Daya is a 1998 Malayalam period film written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair

M. T. Vasudevan Nair

Madathil Thekkepaattu Vasudevan Nair , popularly known as MT, is an Indian author, screenplay writer and film director. He was born in Kudallur, a small village in the present day Palakkad District, which was under the Malabar District in the Madras Presidency of the British Raj...

, directed by Venu, and starring Manju Warrier

Manju Warrier

Manju Warrier is an Indian film actress. She was among the popular lead actress in Malayalam cinema during the mid to late-1990s.She made her debut in Saakshyam...

 in the lead role. The storyline of the film is adapted from One Thousand and One Nights. Vishal Bharadwaj scored the music of the film. It was the directorial debut of cinematographer Venu. He won the awards for best debut director at the National Film Awards

National Film Awards

The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...

 and Kerala State Film Awards.

Plot

The film is set in the Middle-East in the pre-Islam period. It is about the adventures of a lively and intelligent slave girl named Daya (Manju Warrier

Manju Warrier

Manju Warrier is an Indian film actress. She was among the popular lead actress in Malayalam cinema during the mid to late-1990s.She made her debut in Saakshyam...

). Mansoor (Krishna), the son of an aging and wealthy nobleman, is used to an extravagant way of life. Squandering his wealth after his father's death, he is forsaken by all his friends, except the loyal slave girl, Daya, who suggests that she be sold at the slave market for an exorbitant price. The envoys of the King interrupt the sale and take Daya to court, where she is showered with gifts. The King also allows her to live with Mansoor. But wild adventures never leave her alone, and she is forced to masquerade as a man. As a man she travels to another kingdom. She intelligently escapes from bandits in a powerful horse riding scene. She goes to another kingdom where the king is searching for a loyal minister. She in the disguise of a man passes all the difficult tests like an archery competition and a sword fighting duel. She lets herself get defeated by the king in a chess match and impresses the king. The king makes her the minister. The king's daughter gets infatuated by her thinking she is a man. She as the minister intelligently takes revenge on everyone who betrayed her. She finally meets a confessional Mansoor and decides to elope with him while the king is planning her marriage with the princess. The king finds out the truth and decides to punish Daya - a woman who dared to challenge men. The people support Daya's wisdom and finally gives her forgiveness.

Cast

• Manju Warrier
  Manju Warrier
  Manju Warrier is an Indian film actress. She was among the popular lead actress in Malayalam cinema during the mid to late-1990s.She made her debut in Saakshyam...
  
   as Daya/Sameer
• Krishna as Mansoor
• Nedumudi Venu
  Nedumudi Venu
  Nedumudi Venu is a popular Malayalam film actor from Kerala, India. He has also written screenplays and has directed one film.- Early life :...
  
   as the Sultan
• K. P. A. C. Lalitha
  K. P. A. C. Lalitha
  Maheshwari Amma, better known by her stage name K.P.A.C. Lalitha, is a National Award winning Indian film and stage actress. She was the wife of late filmmaker Bharathan.-Biography:...
  
   as Amina
• Captain Raju
  Captain Raju
  Captain Raju is a Malayalam film actor. He was born at Omallur in Pathanamthitta District, Kerala.After finishing his graduation in Zoology, Raju joined the Indian Army as a first class officer at the age of 21. He started acting in films after leaving the army service. He has acted in more than...
  
   as a king
• Lal
  Lal (actor)
  Paul Michael , better known by his stage name Lal, is an Indian film director, script writer, actor, producer, and film distributor....
  
   as Kombanali
• Narayanan Nair as Syed Anwar
• T. P. Madhavan as Hussain

Awards

National Film Awards

National Film Awards

The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...

• Indira Gandhi Award for Best First Film of a Director
  Indira Gandhi Award for Best First Film of a Director
  The Indira Gandhi Award for Best First Film of a Director is a National Film Award - Golden Lotus Award, given to a feature film director's first film.The National Film Award - Indira Gandhi Award for Best First Film of a Director winners:...
  
   - Venu
• Best Costume Designer
  National Film Award for Best Costume Design
  The National Film Award for Best Costume Design winners:...
  
   - S. B. Satheesan
• Best Choreographer
  National Film Award for Best Choreography
  The National Film Award for 'Best Choreography' winners:...
  
   - Vrinda

Kerala State Film Award

Kerala State Film Award

The Kerala State Film Awards are the most prestigious film awards for a motion picture made in Kerala. The awards have been bestowed by Kerala State Chalachitra Academy since 1998 on behalf of the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala, India....

s

• Best Screenplay
  Kerala State Film Award for Best Screen Play
  The Kerala State Film Award for Best Screen Play winners:-References:**...
  
