Latest news with #Mollywood
Time of India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Malayalam actor Unni Mukundan reveals chat with Tovino Thomas amid rift rumours and ex-manager assault allegations
In a week swirling with headlines, whispers of betrayal, and a full-blown media storm, Malayalam actor Unni Mukundan has found himself at the center of a controversy that's part courtroom drama and part celebrity saga. Days after his former assistant Vipin Kumar accused him of physical assault—allegedly over a compliment paid to fellow actor Tovino Thomas—Unni has struck back, not with a fiery statement, but with a cool screenshot. Yes, a WhatsApp chat may have just put to rest speculations of a superstar rift that fans were ready to blow out of proportion. One Viral Message, One Giant Clarification On May 27, 2025, Unni Mukundan took to Instagram to share a glimpse into his conversation with Tovino Thomas . The post included a screenshot that showed Tovino sending a 10-second voice note, which Unni responded to with a playful sticker GIF. The rest of the chat continued in a similar light-hearted tone, with the two exchanging stickers of Malayalam legends Mohanlal and Mammootty. While Tovino has yet to make a public statement, the post came across as Unni's way of saying, 'All's well in Mollywood.' It was an unusual but effective tactic—using friendly banter to crush scandalous rumours. Unni Mukundan took to Instagram to share a glimpse into his conversation with Tovino Thomas. Assault Allegation or Misunderstanding? Unni Speaks Out But a sticker alone can't silence controversy. The root of the scandal lies in serious allegations made by Vipin Kumar, Unni's former assistant. Vipin claimed that Unni assaulted him in his apartment complex and used abusive language—all allegedly triggered by Vipin's praise for Tovino's latest release, Narivetta . According to Vipin, the actor lost his cool and lashed out both verbally and physically. You Might Also Like: Unni Mukundan defends 'Marco' amid Shine Tom Chacko's drug case arrest: 'It doesn't encourage...' Responding to these claims in a detailed interview with Manorama Online , Unni denied committing any act of assault. He admitted to breaking Vipin's sunglasses during a heated exchange but maintained that there was no physical violence. The incident, he said, occurred in a CCTV-monitored area and in the presence of a mutual friend, Vishnu Unnithan. 'It's Propaganda,' Says Unni In the interview, Unni went a step further, calling the entire episode 'propaganda' aimed at maligning both him and Tovino. He emphasized that he had personally called Tovino to clarify the situation and asserted that their long-standing friendship—rooted in years of industry camaraderie—remains untarnished. Unni also revealed more about the souring relationship with Vipin. He claimed that Vipin had been misusing access to his accounts, demanded an apology, and refused to hand back passwords. He also accused Vipin of blackmail and of taking undue credit during the promotions of Unni's 2024 film Marco . Adding fuel to the fire, Unni alleged that other complaints—including one from a female actor—had already been filed against Vipin within the industry. Vipin's Side of the Story In a video interview with Asianet News, Vipin presented his version of events. He accused Unni of using derogatory language and alleged that the actor has been mentally unstable and professionally frustrated since the underwhelming response to his recent film Get-Set Baby . According to Vipin, Unni's short temper was nothing new and that the assault was simply the boiling point of months of internal tension. A Scandal That Won't Go Quietly With screenshots, conflicting narratives, and a celebrity friendship under scrutiny, this controversy has all the ingredients of a gripping reel drama. Is it a case of personal betrayal turned bitter, or a storm brewed out of ambition and ego? Only time—and perhaps more WhatsApp receipts—will tell. For now, one thing is certain: in the world of stardom, even a sticker can speak volumes.
Pink Villa
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Unni Mukundan shares screenshot of his chat with Tovino Thomas amid alleged spat over Narivetta's success
Trigger Warning: This article includes references to physical assault. Unni Mukundan has been in the news after his manager, Vipin, accused him of physical assault, after the latter praised Tovino Thomas' film Narivetta. The Marco actor has already clarified the false allegations being made about him, stating that no physical altercation occurred during their confrontation. Moreover, Unni Mukundan addressed claims of being angry and jealous over Tovino's success and revealed that these were mere propaganda tactics intended to tarnish the reputation of both actors. Unni Mukundan gets an audio message from Tovino Thomas While Unni Mukundan had previously mentioned that everything was sorted out between him and Tovino Thomas regarding the incident that occurred, he now took to his Instagram stories. He shared a screenshot of his chats with the Narivetta star. It seems the latter has sent an audio message to the Get Set Baby actor, indicating how everything between them is in good spirits. Unni Mukundan and Tovino Thomas bond over their favorite actor One of the key highlights of the chats between the two Mollywood actors was their shared love and adoration for superstar Mohanlal. The duo could be seen sharing memes and stickers of the senior actor, suggesting that all is truly well between them. Unni Mukundan revealed his phone call with Tovino Thomas Previously, in an interview with Manorama Online, Unni Mukundan spilled the beans on the phone conversation he had with Tovino Thomas after the incorrect accusations made by the former's manager, Vipin. He explained, 'I personally called Tovino and explained everything — he understood the situation. We've been friends since we entered the industry and share a strong bond. Tovino was someone who celebrated the success of 'Marco' with me. No false rumor can destroy that friendship."
