Cast of Uppum Mulakum – Full Cast, Characters, Crew & More Details

Uppum Mulakum is one of the most recognizable Malayalam family sitcoms associated with Flowers TV. The series revolves around the everyday life of the Balachandran Thampi family and combines household situations, comedy, emotional moments and relationships in a natural style. It first premiered on December 14, 2015, and its long run has made the show an important part of Malayalam television entertainment.

The cast of Uppum Mulakum became especially popular because the actors developed strong screen identities through their recurring family roles. Biju Sopanam, Nisha Sarangh, Rishi S. Kumar, Juhi Rustagi, Al Sabith, Shivani Menon and Baby Ameya formed the central family group during the show’s earlier run. Later seasons introduced additional characters and performers while retaining several familiar faces.

Uppum Mulakum Movie/Series Overview

Category	Details
Title	Uppum Mulakum
English Meaning	Salt and Pepper
Genre	Sitcom, Comedy, Family
Language	Malayalam
Country	India
Original Network	Flowers TV
First Episode	December 14, 2015
Creator	R. Unnikrishnan
Production	Flowers TV Production
Seasons	3
Format	Television Sitcom
Runtime	Approximately 22–30 minutes, depending on season/episode
Main Setting	Family and everyday-life situations
Original Family	Balachandran Thampi and Neelima’s family
Cinematography	S.J. Sinu, Mithun Muralidharan, Anoop Kattakada and other credited cinematographers
Editing	B. Sateeshkumar and other credited editors
Status	The series has continued into its third-season era

What Is Uppum Mulakum?

Uppum Mulakum is a Malayalam sitcom built around family relationships and the small incidents that take place in ordinary domestic life. Instead of depending entirely on a conventional dramatic storyline, the show uses humor, misunderstandings, family conversations and relatable situations to create its episodes.

At the centre of the original story are Balachandran Thampi, popularly known as Balu, and his wife Neelima, or Neelu. Their children Vishnu, Lakshmi, Keshav, Shivani and Parvathy form the younger generation of the family. The combination of different personalities allows the show to move naturally between comedy, family disagreements, celebrations and emotional moments.

The popularity of the series also comes from the familiarity of its characters. Viewers followed the children as they grew and experienced changing relationships, responsibilities and personal situations. This family-centred approach helped Uppum Mulakum establish a long-running identity on Malayalam television.

Uppum Mulakum Release Date

The original Uppum Mulakum premiered in India on December 14, 2015 on Flowers TV. The series became a long-running Malayalam television sitcom and continued through different phases of its production.

The third season returned to Flowers TV on June 24, 2024, bringing back several familiar performers while also introducing changes to the cast and creative team.

Directors of Uppum Mulakum

The directing responsibilities of Uppum Mulakum have changed across its long television run. R. Unnikrishnan is closely associated with the original series and directed a substantial portion of its early episodes. Later seasons brought other directors into the production, reflecting the show’s continuing expansion.

Director	Credit
R. Unnikrishnan	Series Director / Early Seasons
Pradeep Madhav	Director
Afsal Abdul Latheef	Season 3 Director
Suhil Raj A. S.	Season 3 Director

For Season 3, Afsal Abdul Latheef directed the early run, while Suhil Raj A. S. subsequently took over directing responsibilities.

Writers of Uppum Mulakum

Because Uppum Mulakum has been produced across a very large number of episodes, its writing credits have involved several writers. The writing focuses on family situations, everyday conflicts, comedy and character-driven episodes rather than one continuous cinematic storyline.

Writer	Credit
Suresh Babu	Writer
Sreerag Ramesh Nambiar	Writer
R. Unnikrishnan	Writer
Afsal Karunagappally	Writer
Jacky S. Kumar	Writer

Current public credit records also list Suresh Babu, Afsal Karunagappally, Jacky S. Kumar and Sreerag Ramesh Nambiar among the writers for Season 3-era episodes.

