Planning a film this Friday? Here is a quick guide to the two new Malayalam releases in theatres from October 23: who made them, who is in them, and what to keep in mind before you book. We have skipped the predictions, so this is about the films themselves.
Orijinal
Orijinal is written and directed by Ramees. It is reported to be produced by MAZ Media and Ziku Films, with music by Electronic Kili and the audio rights with Think Music.
Sreenath Bhasi is reported to play a double role, so this is the film to pick if you are going for him. We covered the final mix and the double-role news in our earlier story, so we won't go over it again here.
Viewers in the Gulf will have to wait six more days. Home Screen Entertainments is reported to be handling the GCC release, which is set for October 29. If you have family or friends there, that is the date to pass on.
Udumbanchola Vision
Udumbanchola Vision is the directing debut of Salaam Bukhari, an associate of Anwar Rasheed. Alan Rodney wrote it, and it carries a U/A certificate, which matters if you are planning a family outing.
The film comes from A&R Media Labs and UB Productions, with Ashar Ameer and Riaz K Muhammed as producers and Bukhari also credited. Gopi Sundar composed the music.
Mathew Thomas leads a large cast that includes Sreenath, Milind Soman, Siddique, Dileesh Pothan, Vishak Nair and Baburaj.
The film has been a long time coming. Udumbanchola Vision was launched with a pooja in Kattappana in February 2024, so today's release comes more than two and a half years after the start. Our release-date story has the background on how the film landed on October 23.
The actor in both
Abhiram Radhakrishnan has a part in both films, so if you watch the two this weekend, you will see him twice. Sreenath is billed in both as well, though only Orijinal is built around him.
Which one fits your plans
The two films come from very different teams. Orijinal is a writer-director's film built around one actor in two roles. Udumbanchola Vision is a first film from a new director, with a large ensemble led by Mathew Thomas and a U/A certificate.
Orijinal is the one that needs a little planning if you are booking for someone in the Gulf, since its GCC release follows on October 29. Udumbanchola Vision's U/A certificate makes it the easier pick for a family outing this weekend, and its long road from a February 2024 pooja to the big screen gives it a story of its own.
