CBI (film series) explained

CBI Flim Franchise
Director:Madhu
Producer:M. Mani (1 - 2)
K. Madhu (3 - 4)
Swargachitra Appachan (5)
Starring:Mammootty
Mukesh
Jagathy Sreekumar
Music:Shyam (1 - 4)
Jakes Bejoy (5)
Editing:V. P. Krishnan (1 - 2)
P. C. Mohanan (3 - 4)
A. Sreekar Prasad (5)
Cinematography:Vipindas (1 - 2)
Saloo George (3 - 4)
Akhil George (5)
Studio:Sunitha Productions (1 - 2)
Krishnakripa (3 - 4)
Swargachithra Films (5)
Distributor:Aroma Movies (1 - 2)
Swargachithra Films (3 - 5)
Released:1988 (1)
1989 (2)
2004 (3)
2005 (4)
2022 (5)
Country:India
Language:Malayalam

CBI Flim Franchise is an Indian Malayalam-language film series of mystery films directed by K. Madhu and written by S. N. Swamy featuring Mammootty as Sethurama Iyer, a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officer in the title role. The series started off in 1988 with Oru CBI Diary Kurippu. The character Sethurama Iyer is said to have been inspired by a police officer named Radha Vinod Raju, who in 2009 was appointed as the first chief of India's National Investigation Agency.[1] [2]

Films

The films depicts a team of three CBI officers led by Sethurama Iyer investigating into a murder case. All the films feature Mammootty as Sethurama Iyer. The other two members of the team vary in the series. All the five films that were released have Vikram, the character played by Jagathy Sreekumar as a CBI officer. But he is not part of the three-men team in the third film and fifth film but appears in the films for a short length. Chacko played by Mukesh appears in the first film but is not part of the team. But Chacko becomes part of the team from the second film onwards. Harry played by Suresh Gopi is present in the first movie as part of the team, but later transferred to Madras in the second sequel.

The films of the franchise are:

YearFilmDirectorScreenwriterProducerComposer
1988Oru CBI Diary KurippuK. MadhuS. N. SwamyM. ManiShyam
1989Jagratha
2004Sethurama Iyer CBIK. Madhu
2005Nerariyan CBI
2022Swargachitra AppachanJakes Bejoy

Sethurama Iyer (Malayalam: സേതുരാമയ്യര്‍) is a fictional character and the protagonist of the CBI film series. The character was played by Mammootty in all the films. He is an investigative officer of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Iyer's popularity is attributed to the fact that he uses his brain rather than brawn to solve cases.

Cast and characters

CharacterOru CBI Diary Kurippu
(1988)
Jagratha
(1989)
Sethurama Iyer CBI
(2004)
Nerariyan CBI
(2005)
CBI 5
(2022)

Introduced in Oru CBI Diary Kurippu

Sethurama IyerMammootty
VikramJagathy Sreekumar
ChackoMukesh
CI HarrySuresh Gopicolspan="4"
DySP DevadasSukumarancolspan="3"
K. A. OuseppachanJanardhanancolspan="2"
NarayananPrathapachandrancolspan="3"
OmanaLissycolspan="4"
AnnieUrvashicolspan="4"
John ThomasBahadoorcolspan="4"
Joy MathewVijayaraghavancolspan="4"
SP Prabhakara VarmaCaptain Rajucolspan="4"
SP of CBIJagannatha Varmacolspan="3"
C.I AlexK. P. A. C. Sunnycolspan="3"
SunnySreenathSreenathcolspan="2"
Home Minister BhargavanC. I. Paulcolspan="3"
Police SurgeonKollam Thulasicolspan="3"
Padathalam MathaiPoojappura Ravicolspan="4"
MaryAdoor BhavaniAdoor Bhavanicolspan="2"
SreedharanT. P. Madhavancolspan="4"
Driver VasuKundara Johnycolspan="4"
NunSukumaricolspan="4"
MohammedKothuku Nanappancolspan="4"

