Gulab: Vaazha 2 director Savin SA makes his acting debut as lead, with Nithin Renji Panicker and Nandagopan

Savin SA, who directed Vaazha 2: Biopic of a Billion Bros, will make his debut as a lead actor in Gulab. Debutant Libeesh Pereekkad writes and directs the film, and the title was unveiled with a motion poster at an event in Kochi. Co-lead Nandagopan shared the title poster on Instagram.

Film: Gulab (Malayalam)

Leads: Savin SA, Nithin Renji Panicker, Nandagopan

Writer and director: Libeesh Pereekkad (debut)

Producer: Venu Gopalakrishnan, Bloom International

Music: Sam CS

Cinematography: Nikhil S Praveen

Editing: Manzoor Muthutty

Shoot: About 50 days in Ernakulam and Odisha

Kasaba director Nithin Renji Panicker and Nandagopan of Eureka Stories play the other leads. The cast also includes Dharmajan Bolgatty, Bibin George, Poli Sarath and Ancy Charles, reports suggest. The poster carries the tagline "Love blossoms, heart bleeds".

Gulab is the third film from Venu Gopalakrishnan's Bloom International. Sam CS composes the music, and filming will take about 50 days in Ernakulam and Odisha. The makers have not revealed the plot.

From Vaazha 2 to the lead

Savin directed Vaazha 2, the sequel in the franchise backed by Vipin Das, which followed Anand Menen's Vaazha. Anand Menen is now making Happiloop.

Savin directed Vaazha II: Biopic of a Billion Bros from a script by Vipin Das, and the film released in theatres on April 2, 2026. It was his first film as director. The first film, Vaazha: Biopic of a Billion Boys, released on August 15, 2024. Gulab now puts him in front of the camera as a lead within months of his directing debut.

The team behind Gulab

Nithin Renji Panicker made his debut as director with Kasaba (2016), starring Mammootty, which he also wrote. Gulab gives him a lead part as an actor.

Sam CS, who composes the music, is best known in Tamil for his scores for Vikram Vedha and Kaithi, and he also scored the Hindi remake of Vikram Vedha. His music for a romantic film with the tagline "Love blossoms, heart bleeds" will be one of the first things to watch for once the makers start releasing songs.

Libeesh Pereekkad is making his debut as writer and director with the film. The release date has not been announced.

More film updates in our movies section.