Film directors Khalid Rahman, Ashraf Hamza held with hybrid cannabis at cinematographer Sameer Thahir's Kochi flat
Malayalam film directors Khalid Rahman and Ashraf Hamza were detained with hybrid cannabis during a late-night raid at cinematographer Sameer Thahir's flat in Kochi. The operation was carried out around 2.30 a.m. on Sunday based on confidential information received by the Excise Department.
Authorities reportedly seized 1.5 grams of hybrid cannabis from the scene. A few others present at the flat were also detained in connection with the incident. According to the Excise Department, the directors were 'preparing to use the substance at the time of the operation'.
Following a medical examination, the duo were formally arrested and later released. 'The detained individuals are regular users of narcotics,' the Excise Department said.
Khalid Rahman is known for directing films such as
Alappuzha Gymkhana
and
Thallumaala.
He has also acted in the film
Manjumal Boys. Ashraf Hamza has directed Thamaasha, Bheemante Vazhi, and Sulaikha Manzil.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
ZEE5 aims to slash operating losses by up to 60% in FY26
Mumbai: ZEE5 , the streaming platform owned by Zee Entertainment , aims to reduce its operating losses by 50-60% in FY26, president of digital businesses and platforms Amit Goenka said. The OTT industry has shifted its focus to achieving profitability after years of heavy investments in subscriber acquisition, which had taken a toll on their P&L. In FY25, ZEE5 reduced its Ebitda loss to ₹548 crore from ₹1,105 crore in the previous year. The company has been aggressively cutting costs to achieve its goal of an 18-20% Ebitda margin in FY26. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Rates Undo "This year, we are striving to reduce our Ebitda losses by more than 50-60% compared to last year. ZEE5 is the only division in Zee Entertainment that is not yet profitable, and we are looking to make it Ebitda-positive," he said. According to Goenka, producing content at a competitive price has been Zee's strength, and the company wants to maintain the cost advantages it has built over the years. Live Events ZEE5's focus on investing more in the story than in the star cast has helped it reduce costs-unlike other major streamers who spend huge amounts of money on star-driven shows, he noted. "We will control our costs and at the same time deliver quality content to audiences," he said. ZEE5 is planning to launch 100 content titles in FY26, with a focus on language-based offerings in markets like Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi and Bengali. In FY25, the platform launched 60 pieces of content across movies and originals. Goenka also downplayed concerns that stringent cost controls would impact revenue growth, even as the platform competes with giants like Netflix, Prime Video and JioHotstar. ZEE5's revenue grew by 6% in FY25 to ₹976 crore. "Controlling costs can still help you grow users and offer a great content experience because how you tell the story is more important than the face behind it," he said. While ZEE5 has a hybrid subscription and ad-led model, Goenka sees a lot of potential in the subscription model and intends to partner with telcos, broadband players and other distribution platforms to reach new audiences in tier-2 and -3 cities. The platform also aims to double down on technology to improve user experience and experiment with emerging genres like short-form vertical video.
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
Maharaja's College KSU member injured in attack
Kochi: SFI activists of Maharaja's College allegedly attacked a student affiliated with KSU on Tuesday early morning at the college hostel. According to KSU, a third year BA Malayalam student Basil Zaman T was attacked by a gang of five. "A group of SFI men, under the influence of drugs, brutally attacked Zaman, who is the KSU unit vice-president, while he was sleeping at 3am for no reason. The drug-influenced SFI attackers reached Zaman's room, made him sit on a chair, poured cold water on his face and hit him," read a statement issued by KSU unit of the college. Zaman in his complaint to the college principal said that he was physically hurt and mentally distressed and lost consciousness in the alleged attack. According to central police, they received an intimation from Ernakulam General Hospital but were yet to register a case over the matter. "We are informed that the dispute occurred in the early morning when a few students entered the other (Zaman's) room in search of a mirror which had gone missing. We will be collecting the statements of the injured student and will decide on registering the case," said a senior officer. Meanwhile, KSU Maharaja's unit president Rajeev Patrick said that if no action was taken by college authority, KSU members would hold a march to the campus hostel on Wednesday and proceed with a hunger strike.
Pink Villa
7 hours ago
- Pink Villa
Premalu 2: Is Naslen and Mamitha Baiju starrer's sequel delayed? Producer responds
Premalu starring Naslen and Mamitha Baiju in the lead roles, hit the big screens in 2024 and was a massive hit. With the sequel already announced earlier, it seems fans will have to wait some more time. In a recent interview with The Cue, the film's co-producer and popular actor-director Dileesh Pothan revealed that the sequel is delayed as of now. While the film is halted at the moment, it is unclear when they will begin work on it. Additionally, the Joji director highlighted that Girish AD, Premalu helmer, would soon start work on another project under their production house. For those unaware, Premalu is a Malayalam-language romantic comedy featuring the tale of Sachin, a miserable graduate from Kerala who has nothing going for him in his life. In hopes of finding something better, Sachin decides to move out of India but fails to get a visa in time. Hoping for a change, he, along with his friend, moves to Hyderabad where their paths cross with Reenu, a new joinee at an IT firm. How their relationship develops and whether they fall in love with each other form the story, with interesting and humorous characters appearing in it. With Naslen and Mamitha in leading roles, the film has actors like Sangeeth Prathap, Akhila Bhargavan, Shyam Mohan, Meenakshi Raveendran, Mathew Thomas, and many more in key roles. As the movie was a major blockbuster in theaters with critical acclaim, the makers announced a sequel to be in the making, titled Premalu 2. While the film was touted to be made on a grander scale, it seems the second installment would require some more time. Coming to Naslen 's work front, the actor was last seen in the Khalid Rahman directorial Alappuzha Gymkhana. The sports film is slated to begin streaming on SonyLIV from June 13, 2025. Moving ahead, the young actor will be appearing in the movie Lokah - Chapter One: Chandra, co-starring with Kalyani Priyadarshan. The upcoming cinematic universe from Malayalam is bankrolled by Dulquer Salmaan, who is rumored to have a cameo appearance alongside Tovino Thomas. On the other hand, Mamitha Baiju is currently involved in various films, including Thalapathy Vijay's Jana Nayagan, Dude with Pradeep Ranganathan, and Suriya 46.