Introduced in Jagratha

AshwathyParvathy Jayaramcolspan="3"
BabuBabu Antonycolspan="3"
Adv. Janardanan NairBabu Namboothiricolspan="3"
I.GK. P. A. C. Azeezcolspan="3"
VishwamDevancolspan="3"
KumarK. B. Ganesh Kumarcolspan="3"
MohanJosecolspan="3"
AnchorKaithapram Damodaran Namboothiricolspan="3"
KurupuM. S. Thripunithuracolspan="3"
ThomasParavoor Bharathancolspan="3"
VandanaSreejacolspan="3"
RukminiKanakalathacolspan="3"
Fake policemanJamescolspan="3"
SuryanTonycolspan="3"
RajendrababuVishnuprakashcolspan="3"
Hotel boyPoojappura Radhakrishnancolspan="3"
Union leaderAdinad Sasicolspan="3"

Introduced in Sethurama Iyer CBI

BalagopalSiddiquecolspan="2"
Isow AlexKalabhavan Manicolspan="2"
GaneshVineeth Kumarcolspan="2"
DySP SathyadasSai KumarSai Kumar
ManiJagadishcolspan="2"
RachanaNavya Naircolspan="2"
ReshmiNandanacolspan="2"
AdiyodiOduvil Unnikrishnancolspan="2"
CBI DirectorKalasala Babucolspan="2"
BahuleyanRajan P. Devcolspan="2"
Manikunju / ZakariahParavoor Ramachandrancolspan="2"
MosiGeetha Vijayancolspan="2"
Krishan IyerKunchancolspan="2"
Meenakshi IyerUrmila Unnicolspan="2"
Dr. VijayalakshmiPoornima Anandcolspan="2"
VijayammaKalpanacolspan="2"
Kuzhivetty MathaiMala Aravindancolspan="2"
Fr. GomezBharath Gopicolspan="2"
Crime branch C.IShammi Thilakancolspan="2"
SharngadaranSubaircolspan="2"
VarkeyPunnapra Appachancolspan="2"
BrokerSuraj Venjaramooducolspan="2"

Introduced in Nerariyan CBI

Kapra Valiya NarayananThilakancolspan="1"
MythiliSamvrutha Sunilcolspan="1"
AnithaGopikacolspan="1"
DevaswamIndranscolspan="1"
George C. NairCochin Haneefacolspan="1"
DYSP DhanapalanAugustinecolspan="1"
ASP Saikumar IPSJishnucolspan="1"
VeluMohan Josecolspan="1"
Dr. Krishnan NairP. Sreekumarcolspan="1"
Mythili's Fathercolspan="1"
Dr. Krishnan NairP. Sreekumarcolspan="1"
Dr. BabuRizabawacolspan="1"
Banjamin C. NairMadhu Warriercolspan="1"
Poopparathy VasuBaburajcolspan="1"
ReshmiSuja Karthikacolspan="1"
LakshmiyammaBindu Ramakrishnancolspan="1"
Elizabeth C. NairBindu Panickercolspan="1"
Mythili's motherShobha Mohancolspan="1"
Anitha's KinAmbika Mohancolspan="1"
MayaSuvarna Mathewcolspan="1"

Introduced in CBI 5

Balagopal, C.B.I. OfficerRenji Panicker
I.G. Unnithan I.P.SAnoop Menon
Adv. Prathibha SathyadasAsha Sarath
Paul Meijo / Mansoor / SandeepSoubin Shahir
Vinay, C.B.I. OfficerRamesh Pisharody
Chief MinisterDileesh Pothan
SI IqbalSudev Nair
Mamman Varghese, C.B.I. OfficerEdavela Babu
Sudhi, C.B.I. OfficerAlexander Prasanth
AnwarRamesh Kottayam
CI JosemonJayakrishnan
Dr. George AbrahamPrathap Pothen
Home Minister Abdul SamadG. Suresh Kumar
Journalist BhasuranChandhu Karamana
D.Y.S.P. Babu RajSanthosh Keezhattoor
Susan George / Ambika UnnithanKaniha
Anitha, C.B.I. OfficerAnsiba Hassan
AparnaMalavika Menon
MerlinSwasika
AnujaMalvika Nair

Notes and References

  1. News: NIA chief inspired hit film 20 yrs ago. 18 January 2009. Hindustan Times. 14 September 2019.
  2. Web site: A crack investigative team. hindu. 20 August 2010.