Latest news with #SaudiVellakka
New Indian Express
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Fahadh Faasil and Naslen team up for Tharun Moorthy's next thriller ‘Torpedo'
The film boasts a stellar ensemble cast, including Fahadh Faasil, Premalu star Naslen, Arjun Das, and Ganapathi. The exciting collaboration of talents has already stirred anticipation among fans of Malayalam cinema. Produced by Ashiq Usman, Torpedo will feature cinematography by Jimshi Khalid and music by the much-celebrated Sushin Shyam, further elevating expectations. Tharun Moorthy, who shot to fame with his debut Operation Java and earned national recognition for Saudi Vellakka, continues to craft stories that blend realism with entertainment. With Torpedo, he seems set to deliver yet another riveting cinematic experience. As the buzz builds and the powerhouse combo of Fahadh and Naslen gets ready to set the screen ablaze, Torpedo is already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated Malayalam films on the horizon.
New Indian Express
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Mohanlal's 'Thudarum' to stream on JioHotstar from May 30
Written by KR Sunil, Thudarum tells the story of 'Benz' Shanmugham, a cab driver in a small Kerala town. He enjoys a peaceful life with his wife Lalitha and their two children, Pavi and Pavithra. His cherished black Ambassador car becomes the catalyst for a series of unforeseen events, starting with a joyride gone wrong and the car being seized by the police. What follows is a gripping chain of incidents that lead to a major twist at the interval, leaving viewers stunned. Though Thudarum is fundamentally a revenge thriller, it is filled with emotional family moments that endear Benz and his loved ones to the audience. Vintage Mohanlal returns Tharun Moorthy, known for Saudi Vellakka and Operation Java, has co-written the screenplay and ensures that his collaboration with Mohanlal shines. Fans have lauded the director for bringing back the vintage Mohanlal a perfect blend of the loveable family man and the fierce avenger. In the film's first half, nostalgic nods to the actor's earlier classics bring a wave of sentimentality, while the second half is dominated by raw action and intense performances.
News18
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Catch Thudarum, Sarkeet And Other Exciting Malayalam Movies On OTT
Last Updated: Mohanlal and Tharun Moorthy's Thudarum is a big Malayalam OTT release in June 2025. Malayalam cinema is buzzing with recent releases like Thudarum, Sarkeet, and Prince and Family. But the excitement doesn't stop there, as several films are set to debut on OTT platforms in June 2025. From Mohanlal's Thudarum and Asif Ali's Sarkeet, here's a list of the most-awaited Malayalam OTT releases. Thudarum On JioHotstar Thudarum, which showcased vintage Mohanlal at his best in recent years, is set to release on the OTT world. Directed by Tharun Moorthy, the film features Mohanlal as Shanmugham, a cab driver seeking revenge after a personal tragedy. The movie also marks Shobana's highly anticipated return to Malayalam cinema, teaming up with Mohanlal again. Alappuzha Gymkhana Premalu actor Naslen once again demonstrated his ability to carry a whole movie as he collaborated with Khalid Rahman on Alappuzha Gymkhana. The Malayalam sports comedy follows a captivating tale of a group of class 12th kids who try to gain college entrance through sports quota after failing the exam. The film also stars actors Lukman Avaran, Ganapathi, Sandeep Pradeep, and Anagha Ravi from Saudi Vellakka in key roles. According to the OTT Play, Alappuzha Gymkhana is set to release on the OTT space in June. However, an official update is still awaited. Sarkeet Asif Ali returns to the big screen with Sarkeet, a heartwarming tale of an unlikely bond between Ameer and a young boy in the Gulf. Directed by Nunakal, the film has garnered positive reviews despite its underwhelming box office performance. Its OTT release is expected to reach a wider audience and showcase its charm. However, the official release date and OTT platform are yet to be announced by the makers. Dominic and the Ladies Purse Gautham Vasudev Menon made his much-awaited Malayalam directorial debut with Dominic and the Ladies' Purse. Starring Mammootty as detective Dominic, the film is still awaiting its OTT premiere despite releasing in theatres in January. Shedding light on its captivating storyline, the film follows Dominic as Mohanlal unravels a complex case, leading to unexpected twists. Fans are eagerly waiting for its OTT release to experience the thrilling storyline. Get-Set Baby In Get-Set Baby, Unni Mukundan takes on the role of a male gynaecologist named Dr. Arjun Balakrishnan. Directed by Vinay Govind, the film follows Dr. Arjun's journey as he navigates challenges in his profession. Starring alongside Nikhila Vimal, Unni Mukundan's performance adds depth to the story. Despite receiving success with Marco, Unni Mukundan's Get-Set Baby couldn't garner enough attention at the box office. The film will reportedly release on OTT in the upcoming month. First Published:
