Jagadish has a specific compliment for Antony Varghese Pepe ahead of Kattalan’s May 28 release — and it is the kind that lands differently in Kerala than anywhere else. Speaking to Reporter Films, the actor said that after Mohanlal, the new generation actor with the most convincing, heavyweight screen punch is Pepe. “When Mohanlal hits, you feel the weight of that punch — you believe it has real force. After him, in the new generation, it’s Pepe’s punch that carries the most impact.”
He went further: “Pepe has done some very risky shots in Kattalan. After this film, his stardom will grow significantly. When Pepe hits someone on screen and overpowers them, you want to applaud.”
The Mohanlal comparison is not casually made in Malayalam cinema. Jagadish knows exactly what he is saying and who he is saying it about.
What Kattalan Is Bringing
Kattalan — releasing Wednesday in standard, IMAX, and EPIQ formats — is the Marco universe’s next chapter from Cubes Entertainments, directed by Paul George and produced by Shareef Muhammed. Antony Varghese Pepe leads alongside Dushara Vijayan, Sunil, and Kabir Duhan Singh, with Ravi Basrur’s background score and B. Ajaneesh Loknath’s songs among the film’s technical highlights. T-Series holds music rights, Hombale Films — the KGF and Kantara producers — have acquired Karnataka theatrical distribution rights for a record price, and Farz Films holds overseas distribution. Shimaru is the digital and satellite distribution partner.
Advance booking response has been strong, per Reporter Network. Kattalan currently sits at number one on IMDb’s most anticipated films list for 2026. The trailer signals ivory smuggling, extreme violence, and action choreography by Kecha Khambackdi — whose previous credits include Baahubali 2 and Jawan.
Three days to release. The Mohanlal comparison is already doing its work.
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