Girish AD has said he spent a year on Premalu 2 before the project was dropped, and that Bethlehem Kudumba Unit came out of that setback. He was speaking at the film's success celebration in Kochi on the night of October 18.
"We had to abandon the project unexpectedly, and it was a huge setback for us. We lost an entire year because of it," he said.
From Premalu to the lost year
Premalu released on February 9, 2024, and became a big hit. Bhavana Studios announced a sequel the same year.
Girish said that success is why the team chose to chase Premalu 2, even though he had wanted to make Bethlehem Kudumba Unit before that. He then worked on the sequel for a year. Had it gone ahead, Premalu 2 would have released at Vishu 2026.
The shelving and the quick rewrite
When Premalu 2 was dropped, Girish said, Bhavana Studios, his co-writer Kiran Josey and his direction team stood by him. With their backing, he finished the Bethlehem Kudumba Unit script quickly.
The film starring Nivin Pauly released on August 21, three to four months after the slot Premalu 2 would have taken. Girish said the team never imagined it would become an industry hit, and that he sees it as a personal victory.
Mamitha's three films with Girish
Mamitha Baiju has now acted in three of Girish AD's four films. She was in Super Sharanya, played Reenu in Premalu, and leads Bethlehem Kudumba Unit opposite Nivin Pauly.
Girish's first film, Thanneer Mathan Dinangal, is the only one of the four without her.
Also read: Bethlehem Kudumba Unit making video: inside Girish AD's fourth film
