Ustad Hotel

Ustad Hotel is a 2012 Indian Malayalam-language drama film directed by Anwar Rasheed, written by Anjali Menon and produced by Listin Stephen. The film stars Dulquer Salmaan, Thilakan and Nithya Menen with Siddique, Mamukkoya, and Lena in supporting roles, along with Asif Ali and Jishnu in cameo roles. The film features music composed by Gopi Sundar, cinematography handled by Loganathan Srinivasan and editing by Praveen Prabhakar respectively.

The story is about a young man named Faizal, known as Faizi (Dulquer), who studies in Switzerland as a chef against the wishes of his father (Siddique). When this matter comes to light, his father snatches away his passport to prevent him from taking up his new job in the UK. As the relation between father and son deteriorates, Faizi is forced to work as a cook in a restaurant in Kozhikode, run by his grandfather Karim (Thilakan) until he can plan something alternate.

Ustad Hotel released on 29 June 2012 in Kerala, and 20 July 2012 elsewhere in India. The film was a commercial success. It won three National Film Awards, for Best Popular Film, Menon won the award for Best Dialogues and Thilakan got a Special Mention (posthumously). It was remade in Kannada as Gowdru Hotel (2017). The film was dubbed and released in Telugu as Janatha Hotel. Ustad Hotel is considered one of the best films made during the New-Gen cinema movement in Malayalam. This movie is also noted as the last film appearance of veteran actor Thilakan released before his death.