she agreed, he asked K. G. George, S. L. Sadanandan and Valsala to write separate scripts based on the novel and in the end, took certain portions from the three and made the film. Principal photography commenced in 1972 with filming taking place in various villages near Thirunelli in Wayanad. The film has music composed by Salil Chowdhury, cinematography by Balu Mahendra and editing by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and MN Appu. Nellu was released theatrically on 23 August 1974; it received critical acclaim, primarily for the script and making, and was a box office success, running for more than 100 days in theatres. The film marks the debut of cinematographer B
Nellu details
| Industry | Malayalam |
|---|---|
| Year | 1974 |
| Genres | Drama |
| Runtime | — |
| Rating | Not rated |
| Director | Ramu Kariat |
| Status | Released |
| Language | ml |
| Record verified | 2026-09-21 |
| Source | Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0) · images: TMDB |
Where to watch Nellu
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Nellu cast & crew
Prem Nazir
Jayabharathi
Nellu is not yet rated, with no ratings yet on record.
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Nellu — questions
What is Nellu about?
Nellu (transl. Paddy) is a 1974 Malayalam-language drama film directed by Ramu Kariat from a screenplay by K. G. George based on the 1972 award-winning novel of the same name by P. Valsala. It features an ensemble cast of Prem Nazir, Jayabharathi, Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair, Sankaradi and Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair. The film portrays the life of the Adiyar community, a tribe of the forests in the Wayanad hills of Kerala, through the eyes of an outsider. In 1972, Kariat approached Valsala for permission to adapt the novel, and when she agreed, he asked K. G. George, S. L. Sadanandan and Valsala to write separate scripts based on the novel and in the end, took certain portions from the three and made the film. Principal photography commenced in 1972 with filming taking place in various villages near Thirunelli in Wayanad. The film has music composed by Salil Chowdhury, cinematography by Balu Mahendra and editing by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and MN Appu. Nellu was released theatrically on 23 August 1974; it received critical acclaim, primarily for the script and making, and was a box office success, running for more than 100 days in theatres. The film marks the debut of cinematographer B
Who is in the cast of Nellu?
Nellu stars Prem Nazir, Jayabharathi and is directed by Ramu Kariat. The full credited cast is listed above.
Where can I watch Nellu online?
We currently have no streaming platform listed for Nellu. It may be between rights deals, or only available on a service we do not track yet. This page was last checked on 2026-09-21.
How long is Nellu?
The runtime of Nellu is not recorded in the catalogue yet.
Who directed Nellu?
Nellu was directed by Ramu Kariat.
Can I download Nellu?
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