Cast of Uppum Mulakum

The cast of Uppum Mulakum is built around the Balachandran Thampi family. The central performers became strongly associated with their fictional names, especially Biju Sopanam as Balu and Nisha Sarangh as Neelu.

Main Cast of Uppum Mulakum

Actor	Character	Role
Biju Sopanam	Balachandran “Balu” Thampi	Father
Nisha Sarangh	Neelima “Neelu” Balachandran Thampi	Mother
Rishi S. Kumar	Vishnu “Mudiyan” Balachandran Thampi	Eldest Son
Juhi Rustagi	Lakshmi “Lachu/Lechu” Balachandran Thampi	Daughter
Al Sabith	Keshav “Keshu” Balachandran Thampi	Son
Shivani Menon	Shivani “Shiva” Balachandran Thampi	Daughter
Baby Ameya	Parvathy “Paru/Parukkutty” Balachandran Thampi	Youngest Daughter
Gouri Unnimaya	Gouri Sreekuttan	Supporting Character
Nandhootty	Kallu/Kalyani	Younger Generation Character
Rohini Rahul	Kanakam	Supporting Character
K.P.A.C. Shantha / Kaladevi	Bhavani Amma	Recurring Character
Aneena Mariya	Merlin	Recurring Character
Sidharth Prabhu / Sidharth-related credits	Sidhu	Supporting Character

Key Characters in Uppum Mulakum

Biju Sopanam as Balachandran “Balu” Thampi

Biju Sopanam plays Balachandran Thampi, popularly called Balu, the father at the centre of the original family. The character is portrayed as a family-oriented man whose interactions with his wife and children generate many of the show’s humorous situations.

Balu’s personality allows the series to balance comedy with the responsibilities of family life. His reactions to the children’s decisions, household problems and unexpected events became an important part of the show’s storytelling.

Nisha Sarangh as Neelima “Neelu” Thampi

Nisha Sarangh portrays Neelima, affectionately called Neelu. She is Balu’s wife and the mother of the children. The character plays a major role in maintaining the family’s emotional and practical balance.

Neelu’s relationship with Balu is one of the central elements of the sitcom. Their everyday conversations and disagreements are presented through a light family-comedy style. Nisha Sarangh was also among the prominent performers associated with the series from its beginning.

Rishi S. Kumar as Vishnu “Mudiyan” Thampi

Rishi S. Kumar plays Vishnu, commonly known as Mudiyan. Vishnu is the eldest son in the Thampi family and became one of the show’s most recognizable younger characters.

His character is associated with youth, personal ambitions and the sometimes complicated transition from student life into adulthood. His relationship with the rest of the family provides several comic and emotional storylines.

Juhi Rustagi as Lakshmi “Lachu/Lechu” Thampi

Juhi Rustagi plays Lakshmi, known within the family as Lachu or Lechu. She is one of the daughters of Balu and Neelu and became an important part of the show’s family structure.

The character’s story develops as the series progresses, allowing the audience to see a younger family member move into a more mature phase of life. Juhi Rustagi’s character has remained closely connected with the identity of Uppum Mulakum.

Al Sabith as Keshav “Keshu” Thampi

Al Sabith portrays Keshav, known as Keshu. He is one of the younger sons in the family and is involved in numerous humorous situations.

Keshu’s character adds a youthful energy to the household. His interactions with siblings, parents and other characters contribute to the show’s light-hearted storytelling.

Shivani Menon as Shivani “Shiva” Thampi

Shivani Menon plays Shivani, usually called Shiva. She is one of the daughters in the Thampi family and became one of the familiar younger faces of the series.

As the character develops, Shiva takes part in stories involving family relationships, responsibilities and everyday situations. Her presence continues to be significant in the third-season era.

Baby Ameya as Parvathy “Paru” Thampi

Baby Ameya plays Parvathy, affectionately known as Paru or Parukkutty. She joined the family as the youngest child and gradually became one of the memorable characters of Uppum Mulakum.

