Unaru

Unaru (Malayalam: ഉണരൂ; English: Rise Up) is a 1984 Indian Malayalam feature film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Mohanlal, Sukumaran, Ratheesh, Sabitha Anand, Ashokan and Balan K. Nair. The film gives the inside view of the problems that arose in the labour trade union parties in Kerala, with music composed by Ilaiyaraaja and cinematography by Ramachandra Babu.

Cast

Production

Producer N. G. John, who had experienced success with Ee Nadu (1982) and Iniyengilum (1983), had been impressed with Mani Ratnam's Kannada film Pallavi Anu Pallavi (1983), and asked him to work on a Malayalam film for his production studio. Ratnam initially narrated the script of Mouna Raagam (1986), then titled Divya, to John but the producer wanted to make a political film. Subsequently he began work on Unaru, which revolved around corruption in the labour union movement and scripted the film alongside John and another associate, Damodaran. Ratnam revealed that he struggled with the film, owing to its alien concept from his previous film on human relationships, as well as due to the sheer number of artistes involved. The film was shot in a single stretch from February 1984 and was released in April 1984.