logo
Nivin Pauly and Aju Varghese share a hearty laugh in Sarvam Maya new poster

Nivin Pauly and Aju Varghese share a hearty laugh in Sarvam Maya new poster

Nivin and Aju, who are both an indispensable part of Malayalam cinema today, have acted together in several films, including blockbusters like Thattathin Marayathu, Ohm Shanthi Oshaana, Oru Vadakkan Selfie, and Love Action Drama. They last shared screen space in Varshangalkku Shesham, also directed by Vineeth Sreenivasan.
The two also share a great rapport beyond films, as evident from their offscreen interactions. It is worth mentioning that Aju, who recently debuted in Tamil with Ram's Parandhu Po, credited Nivin for helping him land the role.
Meanwhile, Sarvam Maya's shooting is progressing at a brisk pace. The makers are planning to release it for Christmas 2025.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Countdown begins for Bigg Boss Malayalam 7: Mohanlal issues warning to gossip squad
Countdown begins for Bigg Boss Malayalam 7: Mohanlal issues warning to gossip squad

Time of India

time27 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Countdown begins for Bigg Boss Malayalam 7: Mohanlal issues warning to gossip squad

Bigg Boss Malayalam Season 7 is set to premiere on August 3rd, hosted by Mohanlal. A teaser hints at a season discouraging gossip and groupism, sparking debate among fans. The show will feature a new set in Chennai and rumored contestants include Anumol and Jishin Mohan. The theme is speculated to be "Hell & Heaven" with the tagline '7nte Pani'. The countdown has officially begun for the much-anticipated Bigg Boss Malayalam Season 7, with just six days to go for the grand premiere on Sunday, August 3. As excitement builds up among fans, the show's makers have dropped a brand-new teaser featuring none other than the show's iconic host, Mohanlal . In the teaser, a group resembling housemates can be seen whispering and gossiping inside a set styled like the Bigg Boss house. But the tone quickly changes as Mohanlal makes a dramatic entry, warning viewers and potential contestants that this season won't favor those who rely on "gossiping" to stay relevant. He specifically calls out the so-called 'Ayalkoottam team', a nickname coined by social media users to refer to cliques that stir drama within the house. While the teaser has grabbed attention, it has also sparked a debate online. Some fans argue that gossip and groupism are part and parcel of Bigg Boss's appeal and questioning whether curbing that could make the show bland. Others feel it's a refreshing and much-needed change to ensure a more competitive and fair environment. Meanwhile, preparations for the launch are in full swing. The makers are finalizing the contestant lineup, which will reportedly include both celebrities and commoners. Among the rumoured participants are actress Anumol, actor Jishin Mohan, Shanavas Shanu, and influencer Oneal Sabu. However, Rekha Ratheesh, Avantika Mohan, and Roshan Basheer have publicly denied their participation. This season is also set to make a historic shift, with the Bigg Boss Malayalam house being built on a new set in Chennai, marking the first time the Malayalam version has its own exclusive space. Adding to the buzz are speculations about the season's theme, rumored to be "Hell & Heaven", and the tagline '7nte Pani', hinting at dramatic twists and intense gameplay. Contestants are expected to arrive in Chennai by July 31, and fans can expect the show to kick off with its signature glitz, drama, and Mohanlal's commanding presence.

'Thammudu' OTT release: When and where to watch Nithiin's action drama; read more
'Thammudu' OTT release: When and where to watch Nithiin's action drama; read more

Time of India

time2 hours ago

  • Time of India

'Thammudu' OTT release: When and where to watch Nithiin's action drama; read more

(Picture Courtesy: Facebook) After its theatrical release on July 4, 2025, 'Thammudu' is all set for its digital debut. The Nithiin-starrer, which struggled at the box office amid mixed-to-negative reviews, will begin streaming on Netflix from August 1. The platform confirmed the release date through an official post that read, 'Thana lakshyanni, akkani thirigi thevadaniki ee thammudu is on a mission!' The film will be available in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada, opening it up to a broader South Indian audience. A story of siblings, survival, and skill 'Thammudu' follows Jai, played by Nithiin , a gifted archer separated from his sister Jhansi in childhood. Years later, Jhansi, now a principled government officer, refuses to sign a falsified report about a chemical factory explosion in Vizag. Her moral stand turns her into a target of powerful and corrupt forces. As her world begins to crumble, Jai reenters her life. The hero is determined to protect her and her family using not just courage, but also the precision of his bow. Even with an intriguing plot, the movie had received mostly mixed reviews from the audiences. Thammudu - Official Trailer A packed cast and a new turn for familiar faces Directed and written by Venu Sriram, 'Thammudu' marks his first collaboration with Nithiin. The film also brings actress Laya back to Telugu screens, years after her brief appearance in Amar Akbar Anthony. The supporting cast includes Sapthami Gowda, Varsha Bollamma, Saurabh Sachdeva, Swasika, and Hari Teja, among others. B. Ajaneesh Loknath's music received decent responses from the viewers. ETimes gave the movie a rating of only 2 stars out of 5 and an excerpt from our official review read, "On the technical front, the film is visually appealing, with cinematographer KV Guhan capturing the tribal locales with flair. Ajaneesh Loknath's background score is atmospheric but rarely elevates the emotional beats. The action choreography is stylised, though several sequences stretch believability, further distancing the viewer from the story's emotional core. Thammudu had all the ingredients for a stirring emotional-action drama, but in trying too hard to be everything, it ends up being less than the sum of its parts. A film that had the potential to hit the bullseye sadly misses the mark."

