Manju Warrier will be producing and headlining Beyond The Border Lines, directed by three-time National Award-winning Malayalam filmmaker Bijukumar Damodaran, popularly known as Dr Biju. The film reportedly follows an archaeology team stranded at the Indo-China border and is billed as a "compelling thriller-drama" set against the geopolitical tensions of the region. Further details about the project remain undisclosed.
Beyond The Border Lines was announced at the second edition of India’s Cinevesture International Film Festival (CIFF) as part of the CinéV-CHD Market lineup, featuring 22 diverse projects from established and emerging filmmakers. Three other Malayalam projects have also been unveiled as part of the lineup. These include Kunjila Mascillamani's Guptam (The Last of Them Plagues), Krishand's Masthishka Maranam (A Frankenbiting of Simon’s Memories), and Jeo Baby's Punishment.
Guptam follows a single mother whose daughter vanishes in a graveyard. As the community turns against her, she struggles to prove she is not the cause of divine wrath. The film is co-produced by Kani Kusruti and Jeo Baby, with Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal’s banner Pushing Buttons Studios also backing the project. Masthishka Maranam is described as a mind-bending comedy thriller centred on a grieving father who navigates a virtual reality memory game in an attempt to reconnect with his lost child. Punishment follows an arrogant teacher whose beliefs about discipline are challenged when an eight-year-old student firmly rejects corporal punishment.
Other titles unveiled as part of the lineup include a film in Punjabi, Urdu, and Kashmiri backed by Hansal Mehta; Radhika Apte's directorial debut, Kotya, backed by Vikramaditya Motwane; an English/Hindi film directed and produced by Nandita Das; and Shonali Bose's Black Mountain Monpa, among others.
Manju has previously co-produced films such as Chathur Mukham, A'hr, and Lalitham Sundaram, all of which she starred in as the lead. She will next be seen in the Mohanlal-starrer L2: Empuraan, the second instalment in the Lucifer franchise, which is scheduled to hit theatres worldwide on March 27.
Dr Biju's previous directorial was Adrishya Jalakangal, starring Tovino Thomas in the lead role.