A division bench issued the order on a petition filed by film director Baiju Kottarakkara against the transfer of ADGP Sreejith

KOCHI: The High Court on Friday directed the state police chief to explain whether any order was issued appointing the new crime branch SP as supervising authority of the probe into the 2017 actor assault case.
A division bench issued the order on a petition filed by film director Baiju Kottarakkara against the transfer of ADGP Sreejith from the post of crime branch SP and the supervising officer of the probe.

The government said the January 7 order reconstituting the special investigation team only mentioned Sreejith in his capacity as crime branch head. So, when he was transferred, the officer replacing him would be tasked with supervising the t e am, submitted the government.

The post Kerala HC seeks clarification in actress abduction case appeared first on The Gulf Indians.

In a Facebook post, Sanal said the life of Manju was facing danger from people close to her and in an Instagram post, he said Manju is in the custody of some people with a vested interest.

KOCHI: Award-winning Malayalam filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan landed in police custody on Thursday following a complaint by actress Manju Warrier that he threatened and defamed her.

According to the police, Sanal (45), was taken into custody from his house in Parassala, Thiruvananthapuram at around noon. He will be brought to Kochi, where the case has been registered.

Sanal, known for films such as Sexy Durga in 2017 (Hivos Tiger Award, Rotterdam film festival), Chola in 2019 and Ozhivudivasathe Kali in 2015 (Best Film, Kerala State Government), resisted the police persons from Kochi’s Elamakkara station who reached Parasala to arrest him. He claimed on a Facebook live that he was being kidnapped by a group of people and that his life was in danger when the police took him into custody.

Later, police from Parassal police station reached the spot and assisted the police team from Kochi in taking Sanal into custody. Sanal’s arrest would be recorded after being brought to Elamakkara Police Station.

In a recent Facebook post, Sanal said the life of Manju was in danger. According to him, she is facing danger from people close to her. He made an Instagram post that Manju is in the custody of some people with a vested interest. Sanal named that her managers Bineesh Chandran and Binu Nair would be responsible if anything adverse happens to Manju. It is to be noted that, he casted Manju in film Kayyattam in 2020.

Recently, Sanal sent a letter to the President of India and Chief Justice raising apprehension about the law and order situation in Kochi. He cited the life threat faced by Manju and various death cases to point out that Kerala’s law and order situation is worsening day by day.

The post Sanal Kumar Sasidharan arrested after actor Manju Warrier’s complaint appeared first on The Gulf Indians.

Vijay Babu has stepped down from the artists’ body AMMA, which he was associated with as an executive committee member, amid the rape case against him.

Kochi: Actor-producer Vijay Babu has stepped down from his position as an executive member of the artists’ body, Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) after he was accused of raping an actress.

The artiste informed about his decision to step back by writing a letter to the association, and it was accepted by the body.

“Vijay Babu has sent a letter saying that he did not want to bring disgrace to the organisation of which he is an executive committee member amid the allegations levelled against him. He would stay away from the Executive Committee for the time being until his innocence is proved. His letter (request) was discussed by AMMA and it has been approved,” read the official statement of AMMA, released by general secretary Edavela Babu.

Two cases have been registered by the police against the 45-year-old artiste. An actress who worked with him alleged that he had physically and sexually assaulted her multiple times, exploited her, shot a video of her to blackmail her, and forced her to consume alcohol and ‘happy pill’ over the last two months.

The second case was lodged for disclosing the identity of the victim through a Facebook live video moments after her allegations, and claiming he was the ‘victim.’

The police had lodged a First Information Report against Vijay Babu on April 22, after the actress had registered a complaint with the police on the same day. While earlier it was stated that he was on the run and a lookout notice was then issued,  the police later reportedly confirmed that he left for Dubai. He had filed an anticipatory bail plea with the Kerala High Court.

Another actress accused Babu of sexual assault, alleging on social media that he tried to kiss her within minutes of their first meeting. The woman was so troubled by the incident that she quit her aspirations to join the film industry.

The actor-producer owns the production house Friday Film House and has produced and starred in films like the popular Home last year.