Indian Express
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Thudarum box office collection day 13: Mohanlal's film registers lowest single-day earnings, crosses the Rs 80 crore mark
Tharun Moorthy's Thudarum, starring Mohanlal and Shobana, continues to grow from strength to strength at the domestic box office. Even after registering its lowest single-day collection since its release a couple of weeks ago, it managed to cross the Rs 80 crore mark on Wednesday. Thudarum earned Rs 3.85 crore on Wednesday, a minor dip from its earnings on Tuesday (Rs 4.4 crore), which were a further drop from its Monday collection of Rs 4.85 crore. The majority of its earnings come from the native Malayalam version, while the dubbed Telugu version contributed to a fraction of its total haul. As per industry tracker Sacnilk, the current collection of Thudarum, after a span of 13 days, stands at Rs 83.6 crore. It has come a long way from its opening day of Rs 5.25 crore, which saw a steady rise over the opening weekend to Rs 8.6 crore on Saturday and Rs 10.5 crore on Sunday. The first Sunday was the only day the daily earnings were registered in double digits. Thudarum then dropped to Rs 7.15 crore on its first Monda. It hovered around the Rs 6-7 crore mark throughout the week, surpassing the Rs 50 crore milestone in the opening week. However, the collections dipped to Rs 5.4 crore on the Friday immediately after. After scoring another decent weekend, Thudarum has dipped even lower to around the Rs 4 crore mark. On Wednesday, when it went even lower, its occupancy was the highest in night shows (56.28%), followed by evening shows (49.93%), afternoon shows (36.30%), and morning shows (22.67%). Thudarum is helmed by Tharun Moorthy, who previously helmed critically-acclaimed movies such as Saudi Vellakka and Operation Java. It marks t he on-screen reunion of Mohanal and actor Shobana after 2009's Sagar Alias Jacky Reloaded. Mohanlal is in the role of a taxi-driver named Shanmugham in the film, who is shown to be over protective about his vehicle. Moorthy has written the film with KR Sunil. Mohanlal last appeared in Prithviraj Sukumaran's epic L2: Emouraan, reprising his role of Stephen Nedumpally aka Khureshi Ab'raam from the 2019 hit Lucifer.
The Hindu
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Malayalam director Tharun Moorthy Interview: We knew ‘Thudarum' will strike a chord with the audience
It is a hatrick for Tharun Moorthy. After the commercially and critically-acclaimed Operation Java and Saudi Vellakka, the filmmaker has scored big at the box office with Thudarum, headlined by Mohanlal and Shobana. Despite a predictable storyline, Tharun managed to draw in the crowds with the setting, treatment of the narrative and some incredible performances. Thudarum is the story of a common man, 'Benz' Shanmughan (Mohanlal), a former fight master in the film industry, whose life is thrown into disarray. Tharun believes he was destined to do the film because producer M Renjith had been trying to make this film for around 12 years with Mohanlal and the film was taken up by six directors in these years. 'I had written my first two films and was not sure if another person's story might excite me. So I had decided that if I didn't connect with the story I would not make it. But I loved the story [by KR Sunil],' says Tharun. A self-confessed Mohanlal fan, was he worried about meeting the expectations of the actor's fans? 'There was pressure. But, thankfully, majority of his fans stood by my vision. I had interacted with his fans' associations on this account. But the challenge I had was dealing with those who were misleading the audience with fan-made posters and imaginary content. We were all confident about the content. Even though we did not expect this level of success, we knew the film will strike a chord with the audience. We aimed at presenting a free-flowing narrative, from scene 1 to 92,' he says. Tharun is quick to point out that there has been no deliberate attempt to bring vintage Mohanlal on screen, referring to the buzz around the film ever since filming started. 