Is Dulquer Salmaan doing something astonishingly right in Telugu that he can't seem to replicate in Malayalam?
Is Dulquer Salmaan doing something astonishingly right in Telugu that he can't seem to replicate in Malayalam?

Indian Express

time3 hours ago

  • Indian Express

Is Dulquer Salmaan doing something astonishingly right in Telugu that he can't seem to replicate in Malayalam?

There was a time when Dulquer Salmaan soared higher than any of his contemporaries in Malayalam. Almost anything and everything he touched turned into gold. Even when he stumbled once in a while, Dulquer bounced back with stellar force, repositioning himself at one of the top spots pretty soon. However, that hasn't been the case for the past few years. I am not insinuating that he has completely lost his fan base, clout or even suggesting that he has lost his touch. But a series of poor decisions and misjudgments have indeed taken a toll on his base in Malayalam, which, once lost, is not easy to regain, considering that the audiences are quite fastidious and pernickety. As he's the son of Mammootty, one of the biggest stars in Malayalam cinema history, there's nothing wrong with describing Dulquer Salmaan as 'one of the biggest nepo kids in the industry'. While outsiders with no godfathers or any prior connection to the show business have to toil endlessly to even land roles that get their faces registered in the minds of audiences, Dulquer undoubtedly benefited from his father's legacy to receive a debut film. And much like most other nepo babies, he received the lead role in his first film. However, what set him apart was the kind of movie and role he chose to commence his journey with. Director Srinath Rajendran's Second Show (2012) was not just a unique noir gangster film, but it leaned significantly towards the emerging aesthetics and narrative style of that era, characterised by the unfiltered portrayal of grey in both people and society at large. Revolving around a group of young perpetual-troublemakers who eventually get involved in organised crimes, Dulquer played a character, Lalu, who wasn't noble and pure-hearted, nor instantly likeable in the movie. In a way, Lalu can be called the anti-hero of Second Show. But since the film did not feature any virtuous characters and it was a story of raw, unpolished people, among them, Lalu was the lesser evil. Although the movie became a hit and Dulquer's performance opened to widespread acclaim, the risk he took here cannot be overlooked. Take the case of Bollywood nepo kids like Agastya Nanda, Khushi Kapoor, Suhana Khan, Ibrahim Ali Khan, Aaman Devgan, Rasha Thadani or even the latest sensation Ahaan Panday of Saiyaara, who made their debut in recent years. Not just that they were projected as stars or sure-shot stars even before their debuts, through massive PR stunts, they all played in their respective first outings characters that were carefully sutured to make people instantly develop an affinity towards them. Whether these efforts yielded positive results for all of them or if these actors' performances matched the monstrous levels of hype they received is a different topic altogether. But a closer look at the characters they all played would lay bare the master plan. The same can be said about the major nepo kids of Dulquer's generation in Malayalam as well. From Fahadh Faasil and Prithviraj Sukumaran to Pranav Mohanlal, Kalidas Jayaram, Kalyani Priyadarshan and Vineeth Sreenivisan, most of them made their acting debuts playing good-natured characters, with the only exceptions being Indrajith Sukumaran and, to some extent, Keerthy Suresh. But Dulquer took on a character, if not executed properly, could make people loathe him completely. And considering that Second Show was Srinath Rajendran's directorial debut as well, the risk was even greater. Nonetheless, all of them emerged with flying colours. Subsequently, Dulquer kept delivering bangers after bangers, mostly playing characters that were tailor-made for him in movies like Ustad Hotel, ABCD: American-Born Confused Desi, 5 Sundarikal and Neelakasham Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi. When he attempted to break out of his comfort zone and try his hand at something new in Theevram, it didn't get much reception from people, although his efforts didn't go unnoticed. Despite facing setbacks with movies like Pattam Pole, Salalah Mobiles, Samsaaram Arogyathinu Haanikaram/Vaayai Moodi Pesavum and Njaan, he took no time in making a comeback with Bangalore Days, Vikramadithyan, 100 Days of Love, Charlie and Kammatipaadam. Meanwhile, he also won over the hearts of Tamil audiences with his striking performance in Mani Ratnam's OK Kanmani, where his breathtaking chemistry with Nithya Menen received the most appreciation. With