The post Vijay Babu Steps Down from AMMA Executive Panel amid Rape Case appeared first on The Gulf Indians.

Malayalam actor Vijay Babu has refuted all allegations of sexual assault and said he would file a defamation case against the complainant.

Kochi: After being accused of sexual assault by an actor, Malayam actor Vijay Babu dismissed the allegations, saying that he had not done anything wrong. He even said he will file a defamation case and “won’t let her get away that easily”.

“I haven’t done anything wrong. I’m the victim. The law of this country protects her and she is at ease while I’m the one who is suffering,” he said on a Facebook live.

“I will file a defamation case. I won’t let her get away that easily. I can share all the proof I have, but I won’t because I don’t want to cause damage to her family. I’m answerable only to my wife, mother, sister and friends. And I don’t want this to end with a piece of small news saying, ‘Vijay Babu found not guilty’,” he added.

Elaboration on the allegations, he said, “She came for an audition and got her role. All these talks about casting couch and all… it is I who is suffering.”

“She started sending messages saying she was depressed. From December till March 2021. I have all her messages, and over 400 screenshots. Whatever allegations she may have, rape or consensual, I have all on record.”

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Malayalam producer and screenwriter John Paul passed away on Saturday afternoon at 1 PM at a private hospital in Kerala.

Thiruvananthapuram: Popular veteran Malayalam producer and screenwriter John Paul has passed away at the age of 72. Paul died on Saturday afternoon at 1 PM at a private hospital in Kerala while receiving treatment, reported Pinkvilla.

The film producer was under treatment for the last two months and suddenly on Friday, his health deteriorated. John was survived by his wife He is survived by his wife Aisha Elizebath and daughter Jisha Jibi. The scriptwriter’s funeral will be held on April 24.

Just a couple of days ago, John Paul’s friend and well-wisher shared a post requesting aid for the scriptwriter’s treatment. After that, the Kerala Government allotted Rs 2 lakh for John Paul’s treatment from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. He was also helped by some of his fans.

ohn Paul has given birth to several Malayalam movies and his writing prowess in building memorable characters and an engaging screenplay without losing the emotional core got much recognition and adulation from the audience. His most notable works include ‘Chamaram’, ‘Marmaram’, ‘Vida Parayum Munpe’, ‘Kathayariyathe’, ‘Ormakkayi’, ‘Asthram’, ‘Kathodu Kathoram’, ‘Yathra’, ‘Purappadu’, ‘Orukkam’, ‘Randam Varavu’, ‘Chamayam’, ‘Aksharam’, ‘Kattathe Kilikkoodu’ and ‘Vellathooval’.

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The voice clip belongs to audio recordings submitted by director Balachandrakumar. Later, the crime branch submitted by director Balachandrakumar. Later, the crime branch submitted these voice clips before the court stating that the recording was retrieved from Dileep’s phone.

Kochi: A voice clip of Actor Dileep speaking with his close friend Baiju has come out in connection with the actress attack case. The voice believed to be that of Dileep can be heard saying that he is facing the punishment that should be faced by a woman..
Meanwhile, Dileep has told the crime branch that the 10-second long voice clip does not belong to him.

I was not supposed to face this punishment. Another woman should have faced this punishment But I trapped myself while saving her,” the voice which is suspected to be of Dileep was heard.

The voice clip belongs to audio recordings submitted by director Balachandrakumar. Later, the crime branch submitted by director Balachandrakumar. Later, the crime branch submitted these voice clips before the court stating that the recording was retrieved from Dileep’s phone. After Dileep termed the voice clip as fake, the crime branch reiterated that witnesses identified it. It was sent for forensic examination, they added.

The post Actress Attack Case: Dileep says leaked voice clip is fake. appeared first on The Gulf Indians.

Director Basil Joseph, in collaboration with writers Arun Anirudhan and Justin Mathew, have successfully transformed Tovino Thomas into Jaison Varghese who is struck by lightning one night, develops superhuman strength and rechristens himself saviour of this little hamlet in the Kerala countryside.

