KOCHI: Much to the dismay of movie lovers, the release of the Mammootty-Suresh Gopi-starrer - ‘The King and the Commissioner’ - has been postponed to October this year. The film, which was actually scheduled as an Onam release, was expected to add ‘punch’ to the star war that the theatres will witness in the biggest festival season of Malayalam cinema.
But still, without ‘The King and Commissioner,’ the 2011 Onam is expected to offer a grand feast to movie buffs as some of the leading stars of Malayalam are coming up with much-awaited projects. This include Mohanlal’s ‘Pranayam,’ Dileep’s ‘Mr Marumakan’ and Prithviraj’s ‘Thejabhai and Family’.
Mohanlal will essay one of the memorable characters in his acting career in director Blessy’s ‘Pranayam’ which will hit screens in September first week. The movie, which unfolds a love story that transcends time, will also have Anupam Kher, Jayaprada and Anup Menon in the lead roles. This is Blessy’s third movie with Mohanlal after ‘Thanmatra’ and ‘Bhramaram’.
Actor Dileep will join hands once again with his lucky writers Udaykrishna and Sibi K Thomas for the movie ‘Mr Marumakan’, which is getting ready for an Onam release. The movie, directed by Sandhya Mohan, will have Sanusha in the female lead. Tamil actors Bhagyaraj and Khushboo will also play lead roles in this comic-entertainer produced by Maha Subair under the banner Varnachitra Big Screen.
Prithviraj’s ‘Theja Bhai and Family’ is director Deepu Karunakaran’s third movie after ‘Winter’ and ‘Crazy Gopalan.’ Said to be a comic-entertainer, the movie will see Prithviraj playing a dual-faced underworld don Theja Bhai. Akhila (‘Karyasthan’ fame) is the heroine of the movie which also has leading comedy actors, including Jagathy, Salimkumar and Suraj Venjaramoodu, in notable roles.
Director Raj Babu’s Jayaram-Biju Menon-starrer ‘Ulakam Chuttum Vaaliban’ is also expected to be released in September. The movie is scripted by Krishna Poojappura and has Mithra Kurian in the female lead. Actor Kunchacko Boban’s movie ‘Dr Love’ is also expected to hit the screens in September. Produced by Joy Thomas Sakthikulangara under the banner Jithin Movie Arts, the movie is directed by Biju Arookkutty.
Earlier, the producers of ‘The King and the Commissioner’ were forced to postpone the release as the shooting of the movie is not likely to be completed within the stipulated time.
The movie will have two firebrand characters Joseph Alex portrayed by Mammootty in ‘The King’ and Bharath Chandran portrayed by Suresh Gopi in ‘Commissioner’ uniting with both the actors portraying them again. ‘The King and Commissioner’ is directed by Shaji Kailas and the script is by Renji Panicker.