Malayalam Entertainment roundup: Mammootty's Bramayugam collects Rs 15 crore; Kerala theatres go on strike; Manjummel Boys enter Rs 100 crore club; Premalu to hit a ton; Poacher global franchise expansion

A still from the Mammootty-starrer Malayalam film Bramayugam.

1.   5 reasons to watch Mammootty’s horror film Bramayugam, releasing this week: The teaser and trailer of Bramayugam feature a menacing Mammootty scaring the daylights out of you. “There are a few horror elements in the film, but I would call it a suspense thriller. It will be a novel experience to watch it as a black-and-white film. I don’t know if it will scare you,” was director Rahul Sadasivan’s take on the film in a recent radio interview. Here are 5 reasons why we think it is a film to watch out for. The black-and-white film shows Mammootty as the menacing antagonist. Last year’s first big hit was the comedy horror Romancham. Read More

Tovino Thomas in a still from Anweshippin Kandethum.

2. What Tovino Thomas said at the Anweshippin Kandethum promotion: Malayalam actor Tovino Thomas has in the past and very recently showed that he's the boss when it comes to dealing with the press. At the promotions of Anweshippin Kandethum, when the writer Jinu Abraham was asked about the controversial scene in his previous film, Kaduva, and had to remove it owing to protests on social media, Tovino was quick to call out the journalist for the needlessly provocative question — “You got your content, no? The writer owned up to his mistake too. Well done!” he said. Read More

3. Box Office: Mammootty’s Bramayugam collects Rs 15 crore worldwide: Rahul Sadasivan's directorial raked in Rs 3.1 crore on Opening Day and, over the weekend, the Malayalam film has grossed Rs 8.5 crore from Kerala alone on Day 3. Mammootty’s Bramayugam’s collection on the second day was Rs 2.5 crore. In two days, the film has reportedly grossed Rs 15 crore worldwide. Sadasivan, whose previous psychological thriller Bhoothakalam was a direct OTT release and received widespread critical acclaim, has made his latest period psychological horror thriller in monochrome. Read More

4. Strike call: Why Kerala theatre owners will stop screening Malayalam films from February 22? The Kerala Film Producer’s Association has released a statement that Manjummel Boys will release on Feb 22 as scheduled, and films currently running in theatres won't be affected by the ban. FEOUK (Film Exhibitors Organisation of Kerala) has announced that from February 22 onwards, no new Malayalam movies will be released in theatres. The verdict was taken on Friday. According to the theatre owners, the producers are violating the OTT release agreement. Though the agreement says a film will be screened on OTT only after 42 days of theatrical release, many films are being screened within a month of theatrical release. Read More

Alia Bhatt in London for the screening of their Amazon Prime web-series Poacher, starring Nimisha Sajayan, Roshan Matthew and Dibyendu Bhattacharya. " width="770" height="433" /> Director Richie Mehta with executive producer Alia Bhatt in London for the screening of their Amazon Prime web-series Poacher, starring Nimisha Sajayan, Roshan Matthew and Dibyendu Bhattacharya.

5. Alia Bhatt & Richie Mehta screen Poacher in London, hint at global franchise expansion: The series Poacher will stream on Amazon Prime Video from February 23 in English, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Tamil.  Emmy award winner Richie Mehta’s web-series Poacher premiered in London recently. Alia Bhatt, who is the executive producer, was the scene stealer in a resplendent black and gold bordered sari. The series is about a group of Indian Forest Service officers, NGO workers, police constables, and Good Samaritans who risk their lives in tracking down the biggest elephant ivory poachers in the history of India. Based on true events, Amazon original Poacher unearths the largest ivory poaching ring in Indian history. The series features a talented and diverse ensemble cast including Nimisha Sajayan, Roshan Mathew and Dibyendu Bhattacharya. Read More

6. Manjummel Boys Review: Of male friendships and Soubin Shahir in a moving, engaging survival drama: The bonding between the characters, in the Malayalam drama based on a real incident, looks very lived-in and Soubin Shahir stands out with his subtlety. In his debut film, Jaan. E-Man (2021), director Chidambaram S Poduval weaved a fascinating comedy layered with pathos. Male-bonding was a pivot to the narrative. In his sophomore outing, he persists with his fondness for male friendships, as he puts out a moving, engaging survival drama based on an incident real people have faced and overcome. Manjummel Boys are a boisterous bunch hailing from different socio-economic backgrounds. Read More

Manjummel Boys is the only the fourth Malayalam film to joing the 100 crore club.

7. Manjummel Boys hits a century at the box office, joins 100 crore club: Soubin Shahir-produced Manjummel Boys, which released on February 22, has collected Rs 56 crore (India) and Rs 40 crore (overseas). It's the fastest Malayalam film to achieve this feat. Malayalam cinema is having a terrific run at the box office. The survival thriller has joined the elusive 100 crore club in Malayalam cinema. It is only the fourth Malayalam film to achieve this enviable feat, purely counting the theatre collections alone. What is impressive is that from Tamil Nadu only the film garnered Rs 15 crore, that too within 11 days. The film, produced by Soubin Shahir, has so far collected Rs 56 crore and Rs 40 crore from India and overseas, respectively. It is also the fastest Malayalam film to achieve this feat. Read More

Premalu is almost entirely set in Hyderabad and revolves around an unemployed young lad who falls in love with an IT professional.

8. Premalu might hit a ton soon at the box office: This is Girish AD’s third film after the success of Thanneer Mathan Dinangal (2019) and Super Sharanya (2022). His films centre around young love. No one would have predicted that a humble rom-com made on a budget of Rs 3 crore featuring young actors would turn out to be the surprise winner at the box office. Premalu, directed by Girish AD, featuring Naslen, Mamita Baiju, and Shyam Kumar has already completed 26 days in theatres, collecting Rs 90 crore worldwide. From India alone, the film has garnered Rs 49.5 crore. Produced by Fahadh Faasil and Dileesh Pothan under the banner of Bhavana Studios, the film is predicted to hit a ton by the time it completes its theatre run. Read More

9. Mammootty’s Bramayugam surpasses Abraham Ozler at the box office: Directed by Rahul Sadasivan, Bramayugam is said to have collected Rs 29.27 crore from Kerala and Rs 25.82 crore from the rest of India. As Mammootty’s period gothic thriller finishes 21 days in theatre, it has already surpassed the collection of the Mammootty-Jayaram-starrer Abraham Ozler. This monochrome classic is already the third-highest grosser of this year and is said to have collected Rs 60 crore worldwide. The news was shared by the makers on their official media platforms. On Monday, the film is said to have grossed over Rs 59 crore. The film is said to have collected Rs 29.27 crore from Kerala and Rs 25.82 crore from the rest of India. In its first week, it recorded Rs 17.85 crore. Read More

10. Women's Day 2024: Women surrendering to the might of the male in Malayalam cinema: On this women’s day, we bring you a few instances from Malayalam films, when the women who started as a liberating force of nature eventually succumbed to patriarchy. Bhanumati (Revathi) in Ranjith’s Devasuram (1993) is the proverbial lioness — obstinate, strong-willed, and ambitious. She is impervious to the clout of the arrogant, feudal, rich brat Neelakandan. But alas, she prostrates at his feet, under the shield of devoted love, and happily forsakes her blooming career to be with him. It’s mortifying to see him cut her down to size — to a mere prop to the indomitable alpha male. Here are the others are on this list. Read More