Until this sensational turn of events, Jaison is an ordinary hard-working Indian youngster who fancies himself to be a cool dude, helps in his father’s tailoring business and dreams of leaving the country for greener pastures in the Western hemisphere where he believes he will make big money since “tailors are in great demand in America – you see, no one knows how to sew there since they wear only readymade garments”.

Minnal Murali is Basil’s tribute to the Hollywood superhero genre. Minnal Murali is a superhero origin story. The fight sequences are well-conceived and executed.

Much-acclaimed stunt choreographer Supreme Sundar, an Indian cinema veteran and action director Vlad Rimburg are part of the team.

Tovino Thomas is identified by his innocent appearance, not muscle or an adherence to conventional notions of masculinity. He is an inspired choice for a superhero because it is only once you see Jaison step into his avatar as Minnal Murali that you realise the importance of the disconnect between the young star’s endearing persona and the body he has built for this role.

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Commenting on the release of his film on Amazon Prime Video, lead actor Tovino Thomas said “Movies like ‘Kala’ belong to the league of the movies that inspire an actor to constantly work on themselves and upgrade their level of performance by giving it their very best. The movie is a psychological thriller and my character Shaji is one who is consistently struggling with himself and is a very rough kind of a person. His story is one which I feel should be heard by many and I am glad that Amazon Prime Video has shown its belief in the story and is putting it out to a wider audience”.

Commenting on his movie streaming on Amazon Prime Video, director Rohith VS said “Far from a regular story, Kala is an intense movie revolving around a very intense character. It is a film which will force you to be on your seats right till the very end and leave you with ample food for thought once it ends. It is a matter of pride for me that the movie is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video and enabling us to take our stories across many regions.”

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video in Malayalam with English subtitles since 20^th May, Kala will also be available with Tamil and Telugu audio soon.

Synopsis
‘Kala’ is the story of Shaji who faces an intriguing conflict with the many layered shades of human behaviour. The protagonist (Tovino Thomas) leads a simple family life. A sudden turn of events brings out the flip side of him. The narration moves from human nature to animal love to brutality towards animals and humans equally. It challenges the viewer to think and reflect on what is good and what is evil.

Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Cuq8aPH8OU

Kala will join the thousands of TV shows and movies from Hollywood and Bollywood in the Prime Video catalog. These include Indian films Durgamati, Chhalaang, Gulabo Sitabo, Shakuntala Devi, Ponmagal Vandhal, LAW, French Biriyani, Sufiyum Sujatayum, V, CU Soon, Nishabhdham, Halal Love Story, Bheemasena Nalamaharaj, Soorarai Pottru, Middle Class Melodies, Mane No. 13, Penguin, Putham Pudhu Kaalai, and Unpaused along with Indian-produced Amazon Original series like Bandish Bandits, Breathe: Into The Shadows, Paatal Lok, Four More Shots Please, Mirzapur 1, 2, The Family Man, Inside Edge, and Made In Heaven, Sons of The Soil: Jaipur Pink Panthers and the award-winning and critically acclaimed global Amazon Originals like Borat The Subsequent Moviefilm, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, The Boys, Hunters, Fleabag, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. All this is available at no extra cost for Amazon Prime members. The service includes titles in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, and Bengali.

Prime members will be able to watch Kala anywhere and anytime on the Prime Video app for smart TVs, mobile devices, Fire TV, Fire TV stick, Fire tablets, Apple TV, Airtel, Vodafone, etc. In the Prime Video app, Prime members can download episodes on their mobile devices and tablets and watch anywhere offline at no additional cost. Prime Video is available in India at no extra cost to a Prime membership for just ₹999 annually or ₹129 monthly, new customers can find out more at www.amazon.in/prime and subscribe to a free 30-day trial.

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Mammootty’s 1 (One) has dropped on Netflix at an opportune moment – when Kerala awaits State Assembly elections results that is expected to make history. Exit polls as well as pre-poll surveys have predicted a return to power of the LDF government under Pinarayi Vijayan, marking a break from the State’s see-saw politics.

