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New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Padakkalam gets an OTT release date
Padakkalam, led by Sandeep Pradeep, Suraj Venjaramoodu and Sharafudheen, is set to begin streaming on JioHotstar on June 10, the streamer announced on Monday. The fantasy comedy film, directed by debutant Manu Swaraj, was released theatrically on May 9 and opened to generally positive reviews. It also features Niranjana Anoop, Saaf, Arun Pradeep, Arun Ajikumar and Pooja Mohanraj in prominent roles. Padakkalam follows four comic book-loving college students who emerge as unlikely heroes through a comedy of errors, ultimately saving the day from a charismatic professor with evil intentions. The film, jointly scripted by Manu and Nithin C Babu, has cinematography by Anu Moothedath, editing by Nidhin Raj Arol and music by Premam-fame Rajesh Murugesan. It is produced by Vijay Babu and Vijay Subramaniam under the banners of Friday Film House and 29 September Works. An excerpt from the CE review of the film reads, "There's an older Malayalam film that toyed with a similar central idea, but while that one had its own charm, this one might just linger longer in the heart. What sets it apart is not just the concept, but the warmth and care it extends towards its characters. Padakkalam may not be flawless, but it wins you over with its sincerity and a playfulness that blends fantasy, humour, and emotion. It's the kind of film that might leave you smiling, even as you wish it had dared to push the boundaries just a little more."
Mint
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Who is Sandra Thomas? Actor-producer claims 'budgets' are allotted for drugs in Malayalam film industry
Amid several claims of rampant drug use in the Malayalam film industry, actress-producer Sandra Thomas alleged that drug abuse has been normalised on film sets. She said that separate rooms and dedicated budgets are being allocated for drugs in the industry now. In an On Manorama interview, Sandra said, "A special budget is being allotted exclusively for this. Even separate rooms are allotted for this purpose." She also slammed the industry people for not taking a stand against the situation despite one after another incident. Sandra Thomas is best known for starring in Malayalam films like Amen, Mimics Parade, O' Faby, Peruchazhi, Aakashvani, Aadu, Kili Poyi and Zachariayude Garbhinikal. Besides acting, Sandra co-founded the production company Friday Film House, with producer Vijay Babu. Later, Sandra and Vijay Babu had a fallout and she moved on to establish her own production banner, Sandra Thomas Productions. She has also backed projects like Zachariayude Garbhinikal and Philips and the Monkey Pen. Sandra is married to Wilson John Thomas who is a businessman and owner of an event management company. Together they have twin daughters who were born in 2018. She is quite popular on Instagram. She also has a YouTube channel with 180K subscribers. Sandra recently made headlines when she opened up about the alleged drug situation in Mollywood. She said that the industry associations should have taken a 'proper stand' against drug abuse five to ten years ago to avoid the current state of the industry. She said, 'Everyone was aware of what was happening on sets. But no one took corrective steps, as they needed these people for future projects. Now, a special budget is being allocated exclusively for this. Even separate rooms are allotted for this purpose. However, the associations say the entire industry cannot be blamed just because of one or two people.' Sandra even called out producer Listin Stephen for not taking a stand. She said people irrespective of their status now indulge in drug use. She added, 'Aren't people like Listin aware of this problem? Don't they know that drugs are lavishly available and are being used on sets? They have refused to take a step against it. It has now reached the stage where both men and women, and everyone, irrespective of their status, use it. Producers are unwilling to raise a complaint because of the fear that it will stall their projects. If someone is caught on the sets, the shooting gets stalled. It also ruins the goodwill of the actor.'
The Hindu
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Jayasurya-Midhun Manuel Thomas' ‘Aadu 3' goes on floors
Aadu 3, the much-anticipated third instalment of the popular Malayalam franchise Aadu, was launched with a pooja ceremony on Sunday (May 11). Franchise lead Jayasurya and director Midhun Manuel Thomas return for the sequel that is once again produced by Vijay Babu under his Friday Film House banner. The team shared pictures and videos from the pooja ceremony to announce the news. Actor Unni Mukundan, who is teaming up with Midhun for his directorial debut, sounded the clapboard. The upcoming instalment will also feature franchise regulars — Vinayakan, Renji Panicker, Sunny Wayne, Saiju Kurup, Aju Varghese, Vijay Babu, Bhagath Manuel, Dharmajan Bolgatty and Indrans. A slapstick comedy, 2015's Aadu followed a tug-of-war team from Idukki whose lives changed when they decided to slaughter a female goat they got as a reward. Though the film didn't perform well at the box office, it attained cult status after its DVD release. The sequel, titled Aadu 2, released in 2017 and became a hit at the box office. More details regarding Aadu 3 are yet to be announced.