   - M. T. Vasudevan Nair
  M. T. Vasudevan Nair
  Madathil Thekkepaattu Vasudevan Nair , popularly known as MT, is an Indian author, screenplay writer and film director. He was born in Kudallur, a small village in the present day Palakkad District, which was under the Malabar District in the Madras Presidency of the British Raj...
  
  
• Best Debut Director
  Kerala State Film Award for Best Debut Director
  The Kerala State Film Award for Best Debut Director winners:-References:**...
  
   - Venu
• Best Costume Designer
  Kerala State Film Award for Best Costume Designer
  The Kerala State Film Award for Best Costume Designer winners:-References:**...
  
   - S. B. Satheesan
• Best Art Director
  Kerala State Film Award for Best Art Director
  The Kerala State Film Award for Best Art Director winners:-References:**...
  
   - Sameer Chanda
• Best Editor
  Kerala State Film Award for Best Editor
  The Kerala State Film Award for Best Editor winners:-References:**...
  
   - Beena Paul
  Beena Paul
  Beena Paul is an award winning Indian film editor. She has mainly worked on Malayalam-language filmsBeena Paul was born in 1961 to a Malayali father and a Kannadiga mother . She was brought up in Delhi. She completed editing course from Film and Television Institute of India, Pune...
  
  

Soundtrack

The score and soundtrack for the film were composed by Vishal Bhardwaj

Vishal Bhardwaj

Vishal Bhardwaj is an Indian film director, writer, screenwriter, music composer and playback singer.-Early life:Bhardwaj was born in Bijnor but raised in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh to Satya Bhardwaj, a homemaker, and Ram Bhardwaj, a popular poet and lyricist. His father was a government employee and...

. Daya is the only Malayalam film for which Vishal Bharadwaj has written music . The lyrics were written by O. N. V. Kurup

O. N. V. Kurup

Ottaplakkal Nambiyadikkal Velu Kurup , popularly known as O. N. V. Kurup or simply O. N. V., is a Malayalam poet and lyricist from Kerala, India, who won Jnanpith Award,the highest literary award in India for the year 2007. He is considered one of the finest living lyrical poets in India. O. N....

. Composer Sharreth

Sharreth

Sujith Vasudevan I, better known by his stage name Sharreth , is a music director and singer.He began by composing film scores mainly for Malayalam films, but has gone on to compose for Tamil and Telugu films too. Most recently, he scored the music for the Tamil-Telugu bilingual 180.He won the...

 did the re-recording for the film.

1. "Kanni Penne" - K. J. Yesudas
   K. J. Yesudas
   Kattassery Joseph Yesudas is an Indian classical musician and playback singer.Yesudas sings Indian classical, devotional, and popular music. He has recorded more than 50,000 songs in many languages including Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali, Gujarati, Oriya, Marathi, Punjabi,...
   
   
2. "Nee En Kama Mohini" - Hariharan
   Hariharan (singer)
   Hariharan , born 3 April 1955) is an Indian playback singer in Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Bhojpuri and Telugu movies, an established ghazal singer, and one of the pioneers of Indian fusion music. His melody is strongly appreciated by the film fraternity...
   
   
3. "Saradenthu" - K. S. Chithra
   K. S. Chithra
   K. S. Chithra often credited as Chithra , is an Indian playback singer who has made her mark in the Indian music playback industry. Popularly known as Chinna Kuyil of South India, she has lent her voice to Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Oriya, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Badaga and Punjabi films...
   
   
4. "Sneha Lolamam - K. S. Chithra
   K. S. Chithra
   K. S. Chithra often credited as Chithra , is an Indian playback singer who has made her mark in the Indian music playback industry. Popularly known as Chinna Kuyil of South India, she has lent her voice to Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Oriya, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Badaga and Punjabi films...
   
   
5. "Sneha Lolamam" - Sudeep Kumar
6. "Swargam Thedi" - Sujatha
   Sujatha Mohan
   Sujatha Mohan , usually credited as Sujatha, is an award-winning Indian playback singer who is popular for singing in Malayalam and Tamil movies. She has also sung for Telugu, Kannada and Hindi movies. She is widely popular for her evergreen melodies and her sweet voice is considered to be her...
   
   
7. "Visada Ragam" - K. J. Yesudas
   K. J. Yesudas
   Kattassery Joseph Yesudas is an Indian classical musician and playback singer.Yesudas sings Indian classical, devotional, and popular music. He has recorded more than 50,000 songs in many languages including Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali, Gujarati, Oriya, Marathi, Punjabi,...
   
   
8. "Vishada Ragam" - Radhika Tilak