Although initially there was speculation that Chief Minister Kadakkal Chandran essayed by Mammootty was inspired by Pinarayi’s no-nonsense politics, the film’s scriptwriters Bobby and Sanjay clarified that it was a neutral character, the kind of leader the public desires. And only films and superstars can give birth to such ideal leaders who rise above coalition pressures and the corruption ingrained in the system.

There are a few leaders and real-life incidents that events in the story resemble. The shiny black shoes – the first visual as the protagonist is introduced – of the mundu-clad reel life CM is quite like the real-life CM’s, the auto ride he takes during a traffic jam is reminiscent of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s recent escapade and the customer-delivery man spat is not too different from the experience of a Zomato delivery boy in Bangalore. Ridiculing Chandran for his father’s occupation is also similar to the casteist taunts Pinarayi has occasionally faced. Of course, the script must have preceded some of these incidents but the political churn we witness here is part of the package that movies of this genre gift the audience. Political movies have often been a hit with the Kerala audience, and One is no different.

The film has deftly incorporated the power of technology and social media into its plot. If a viral Facebook post by a college student, Sanal, against the CM prepares the setting for the meeting between a young citizen and the No. 1 persona in the State (the CM’s car number plate also gets ample coverage to bring in the relevance of the movie title) as well as the superstar’s grand entry in the film, the CM is also shown using a laptop by himself and directing two enthusiastic college students to do a district-wise survey on elected members’ popularity.

The impressive star cast has both old timers and newcomers from Mamukoya and Jagadeesh to serial star Gayatri Arun. Joju George shines as the party president and the CM’s comrade-in-arms in his trademark easy style that we have seen in Joseph and June. Mathew Thomas of Thanneermathan Dinangal fame delivers as the diffident but sincere youngster who finds an ally in the CM while Ishaani Krishna makes her debut as the spunky college union chairman. The CM’s speech at his alma mater is preachy but not out of place.

The characters that don’t seem to gel are Murali Gopy as the ruthless Opposition leader – who looks more like a prosperous Abkari contractor – and Nimisha Sajayan as the CM’s niece who migrates to Canada. Note the point that Canada is one of the new greener pastures of the ambitious Malayali and even an idealistic leader cannot persuade his only surviving kin to serve the homeland. While we fear the worst, nothing much comes of the CM’s occasional memory lapses caused by an old head injury and we see him in the end as a populist CM who returns to power in the rough and tumble of Kerala politics.

Mammootty’s frame looms large in many scenes, a conscious effort to marry the magic of his on-screen persona with the charisma of a bachelor politician wedded to his party and ideals. The script also scores in projecting him as a bachelor who put his party above his family – there is no hassle of finding the perfect heroine who is neither too young nor too old for the superstar while the plot doesn’t have to include allegations of nepotism and corruption that a family man leader can face.

For the average Malayali who has grown up in Kerala, scanning political news in the newspaper as he sips his morning tea or discuss political developments at the local tea shop, the movie will not disappoint. We breathe a brand of politics that is still largely healthy, and One successfully tests our love for political stories while steering clear of communal issues.

After Arabikatha and Oru Indian Pranayakatha, One has given us a catchy political number – Janamanassinu Athipathi neeye – that will come in useful at political rallies.

One is definitely for Mammootty fans, and on May 2 when the election results are out, it will be a treat to return to your screens for 153 minutes and watch it yet again to celebrate the spirit of democracy.

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Going by the pre-release posters of The Priest, a thrilling crime story was in store for Malayali audiences – and the wider audience that an OTT release on Amazon Prime has made possible. A pensive-looking Mammootty dons the role of a priest playing Sherlock Holmes in this pandemic-era creation. And with Mollywood’s former lady superstar Manju Warrier also in the frame, the film promised not to disappoint.

But disappoint it did. The two superstars seem wasted in a flawed creation of debutante writer-director Jofin T Chacko. One could however pardon him for the flaws in direction and sit through the movie that upgrades from mere crime thriller to a supernatural horror trope.

