Excel Productions

Background

Excel Productions was a division of Udaya Studios, the oldest major film production studio in the Malayalam film industry established in 1947 by director-producer Kunchacko and film distributor K. V. Koshy in Pathirappally. After the studio went defunct, Kunchacko Boban established a new film production company named Udaya Pictures in 2016.

The films produced at the studio were produced under the banner of K&K Combines, and later under Excel Productions (also spelt X. L. Productions).

1st Logo (August 26, 1969-May 7, 1971)

Visuals: On a black background, we first see a statue of a rooster. The camera zooms away from it just to reveal that the statue is on top of a model of a globe and also reveals that we are on a mountain range. At the same time, the globe is on top of a table-like thing, containing the big text: "UDAYA", which takes up most of the table's space. The table also contains the text: "UDAYA-NAGAR", being below the word "UDAYA" and the word: "STUDIOS" being below the globe. On the top-left corner, we can see a set of text reading:

EXCEL PRODUCTIONS
Presents

fading in. The word "Presents" is also in a script font.

Technique: Camera-controlled animation combined with cel animation.

Audio: A rooster's cry, followed by the film's opening theme.

Availability: This was seen on their films during the time such as Jwala, Koottukudumbam, Thara, Ningalenne Communistakki, Pearl View, Agnimrigam, Lora Nee Evide.

2nd Logo (July 28, 1972-February 26, 1981)

Visuals: On a sunset background, we see a silhouette of the same rooster statue and globe from the previous logo. It zooms out, just to reveal the same table-like thing containg the same elements from the previous logo, but this time in color. The sun can be seen in the background and a portion of a palm tree can bee seen on the top-left corner.

Variant: On its early years, the sun is much more large and blurry and is placed on the top-left corner.

Technique: Live-action.

Audio: The same rooster's cry from before, followed by a held string note and a lyre flourish.

Audio variant:

The early variant only had a different variation of the lyre flourish.
On Ponnapuram Kotta and Acharam Ammini Osharam Omana, the film's opening theme is played.

Availability: Again, this was seen on their films during the time.

The early variant was seen on Oru Sundariyude Kadha and Postmane Kanmanilla.
The standard variant on the other hand made its appearances on Aromalunni, Ponnapuram Kotta, Neela Ponman, Acharam Ammini Osharam Omana, Kannappanunni, Paalaattu Kunjikkannan, and Sanchari.

◄	K&K Combines

Excel Productions