Just when the Malayalam film industry is going through a lean phase, there’s still, excitement in the air on the much-awaited launch of superstar Mohanlal’s upcoming film, Odiyan. Though the makers of are tight-lipped about the plot of the movie, they reveal that there will be a ‘suspense’ element at the pooja ceremony at Taj Vivanta at Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday at 8:30 am. When Mohanlal revealed through a Facebook post on Monday about the first look motion poster of him in a younger, dapper appearance, fans were ecstatic. In all likelihood, that ‘suspense’ will be of the re-launch of Pranav Mohanlal in an upcoming thriller by Jeethu Joseph produced by Antony Perumbavoor.
Last September, Mohanlal himself had announced the launch of his son through a Jeethu directorial. Industry sources reveal that Pranav, who is expected to celebrate his 27th birthday next Thursday, has recently returned from Australia after training in ‘parkour’. The term may not be familiar to Malayalis, but this movement of hopping from one building to another is commonly seen in Hollywood films. It is a training discipline using movement that developed from military obstacle course training without any assistive equipment in the fastest and most efficient way. Pranav has learned parkour to perfect the action sequences of the suspense thriller.
This is not the first time that Pranav is coming in front of the camera. Rewind to 2002, a young Pranav had made his film debut as a child artist in a guest appearance in Onnaman directed by Thampi Kannanthanam where he played the younger version of Mohanlal’s character. He had also acted in Major Ravi’s Punarjani for which he won the State award for the best child artist. From there, Pranav took a sabbatical from films to study philosophy. Industry sources say that Pranav is not keen on basking in the glory of his father and wish to carve a niche for himself. “Pranav was keen to travel the world on his own terms for which he decided to work as an assistant director in Jeethu’s Papanasam and Life of Josutty,” says an industry source.
Mohanlal has always told his close friends that he will never bring his children to films. But he was confident that one day his son would come in front of the camera as acting is in his blood. Now Pranav has found his call, but sources reveal that he is not keen to sign more films. He first wants to see how the film would be rated by the audience.It must be double delight for Mohanlal as he is launching his son on the same day the most expensive film in Malayalam is being launched. In Odiyan, Mohanlal plays the role of Odiyan Manikkan, the last surviving member of a tribal community in Palakkad-Malabar region.
Mohanlal has come out with a video showing him emerging from the dark where he is covered with a rug, as the story revolves around pre-electricity era. Odiyan will be shot using 3D technology and will be directed by debutant director V. A. Shrikumar Menon, who is also slated to launch Mohanlal in the whopping Rs 1,000 crore project Randamoozham. In Odiyan apart from Mohanlal, other actors include Manju Warrier and Prakash Raj. The script has been penned by noted journalist and screenwriter K. Harikrishnan who won the 2010 National Award for Kutty Srank directed by Shaji N. Karun.