The stamp of an amateur is visible right from the scene where a young member of the Alatt family approaches Father Carmen Benedict, played by Mammootty, a monk who is out of favour with the church owing to his dabbling with parapsychology and supernatural beings. But the Kerala State Police is happy to use his services especially as the good priest does not like to claim credit for the mysteries he solve.

Like in Joseph, we see the titular hero solving a murder mystery easily to establish his credentials as a master sleuth. But unlike the critically acclaimed Joseph, which saw Joju George essay one of his finest roles, superstar Mammooty cannot save The Priest. A lot of loose ends spoil the story. The young Ameya, who is made to look her scary best, is shielded by the orphanage head despite her errant behaviour. She frequently runs away from the orphanage but no action is taken. The last victim from the Alatt family picks up the young girl from Chennai but is killed the night she returns home with her.

When one almost thinks the girl or the nun had a role, we find the priest solving the case easily before hopping on to his next case – what drives Ameya to behave the way she does. By then, Ameya has made her first friend in school. The talented Nikhila Vimal plays her kind teacher Jessie, herself an orphan. They strike such a strong friendship that the girl compels her to take her to the teacher’s deserted and spooky house somewhere up in the hills. A perfect backdrop for the ghost attacks, the house is cleaned by the duo and they spend a few happy days there alone.

The entry of her boyfriend Siddharth spoils the setting, and soon the ghost in the girl play havoc on everyone’s lives. How the Priest tames the ghost of Susan, the older sister of Jessie who was killed in an accident 12 years ago, forms the crux of the story. He exorcises the ghost, pleads with it to leave alone the young girl and the young couple, but allows it to eliminate her real killers.

Mammootty is made to look his coolest best as the Priest – a man of few words, who occasionally spews his findings in English – while Manju as Susan looks two-dimensional as the possessive and vengeful older sister.  Neither can save the film, and we are happy when the movie finally ends, and the ghost and the ghost catcher go their separate ways.

The post A damp squib at horror appeared first on The Gulf Indians.

In late 2019, Kerala society was shaken by the news of a spate or murders committed by an attractive and dynamic woman in her forties – six murders spurred by greed for money and property and family intrigue. The Koodathayi case as it soon came to be known after the location of the killings has even inspired a prime-time serial on TV. Jolly, the serial killer, had done it with cyanide, and she attained increasing criminality and pleasure from her actions as her crime went undetected for 14 years.

Watching director Dileesh Pothan’s Joji on Amazon Prime Video upon its release on April 7, one could not help comparing the criminal minds of both Jolly and Joji, the protagonist of the movie. With Pothan and scriptwriter Syam Pushkaran, Fahadh Faasil presents another stellar performance after Maheshinte Prathikaram, Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum and Kumbalangi Nights. From a mediocre photographer hell-bent on revenge in the first, Fahadh’s histrionics reached its zenith in the latter two where he boldly etched characters with questionable credentials – a shifty nameless thief and a psycho hairdresser. In them, as well as in the latest movie, Fahadh performs with his eyes and going the extra mile in Joji to look gaunt and sickly.

The titular hero here is a lethargic engineering dropout, who dreams of a life abroad. But he does not have the drive to prepare earnestly for TOEFL exams. He logs into a session but soon falls asleep. When he is not sleeping, he is either smoking or fishing or unobtrusively watching people. He is right on time to grab a gun his nephew Popy (Alister Alex) has stealthily ordered online, which also marks his theatrical entry in the film.

Unlike his father Panachel Kuttappan (PK Sunny) and brothers Jason and Jomon (Baburaj and Joji Mundakayam) who slog to maintain their vast rubber and pineapple estates in Erumely, a hilly town in southern Kerala en route to the Sabarimala shrine, Joji is a wastrel who shares a bond with his sister-in-law Bincy (Unnimaya). For all her quiet and composed nature, Bincy is ambitious and unhappy with the status quo. One sees her slogging alone in the kitchen in an all-male household but the moment the patriarch’s stifling and looming presence has gone, she hires a help. From the kitchen, she slowly relegates herself to the drawing room daring to sit on the regal chairs with her legs up.