Because the character was introduced as a young child, Paru added a different dimension to the family comedy. Her interactions with the older members of the family often created naturally humorous situations.

Gouri Unnimaya as Gouri

Gouri Unnimaya became part of the later cast and is credited as Gouri Sreekuttan. The character represents the show’s expanding family circle and is associated with the newer phase of the story.

Her inclusion reflects how Uppum Mulakum has continued to introduce new relationships and characters while maintaining its family-centred identity.

Nandhootty as Kallu

Nandhootty appears as Kallu/Kalyani in the newer phase of the series. The character belongs to the younger generation and adds another layer to the family-oriented storyline.

The introduction of younger characters allows the show to continue developing its family universe instead of remaining limited to its original group of characters.

Producers of Uppum Mulakum

Flowers TV Production is credited with producing Uppum Mulakum. The production identity of the series has remained closely connected with Flowers TV since its launch.

Producer	Credit
Flowers TV / Flowerstv	Production / Producer
Flowers TV Production	Production Company

Current episode credits continue to identify Flowerstv as the producer.

Cinematographers of Uppum Mulakum

Cinematography is an important part of a daily or long-running sitcom because the production needs to capture conversations, family interactions and comic reactions efficiently.

Cinematographer	Credit
S.J. Sinu	Director of Photography
Mithun Muralidharan	Cinematography
Anoop Kattakada	Cinematography
Sudeesh C.P.	Cinematography
Sajeev K.V.	Cinematography
Amal M.K.	Cinematography
Nandhu V.	Cinematography

Credit records identify S.J. Sinu with the earlier run and Mithun Muralidharan and Anoop Kattakada among the cinematographers in later episodes. Season 3 production information also identifies additional cinematography credits.

Editors of Uppum Mulakum

Editing helps maintain the fast rhythm required for a sitcom. The editors bring together dialogue, reactions, comic pauses and scene transitions to create the final episode.

Editor	Credit
B. Sateeshkumar	Editor
Satheesh Kumar B.	Editing
Ranjith P.R.	Editing
Abhilash Elikatoor	Editing
Amal Tom	Editing

B. Sateeshkumar is one of the most consistently listed editors in the show’s available production credits. Later Season 3 records also identify Abhilash Elikatoor and Amal Tom.

Casting Directors of Uppum Mulakum

The original casting process was particularly important because several performers became strongly identified with the characters they played. Nisha Sarangh was selected as Neelima while she was associated with Flowers, while Biju Sopanam was considered for Balu after his previous theatre and television work.

Name	Credit
R. Unnikrishnan	Casting involvement / Series creation
Shantanu Shrikant Bhake	Casting Director – credited in production records

The original casting also included performers discovered through television and other entertainment programmes. Rishi S. Kumar was selected for Vishnu after being noticed through D4 Dance, while Al Sabith and Shivani Menon had also appeared in Kuttikkalavara.

Production Designers of Uppum Mulakum

Detailed production-design credits are not consistently separated in publicly available episode-level records. The visual design of the show is primarily built around domestic family environments that support its everyday-life storytelling.

Name	Credit
Prashant Rane	Production Design – credited in available production records

Art Directors of Uppum Mulakum

The art direction supports the realistic household setting that forms the backdrop of the series. Detailed episode-by-episode art-direction credits are not consistently available in public listings.

Name	Credit
Production Art Team	Art Direction
Detailed individual episode credit	Not consistently listed publicly

Costume Designers of Uppum Mulakum

Costume design in a family sitcom generally focuses on creating believable everyday clothing rather than highly stylized cinematic costumes. Earlier production listings associate Rana Prathap with costume work.

Name	Credit
Rana Prathap	Costume
Costume Department	Supporting costume work

Makeup Department

Makeup for Uppum Mulakum follows the natural visual style of a family television sitcom. Earlier available production listings credit P. Jayachandra and Maria with makeup-related work.

Name	Credit
P. Jayachandra	Makeup
Maria	Makeup
Makeup Department	Television production support

Production Management

Production management is essential for coordinating the large number of episodes produced over the show’s long run.