'The only thing that Renjith chettan [producer Renjith] told me was that, if possible, let us bring the Mohanlal of Aye Auto in the first half. I tried and even included one of the dialogues from that movie, for instance, the famous line 'Go to your classes.'' Instead of creating a vintage version, the narrative weaved in a range of emotions that Mohanlal has showcased with aplomb throughout his career. 'Mischief, playfulness, romance, affection, love, downfall, fear, fury, revenge.... Shanmughan goes through all these emotions,' he says. His favourite scene? 'The scene were Shanmughan breaks down in the bathroom. I told Lal sir to cry without covering his face and collapse in the space available. We didn't expect him to fall that way. We all were stunned when he did that.' The conversation veers to his comment about 'sleeper cell' fans of Mohanlal that went viral on social media. 'I never expected the comment to become so popular! I had asked my direction team whether the movie would work for the new generation. That's when they mentioned those who have rooted for the actor in spite of his failures. They may not have gone to the theatre for many years and this film is for them, irrespective of their age. They are the sleeper cell fans,' says Tharun with a laugh. The filmmaker observes that he and Sunil were on the same page as the scriptwriters. The toughest to crack was the characters' journey through the forest in a car. 'Sunil had clarity about the mood, the ambience, the climate, and terrain. We had to work a lot on creating the setting — mist, darkness, festival, mystery of the forest...,' Tharun explains. The film was shot over 99 days in Thodupuzha, Palakkad, Kambam, Theni, Chennai, Ranni etc. The talking point of Thudarum has been ad filmmaker Prakash Varma, who nailed it as the menacing antagonist, CI George Mathen. How did he find him? 'Divine intervention, perhaps. I wanted a new face, with a specific look – bald head and thick moustache. Sunil, a friend of Prakash for many years, felt that he might be suitable for that role. He clicked a few pictures of Prakash without his knowledge and sent them to me. Later we convinced him do the role. He didn't want to end up as a liability. So we did an audition and screen test.' Tharun adds that Prakash, who dubbed for the character as well, went through the same process as any new actor would do. What about the way he says 'Hello'? 'That was our suggestion, and he was bang on.' Recently Jakes Bejoy, the film's composer, had mentioned about Tharun's contributions to the film's soundscape, especially 'the metaphorical references in the characters in music and sound' – kombu and chenda for Shanmughan, nagapattu and violin motifs for George, and wolf howl for Benny (Binu Pappu), referring to the characters as a tusker, a snake and a wolf respectively. 'The film has a close connection with forest and so I wanted to relate them to these animals, in accordance with the traits of these characters,' says Tharun. On the film's end note, 'Mohanlal Thudarum' (Mohanlal will continue), Tharun says, 'His story will continue. The character Shanmughan will live on, nursing his wounds. The idea came on the editing table.' He says that much thought went into title design as well. 'Thudarum is written in three ways — initially with no wounds, then with blood and wounds and finally with the sutures. People might probably take note of these only when they re-watch it. Even if they don't, that's ok. These ideas came out of our excitement for the movie.' Mohanlal was simultaneously shooting for Empuraan while acting in Thudarum. 'He slipped into Shanmughan, the common man, from Khureshi Ab'raam, the don, with so much ease. That comes from 47 years of experience.' The filmmaker adds that he chooses to ignore the discussions comparing the two movies. 'I am impressed by the visual scape of Empuraan. The scale at which Raju [actor-director Prithviraj] mounted the movie opened the market for Malayalam cinema in other languages. Empuraan is a big reason for Thudarum getting a big opening and entry into other markets.' The chat is incomplete without mention of Binu Pappu, a mainstay in Tharun's career. 'I think this is his best performance till date.' Tharun has already announced his next project, Torpedo, written by Binu and starring Fahadh Faasil, Arjun Das, Naslen Gafoor and Ganapathi.