The role of the church in the lives of the community is amply demonstrated as they half-heartedly heeds to established practices relating to death – while anticipating death, upon death and 40 days after. The most comical situations revolve in this conflict between the two. The young priest almost looks as if he will not be able to handle the chaos and disobedience around, but he manages to stand his ground.

This is probably the first movie that shows the face mask being a part of our daily lives. It comes in useful to hide emotions, as in Bincy’s instructions to Joji on funeral day. Even without a mask, Bincy has a face that masks her actual emotions. Glamourless and way too ordinary, Bincy is a courageous creation in a film that has no other major female faces.

The film professes to be inspired by Shakespeare’s Macbeth, a tragic tale of greed for power and the protagonist’s machinations to cover up the first crime. Like Macbeth, Joji gets bolder in his crimes, lies and blackmails but in the end has to pay for them. Bincy’s Lady Macbeth persona is the perfect foil to Joji as both are driven by a greed for property and desire for freedom from the dictatorial clutches of the father. In the end, the weakest eliminate the strongest through guile and patience.

As a dark comedy, the film rightly manages to elicit a chuckle or a guffaw from audiences familiar with local habits and parlance.

It has also captured the beauty of Kerala’s high ranges that many settler families toiled to tame and reap profits. Shyju Khalid’s photography and Justine Verghese’s music provide the perfect background for this suspense thriller.

For a pandemic-era movie – shorter and with fewer locales – Joji keeps you riveted to the screen for its one hour 53 minute duration.

The post Comprehending Joji: How the meek inherited earth appeared first on The Gulf Indians.

Though Unnikrishnan Namboothiri is a native of Payyanur, he was staying with his younger son Adv. PV Kunjikrishnan.
He debuted with the movie Desadanam in 1996. He played an important role in the film. The film won National award for best Regional film in the year 1997. His popular movies are Kalyanaraman, Desadanam, Mayamohini, Rappakal, Loudspeaker, Photographer, Pokkiri Raja, Madhuranombarakattu, Angene Oru Avadhikkalathu, Kaikudunna Nilavu and Kaliyattam.[2] He acted with Rajnikanth in Chandramukhi, teamed up with Kamal Haasan for Pammal K. Sambandam and worked with Ajith Kumar in Kandukondain Kandukondain.

He has shared screen space with several biggies in Tamil as well including Rajinikanth’s ‘Chandramukhi’, Kamal Haasan’s ‘Pammal K Sambandam’ and Aishwarya Rai-Ajith-Mammootty starrer ‘Kandukondain Kandukondain’.

The post Veteran actor Unnikrishnan Namboodiri is no more appeared first on The Gulf Indians.

The project started rolling on the auspicious occasion of ‘Makara Vilakku’ on January 15. Suresh Gopi himself revealed the exciting update, by sharing a picture with director Mathew Thomas and producer Tomichan Mulkapadam, on his official social media pages.

https://www.facebook.com/ActorSureshGopi/posts/1951535101655764

Tomichan Mulakupadam, the producer of the project took to his Facebook page and wrote: “On this occasion when theaters are open and the Industry gets its breath back, I am happy to announce that my new project ‘Ottakkomban’ starring superstar Suresh Gopi is all set to begin. By God’s grace, the film will start rolling soon.”

The highly anticipated project is being made with a whopping budget of Rs 50 crores.

The highly anticipated project will also feature Mukesh, KPAC Lalitha, Vijayaraghavan, Renji Panicker, Johny Antony, Sudhi Koppa in the supporting roles. Shaji Kumar is the director of photography. Harshvardhan Rameshwar has been roped in to compose the songs and background score. The project, which marks the directorial debut of Mathew Thomas, is scripted by Anil Lal.

The first look motion poster of Ottakomban was released on Suresh Gopi’s birthday , titled SG250, which gave hints about the mass avatar of the actor and a total treat for the fans.

The post Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui likely to join Suresh Gopi’s Ottakomban appeared first on The Gulf Indians.