Name	Credit
Flowers TV Production Team	Production
Flowerstv	Producer / Production
Production Management Team	Episode coordination

Because the show has accumulated a very large number of episodes, individual production-management credits can differ between episodes and seasons.

Second Unit Directors and Assistant Directors

The available public credits do not provide a consistently complete department-wise list of second-unit directors or assistant directors for the entire series.

Name	Credit	Episodes
Assistant Direction Team	Assistant Direction	Various
Second Unit Team	Second Unit Support	Where applicable
Individual episode credits	Vary by production period	Various

Art Department

The Art Department supports the physical spaces, props and visual details required for individual storylines.

Name	Credit	Episodes
Art Department Team	Art Support	Various
Set and Props Team	Production Support	Various
Individual credited artists	Episode-specific	Various

Sound Department

Sound is particularly important in Uppum Mulakum because the humour depends heavily on natural conversations, timing and character reactions.

Name	Credit	Episodes
Vaishakh Karivellur	Sync Sound	Credited episodes
Jaivin Vincent	Sound Editor	Credited episode
Sound Department	Production Sound	Various

Public episode records specifically credit Vaishakh Karivellur with sync sound and Jaivin Vincent with sound editing on later entries.

Visual Effects

Uppum Mulakum is primarily a live-action family sitcom and does not depend heavily on large-scale visual effects.

Department	Credit
Visual Effects	Limited / Episode-specific
Post-production effects	As required

Stunts

The sitcom format means that stunt work is not a central production department. When physical comedy or action situations are required, they are generally handled according to the needs of individual episodes.

Department	Credit
Stunts	Episode-specific
Action Support	Where required

Camera and Electrical Departments

The production uses a television multi-camera approach suited to dialogue-heavy family scenes.

Department	Credit
Camera Team	Multi-camera production
Director of Photography Team	S.J. Sinu and later cinematographers
Electrical Team	Studio and location support
Camera Operators	Episode-specific

Animation Department

Animation is not a major component of Uppum Mulakum because the programme is primarily live-action.

Department	Credit
Animation	Not a primary production department
Graphics	Used where required

Casting Department

The casting department has played an important role in maintaining the show’s large character network.

Name	Credit	Episodes
Casting Team	Character Casting	Various
Shantanu Shrikant Bhake	Casting-related credit	Production period
Series Creative Team	Casting Support	Various

Costume and Wardrobe Department

The wardrobe department works toward maintaining realistic clothing appropriate for the characters’ age, occupation and family setting.

Department	Credit	Episodes
Costume Department	Wardrobe	Various
Rana Prathap	Costume	Earlier production
Wardrobe Team	Costume continuity	Various

Editorial Department

The editorial department is responsible for assembling scenes into episodes and maintaining the show’s comedic rhythm.

Name	Credit	Episodes
B. Sateeshkumar	Editor	Extensive series credits
Abhilash Elikatoor	Editor	Season 3 period
Amal Tom	Editor	Season 3 period
Editorial Team	Post-production	Various

Public credits consistently identify B. Sateeshkumar with the show’s editing, while Season 3 production information adds Abhilash Elikatoor and Amal Tom.

Location Management

The show is strongly associated with Kerala and its familiar domestic environment. Public production information identifies Kochi/Ernakulam among the filming locations associated with the series.

Name	Credit
Location Management Team	Location coordination
Jadhav Nikhel	Location Manager – credited in available records

The location and production arrangements help preserve the show’s everyday, grounded atmosphere rather than giving it a highly cinematic presentation.

Music and Technical Details

Technical Category	Details
Original Language	Malayalam
Genre	Sitcom / Family Comedy
Network	Flowers TV
Camera Format	Multi-camera
Runtime	Approximately 22–30 minutes depending on episode
Cinematography	S.J. Sinu, Mithun Muralidharan, Anoop Kattakada and others
Editing	B. Sateeshkumar and later editors
Production Company	Flowers TV Production
Music	Music credits vary by production period
Sound	Sync sound and post-production sound
Country	India

The show’s technical presentation is designed around television viewing, with multiple cameras, relatively compact episodes and a strong emphasis on dialogue and character interaction.