Jomonte Suvisheshangal, Comrade in America, Parava (where he played an extended cameo) turning out to be massive box-office successes, Dulquer cemented his position in the industry. But that was 2017. Since then, Dulquer's Malayalam career has been a rollercoaster ride. While most of his films failed to impress audiences, their frequency also declined significantly due to various factors, including more lucrative offers from other industries. After the underperformance of Solo, he returned to Malayalam cinema only a year and a half later with Oru Yamandan Premakadha, which became a critical and commercial disaster. Soon, he began working on the biographical period crime thriller Kurup, helmed by Second Show's Srinath Rajendran. Made on a massive scale, it was unlike anything DQ had done till then, and he tried to give it his all. In between, he also worked on the small-scale project, Varane Avashyamund (2020). Although the movie was a success, it didn't offer him quite enough to regain what he had lost. Barring a cameo in the disappointing Maniyarayile Ashokan, which he bankrolled too, Dulquer had no other movie that year. Thus, all began waiting for Kurup, and it arrived in November 2021 with a bang. Not just that the movie was a critical and commercial success, DQ also showcased his untapped potential by masterfully playing fugitive Sukumara Kurup without diluting any of the real-life person's vileness. Despite his next, Salute (2022), also earning favourable responses, since it had a direct-to-OTT release owing to the Covid situation, DQ's box office base here was affected once again. Although his non-Malayalam films like Hey Sinamika, Sita Ramam and Chup: Revenge of the Artist were released in Kerala too, the desire for fans to watch a Dulquer movie in theatres kept getting delayed. The biggest blow of all came when his much-anticipated and massively hyped gangster drama King of Kotha (2023) tanked at the box office and became a meme goldmine eventually. It's been almost two years since King of Kotha now, which means he hasn't had a single success in his home ground in about four years. However, amid all these, he found success in Telugu. There too, he received an enviable debut, playing Gemini Ganesan in Nag Ashwin's biographical drama Mahanati. Delivering an extraordinary performance and that too as a yesteryear star, he quickly won over the audience's hearts. Hanu Raghavapudi's period romantic drama Sita Ramam was just what he needed after that to take him to lofty heights. With the movie capitalising fully on both his charm and cuteness, and his mesmerising on-screen chemistry with co-actors, particularly women, it gave him the sort of push that his Malayalam movies weren't offering him. Considering that Dulquer had more arrows in his quiver than most of his Telugu peers — many of whom were also more fixated on larger-than-life mass entertainers — DQ was quickly crowned their heartthrob by Telugu audiences, who had been desperately searching for one. Unlike in Malayalam, where he struggled amid actors who were arguably far more talented, and burdened by his own ambitions fueled by the excessive expectations of his fans, DQ cherry-picked the best of the guy-next-door roles in Telugu and experimented with them whenever possible. In Venky Atluri's Lucky Baskhar (2024), he found the best mix of both, and Dulquer managed to bring out his A-game effortlessly, contributing to the period crime film's massive success. The reception that his cameo appearance in Kalki 2898 AD received in the Telugu market, and the disappointment of the audience over his role being too small, further underscored the space DQ has managed to carve in the hearts of Telugus. A post shared by Dulquer Salmaan (@dqsalmaan) Interestingly, his performance in Lucky Baskhar also earned him the Special Jury Award at the Gaddar Telangana State Film Awards, presented by the state government to recognise excellence in Telugu cinema. Later, he met with Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy in Hyderabad to express his gratitude for the honour. As a result of all these, despite his next outing, Aakasam Lo Oka Tara, being only in its pre-production stage at the moment, expectations are high among the audience already. For an actor with a massive fan base in his home turf, staying away from it for so long — especially after delivering a major disappointment — is no small move. It remains to be seen whether this has affected his box office pull. For that, we will have to wait for Dulquer's next, RDX director Nahas Hidhayath's I'm Game, to find out. Nonetheless, if he manages to replicate in Malayalam what he's been doing right in Telugu, DQ's journey back to the top may not take long.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store