Poet, lyricist Anil Panachooran passed away on Sunday night while undergoing treatment for COVID-19.  The 51-year-old died at a private hospital in T

Anil gained recognition after his songs in Sreenivasan starrer ‘Arabikkatha’ became popular. Born P. U. Anilkumar, he was a lawyer. He also penned songs for Loud Speaker, Bhamaram and Kathaparayumbol.

Anil collapsed and was hospitalised with breathing difficulties. Hospital authorities said that Anil was suffering from Coronavirus. He is survived by wife Maya and their children Maitreyi and Arun.

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The latest reports say that the makers have decided to release Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham on March 26,2021. The new day comes a day after the Kerala government decided to reopen theatres from Tuesday.

The film which is directed by Priyadarshan, was supposed to be released on March 19,2020. However uncertainties happened owing to pandemic and lockdown.

The new release date along with a brand new poster of the Priyadarshan directorial has been released through official social media pages.

https://www.facebook.com/MarakkarArabikadalinteSimham/posts/786497245280176

Through the movie , film buffs will get to experience a never-seen- before visual experience and the makers wanted the audience to experience it in theatres.

Reportedly, Marakkar is gearing up for a massive release worldwide in various languages including Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Chinese.

Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham features Mohanlal as the titular character, Kunjali Marakkar IV aka Mohammed. The big-budget venture features an extensive star cast, including Suniel Shetty, Arjun Sarja, Prabhudeva, Manju Warrier, Suhasini Maniratnam, Pranav Mohanlal, Keerthy Suresh, Kalyani Priyadarshan, and others.

Tirru, an ace cinematographer is the DOP of the Mohanlal-Priyadarshan movie. Sabu Cyril, the National Award-winning art director is the production designer.

Renowned stunt director Peter Hein has been roped in to handle the action choreography. Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham is produced by Antony Perumbavoor for Aashirvad Cinemas.

The post Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham to get a grand release appeared first on The Gulf Indians.

The movie named as ‘Choran’, went on floors on November 24 and the shooting was over in 15 days. The movie has been shot only during nights. Santo Anthikkad, said the movie was shot only during nights to ensure the dark mode suitable for the story. “Choran would probably be the first movie in India to have been shot throughout nights,” he said.

Dr Praveen Rana plays the protagonist in the film. Infact Mr Rana made his debut though ‘Anan’ in which he plays a revolutionary hero along with Indrans and Manikandan. However, ‘Anan’ is about to begin its second schedule which makes ‘Choran’ his first movie to finish filming.

Dr Praveen, is also a director, producer and Managing Director of Safe and Strong Business Consultants, was also in the news recently by providing financial assistance to technicians associated with Anan since the outbreak of Covid19 which made many of the movie technicians across the world temporarily jobless.

Remya Panicker who worked in movies like ‘Chunkzz’ and Porinju Mariam Jose is the female lead.

Choran, produced by Prajith K M for Rana’s Film Factory, is scripted by Stanly Antony and photographed by Suresh Babu. Choran is the fifth movie of Kiran Jose, a lyricist and composer who penned and gave music to a couple of recent hits.

The post Choran, a film about a good thief completes shooting appeared first on The Gulf Indians.

In one of her Instagram stroy, Ahaana shared a photo of herself with a text mentioning that she tested positive for COVID-19 a few days back. She also mentioned that she has quarantined herself.

“Tested positive for Corona a few days ago and have been in isolation enjoying my company more than ever since the past many days :)”

Ahaana Krishna, who is quite active on social media platforms made a video sharing about the events that happened in 2020.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJdJ6LUALFS/?utm_source=ig_embed

“So it’s a quick round-up of what and all happened in my life in 2020. So Maldives, Chickenpox, Coronavirus, lockdown, YouTube channel, an Instagram story, cyberbully, love letter, a lot of love, a lot of hate, memes and trolls, unexpected movies, unexpected friendship, and I tested positive for Corona.. not today! A few days back (coughs). So 2021 let’s see what you go there.. mmm?”, she said through the video.

On career front, Ahaana will next seen in Nancy Rani directed by Joseph Manu Joseph. She also has Pidikittapulli helmed by Jishnu Sreekandan which also stars Sunny Wayne.