Script and Continuity Department

Continuity is important in a long-running family sitcom because characters, relationships and household situations need to remain understandable across hundreds of episodes.

Name	Credit	Episodes
Script Team	Story and episode development	Various
Suresh Babu	Writing	Extensive
Sreerag Ramesh Nambiar	Writing	Extensive
Afsal Karunagappally	Writing	Later episodes
Jacky S. Kumar	Writing	Later episodes

Color Department

The Color Department contributes to the final visual appearance of the episodes after filming and editing.

Department	Credit
Color Correction	Post-production
Color Department	Episode-specific
Final Picture Processing	Production workflow

Individual colorist credits are not consistently identified across the publicly available full-series records.

Production Department

The production department coordinates the practical requirements of the show’s long-running television schedule.

Department	Credit	Episodes
Flowers TV Production	Main Production	Extensive
Production Team	Daily production	Various
Floor and Studio Team	Production support	Various
Post-production Team	Episode finishing	Various

Publicity

Publicity for Uppum Mulakum has been handled through the television network’s promotional ecosystem, including episode promos, season announcements, social media content and television advertising.

Publicity Area	Details
Network Promotion	Flowers TV
Season Promotions	Flowers TV promotional campaigns
Episode Promos	Flowers TV
Digital Promotion	Online and social media promotion
Special Episodes	Promotional campaigns as required

The launch of Season 3 was promoted by Flowers’ own media channels, highlighting the show’s return and its continuing family-comedy identity.

Voice Actors and Dubbing

Uppum Mulakum is primarily a Malayalam-language live-action sitcom, so traditional dubbing is not the central feature of its production.

Name	Credit	Episodes
Main Cast	Original Malayalam Performances	Various
Voice / Sound Team	Dialogue recording	Various
Dubbing	Episode-specific where required	Various

Additional Crew

A long-running television programme requires many professionals beyond the actors and principal directors. These include production assistants, camera operators, set teams, sound technicians, lighting personnel, continuity staff and post-production workers.

Department	Credit
Production Assistants	Episode production
Camera Assistants	Camera support
Lighting Team	Studio and location lighting
Sound Assistants	Recording support
Set Team	Household and location setup
Post-production Team	Episode finishing
Continuity Team	Story and character continuity
Technical Crew	Broadcast preparation

Awards and Recognition

Uppum Mulakum has developed a significant audience following during its long television run. Its popularity has been associated with the show’s natural family situations, recurring characters and accessible humour.

The series also achieved major longevity milestones. It crossed 1,000 episodes in 2019, while its third-season era later passed the 2,000-episode mark in June 2025, according to available reporting and programme records.

Rather than relying only on conventional dramatic storytelling, the programme established its identity through everyday family interactions. The continued return of familiar characters has been an important part of its recognition among Malayalam television audiences.

Conclusion

The cast of Uppum Mulakum is one of the biggest reasons the sitcom has remained recognizable over a long period. Biju Sopanam as Balu, Nisha Sarangh as Neelu and the performers portraying their children created a family ensemble that viewers could easily identify with. Characters such as Mudiyan, Lachu, Keshu, Shiva and Paru became closely connected with the show’s identity.

The series has also evolved with time. New performers and characters have been introduced, directing and writing responsibilities have changed, and the third season has brought a fresh phase to the long-running story. Even with these changes, the basic appeal of Uppum Mulakum remains centred on family relationships, humour and everyday situations.

For viewers searching for the Uppum Mulakum cast, the most important names include Biju Sopanam, Nisha Sarangh, Rishi S. Kumar, Juhi Rustagi, Al Sabith, Shivani Menon, Baby Ameya and several supporting performers who have contributed across different seasons.

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