Veteran Malayalam actor Mohanlal is continuing to expand an already packed lineup, with several exciting collaborations with some of the industry's most promising and young filmmakers. The actor has now officially announced new projects with directors Jude Anthany Joseph and Anoop Sathyan, adding further momentum to his upcoming slate.
The announcement of the Jude Anthany Joseph project has generated considerable interest, particularly after the director's recent film Thudakkam, which marked the acting debut of Mohanlal's daughter Vismaya. Mohanlal also made a cameo appearance in the film. The upcoming project, however, will mark the first full-fledged collaboration between the superstar and Jude as actor and director. Jude had earlier revealed that the screenplay for his Mohanlal film was complete.
The film is expected to be one of the major projects in Mohanlal's upcoming lineup, although details regarding its storyline, cast and technical crew are yet to be officially revealed. With Jude coming off the success of "2018" and Thudakkam, expectations are naturally high for his first full-length film with Mohanlal.
Another interesting addition to Mohanlal's lineup is his collaboration with Anoop Sathyan, son of veteran filmmaker Sathyan Anthikad. The project is being backed by Aashirvad Cinemas and Binu George Alexander, and the official announcement has already created curiosity among Malayalam cinema audiences.
Anoop Sathyan made his directorial debut with the Dulquer Salmaan, Kalyani Priyadarshan and Suresh Gopi starrer Varane Avashyamund. His collaboration with Mohanlal will therefore bring together two filmmakers from different generations and could offer the superstar a different kind of role.
Mohanlal's expanding lineup
The new announcements come at a time when Mohanlal has one of the busiest lineups among Malayalam stars. The actor has projects lined up with filmmakers including Tharun Moorthy, Vishnu Mohan, Priyadarshan, Dileesh Pothan, and Jeethu Joseph.
The collaboration with Dileesh Pothan titled Nedumkandam Miracle is particularly noteworthy as it marks their first film together. The project is produced by Shibu Baby John and is expected to feature a strong ensemble cast, although more details are awaited.
Anoop Sathyan (left) with Mohanlal
Mohanlal is also set to reunite with Priyadarshan next year while another project with Sathyan Anthikad is in the pipeline. His collaboration with Jeethu Joseph comes after the Drishyam franchise, making that reunion another highly anticipated project. Reports also say that Shahi Kabir and Krishand had also pitched stories to Mohanlal, however it hasn't been made official yet.
The actor is simultaneously associated with projects outside Malayalam as well, including a big-budget Telugu film, Jailer 2 underlining the growing pan-Indian scope of his career.
A new phase for Mohanlal?
What makes Mohanlal's upcoming lineup particularly interesting is the variety of filmmakers involved. Along with established names such as Priyadarshan, Sathyan Anthikad and Jeethu Joseph, the actor is increasingly working with younger-generation directors such as Tharun Moorthy, Dileesh Pothan, Jude Anthany Joseph and Anoop Sathyan.
This combination could allow Mohanlal to explore a wide range of characters and genres in the coming years. After Drishyam 3, the actor has several major projects in different stages of development, and the latest announcements suggest that his post-Drishyam 3 phase is set to be packed with diverse collaborations.
With the Mohanlal-Jude Anthany Joseph movie and Mohanlal-Anoop Sathyan movie now officially announced, fans have even more reasons to look forward to what the superstar has planned next. More updates regarding the titles, cast, genre and production schedules of these films are expected in the coming months.