She is also part of Dulquer Salmaan’s production film which is yet-to-be titled. She will be seen along with Shine Tom Chacko and Dhruvan. Prasobh Vijayan is helming the film which is scripted by Ratheesh Ravi.

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“Georgekutty and his family are coming soon on Amazon Prime Video,” Mohanlal wrote sharing the teaser.

Georgekutty and his family are coming soon on @PrimeVideoIN#Drishyam2OnPrime #HappyNewYear2021 #MeenaSagar #JeethuJoseph @antonypbvr @aashirvadcine @drishyam2movie #SatheeshKurup pic.twitter.com/5l7cfCdCS3

— Mohanlal (@Mohanlal) December 31, 2020

The teaser shows Georgekutty, the character played by Mohanlal, delivering a dialogue to a police officer from the previous film. “I have never seen police officers as fools. Rather I see them as protectors of people. That is why I believe that sir and this police station will protect me,” he is seen saying.

The teaser hints that the sequel will also be as gripping as the first movie. “Some secrets are meant to stay hidden forever. But there are no secrets that time does not reveal,” are the words that appear in the teaser, in the background of the chilling background score. Glimpses of Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba and Esther, the main cast of the sequel, also appear in the teaser.

The movie, directed by Jeethu Joseph and produced by Antony Perumbavoor, was a blockbuster hit. It has been remade into Hindi, Tamil.

The movie is centered on a family four. The elder daughter accidentally kills a man, who harassed her. The rest of the film shows how the family deals with the murder. Jeethu Joseph said that Drishyam 2 will also be a family drama like the prequel. Drishyam 2 is one among the few films that started shooting soon after Kerala government started easing lockdown in the state.

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The recently launched music video “Kankal Neeye”, composed and directed by cine director Sajid Yahiya is getting rave reviews and running top on charts with its spell-binding making and unexpected twist which has made it like a slick short film. The magical voice of Sreya Raghav brings out the complete essence of the song which has come out both in Tamil and Malayalam separately. It’s Anas Rahman, a new-face, is sharing screen space along with Sreya in the video. The music video is produced by CP Originals under “Cinema Prathan Productions”. Both the Malayalam version, launched by lady superstar Manju Warrier and Tamil version launched by South Indian Superstar Rahman through their social media pages have gone viral ever since their launches last week.

The song was penned by Vyshak Sugunan and Lingu Abraham in Malayalam and Shiva Ganga in Tamil. Music by Sajid Yahiya. Cinematography by Soni Seban, Asif Pav, editing by Amal Manoj, Programming by Sibi Mathew Alex, Make up by Aneesh C Babu, Second Unit Camera Sajan Sebastian, Ashiq, Hisham Anwar. Production Designer Shahid Muhammed, Costume, Jishad Shamsudin, DI and Coloring Sujith Sadashivan, Mastered by Akhil Tom Abraham.

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Lal Jose is one of the most versatile commercial filmmakers in Mollywood, and he has delivered some memorable hits in the industry that include ‘Meesha Madhavan’ and ‘Chandranudhikkunna Dhikkil’. However, his most anticipated movie, ‘Velipadinte Pusthakam’ which starred Mohanlal in the lead role was a box-office bomb.

Despite getting an overwhelming pre-release hype due to the ‘Entammede Jimikki Kammal’ song, the film failed to impress audiences and critics. And now, in a recent interview, Lal Jose claimed that the film had an impeccable story-line capable to make it an all-time classic.

“The film had all the potential to emerge as a classic. But I literally don’t know what happened. We completed the one-line of the story within nine days. Lalettan had some dates before the shooting of Odiyan. This might be the reason why the film did not work as expected,” said Lal Jose.

Lal Jose also added that his ultimate urge to do a movie with Mohanlal compelled him to do ‘Velipadinte Pusthakam’ with limited resources and time.

The director also made it clear that he is planning to direct a movie based on legendary communist leader M N Govindan. He made it clear that this movie will have a prolonged length and hinted that he may craft it as a web series.

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