Ajayante Randam Moshanam (ARM) filmmaker Jithin Laal has confirmed that his sophomore directorial will also be a fantasy folklore. The director took to social media to share a long note reflecting on his 2024 debut film and revealed that the script for his next is already complete and has been pitched to a leading actor. “Our next dream is already in progress. The script is finished. It has been pitched to your favourite hero – and our favourite hero too. And yes… it is another fantasy folklore,” Jithin wrote.
The filmmaker said the past two years, during which ARM travelled to festivals and received several recognitions, also served as a period of learning and preparation for his next film. He added that the upcoming project requires extensive preparation and that the team is now entering the next phase of pre-production. According to him, if everything falls into place, filming is expected to begin next year.
Jithin also hinted at the return of a character from ARM, writing, “And yes… we will be back with your favourite character.” While he did not name the character, the reference could be to Maniyan, the immortal character played by Tovino Thomas in ARM. In September 2025, Jithin had confirmed that a Maniyan spinoff was being considered, revealing that writer Sujith Nambiar had conceived the basic idea much earlier. It remains to be seen whether Maniyan will return in Jithin's upcoming fantasy folklore or if the character will get a separate standalone altogether.
ARM, set across three timelines, follows three generations whose lives are connected to a mystical lamp believed to have been made from an asteroid. Tovino appears in triple roles as Ajayan, Maniyan, and Kunjikelu, and his performance earned him the Best Actor (Special Mention) at the 55th Kerala State Film Awards. The film also won two other State awards and a National award.
