The Malayalam film industry is in for a triple treat as Tovino Thomas, Basil Joseph, and Vineeth Sreenivasan come together for ‘Athiradi’, marking the directorial debut of Arun Anirudhan, co-writer of Minnal Murali and Padayottam. The film’s title teaser, released on Saturday, has already sparked buzz with its high-energy tone, playful character reveals, and a nostalgic nod to Kamal Haasan’s famous line, “Arambikkalangala?”
The teaser, running just under two minutes, cleverly introduces the film’s three central characters: Basil Joseph appears as a flashy, pub-hopping, fashion-forward dude, while Tovino Thomas is shown in stark contrast — rugged, mundu-clad, and in the middle of a traditional temple festival. Vineeth Sreenivasan’s character appears to be the bridge — or the instigator — between these two contrasting worlds. As the characters banter over the phone, Vineeth rounds off the teaser with a chilling smile and the much-loved Kamal punchline, setting the stage for what seems like a stylish, tongue-in-cheek action comedy.
While principal photography is yet to begin, the teaser gives a strong sense of tone — chaotic, colourful, and character-driven — suggesting that Athiradi will balance action with irreverent humour, much like the sensibilities seen in Padayottam.
The film is being produced under two new banners: Basil Joseph Entertainment and Dr Ananthu Entertainment, the latter headed by Dr Ananthu S, the founder and CEO of Xylem Learning. The script is penned by Arun Anirudhan and Paulson Skaria, who recently co-wrote Neymar and Kaathal.
A seasoned crew backs Athiradi, with Vishnu Vijay scoring the music, and editing duties shared between Samuel Henry and Chaman Chakko — suggesting a film that's both technically solid and creatively ambitious.
Meanwhile, the trio behind Athiradi have packed schedules. Tovino is currently shooting for Padayottam, directed by Dijo Jose Antony, and has multiple projects in the pipeline, including Avaran, Munpe, and a new film by Muhsin Parari opposite Nazriya Nazim. Basil is also active, having recently appeared in Hridayapoorvam, and is part of Sudha Kongara’s Tamil film Parasakthi alongside Sivakarthikeyan. Vineeth, after wrapping up his directorial Karam, will also appear in the upcoming Dileep-starrer Bha Bha Ba.
With three of Malayalam cinema’s most bankable and versatile talents teaming up, Athiradi is already one of the most anticipated films on the horizon — even before the cameras start rolling.
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