Pink Villa
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
POLL: Suriya's Retro or Mohanlal's Thudarum, which thriller are you watching on OTT this weekend? Vote
Several exciting movies will be released on different OTT platforms in the coming days after their theatrical run. Amid all of them, two superhit thrillers are also set to release digitally on the same date, i.e., May 30. Yes, we're speaking about the Suriya starrer Retro and Mohanlal's Thudarum. Suriya's Retro, directed by Karthik Subbaraj Suriya delivered a strong hit at the box office with his recent film, Retro. A Karthik Subbaraj directorial, the romantic action thriller starred Pooja Hegde as the leading lady. It was theatrically released on May 1, 2025. After its release in theaters, the film received appreciation from the audience. Its worldwide collection grossed close to Rs 97 crores. Though it is still an underwhelming figure, in comparison to Suriya's last project, Kanguva, this one performed better. And now, the film is debuting on the OTT platform Netflix. The streaming partner was already announced and now the OTT giant revealed the date as May 30. Mohanlal's Thudarum, directed by Tharun Moorthy On the other hand is Mollywood superstar Mohanlal's second successive hit film, Thudarum. The Tharun Moorthy directorial was released soon after his previous blockbuster film, L2: Empuraan, and still stormed the box office. The Malayalam thriller featured Shobana as the leading lady, who reunited with Mohanlal on-screen after decades. The film ended up scoring big within no time. Speaking about the metrics, Thudarum grossed a massive Rs 222 crores worldwide, just within 24 days of release. Thudarum will now be streaming on the OTT platform Jio Hotstar, from May 30 onwards. Well then, it's now time for you to make your choice and vote for the film that you will be watching on OTT this weekend!
Pink Villa
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
When Tovino Thomas praised Unni Mukundan's Marco despite being criticized: ‘It's a technically good movie'
Trigger Warning: This article includes references to physical assault. Mollywood actor Unni Mukundan grabbed attention as news about his alleged assault on his manager surfaced. Reports suggest that the actor was angry over the latter praising Tovino Thomas' film Narivetta, which has been performing successfully at the box office. Amid all the buzz, here's a throwback to the time when Tovino had praised Unni's most violent film, Marco, which was released back in 2024. Tovino Thomas tagged Marco a 'good movie' Unni Mukundan's Marco stirred quite a lot of controversy after the release, owing to its violent nature and scenes on-screen. Despite being a box office hit, the movie kept receiving a lot of flak just due to this aspect. Back then, it was Tovino Thomas who praised the film and addressed the actual reason as to why it was tasting success. He had said, 'Marco is a good movie. Because of the performances and also because it is a technically good movie, the violence felt believable. I don't think the film became a hit just because of the violence.' The L2 Empuraan actor further mentioned, 'Any emotion, if it is conveyed effectively to the audiences, then the movie will be a success.' FIR lodged against Unni Mukundan for assaulting manager Fast forward to now, Unni Mukundan's manager has filed a complaint against him at the Infopark Station as well as the FEFKA. He claimed that the Marco actor was unhappy with the flat response for his film Get Set Baby and was sad that there were no further film offers coming his way. The actor has been known for his bad temper and behavioral issues, especially with his staff. The manager further added that Unni Mukundan physically assaulted and even threatened him for praising Narivetta on social media. Any further comment from the team of the Malayalam actor is yet to be made on the ongoing debate.
Pink Villa
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Box Office: Revisiting Mohanlal's 2025 blockbusters Empuraan and Thudarum on his birthday
Malayalam Superstar Mohanlal has turned 65 years old today, Wednesday. The actor is synonymous with versatility in cinema. Debuted with Manjil Virinja Pookkal in 1980, the actor has completed almost 45 years in the film industry. He has delivered several memorable characters and cult movies in his entire career spanning over 4 decades. The latest two releases, L2 Empuraan and Thudarum, proved once again why he is termed as the biggest crowd puller in Malayalam cinema. Here's diving into the box office performance of both movies, which took the small regional film industry to new heights. L2 Empuraan, directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran and starring Mohanlal as Stephen Nedumpally aka Abram Khureshi, has emerged as the biggest box office hit at the worldwide box office. The movie opened with a record start of Rs 67 crore globally and went on to smash over Rs 265 crore gross by the end of its theatrical run. It smashed all the previous records and emerged as the first ever Mollywood movie to register a distribution share of Rs 100 crore from overseas. This is an unimaginable feat for a Mollywood movie. Moreover, it became the first ever Malayalam movie to collect from USD 9 million to USD 16 million at the international box office. If you think this is it, then keep scrolling further! Soon after L2 Empuraan wrapped its box office journey, Lalettan struck back with Thudarum. The family entertainer, twisted with thrill and crime, impressed the audience and won all the love. The movie kickstarted its box office journey on a solid note and emerged as the first ever Malayalam movie to score over Rs 100 crore in Kerala alone. The worldwide gross collection of Thudarum is currently standing at Rs 222 crore. It is still running in cinemas and is expected to collect over Rs 250 crore by the end of its theatrical run at the worldwide box office. While the political action drama is the No.1 Malayalam movie at the worldwide box office, the family entertainer holds the top spot in India. Both movies turned out to be massive blockbusters at the box office. L2 Empuraan was a heavy-budget movie, other than being a sequel to a blockbuster movie, Thudarum neither has any massive production cost nor a sequel factor. It worked solely on its content and the superstardom of Mohanlal. L2 Empuraan and Thudarum collectively grossed over Rs 487 crore globally as of now. It is expected to go over the Rs 500 crore mark as Thudarum is still gaining good traction at the ticket window. This is a massive feat, to say the least. The blockbuster success of both movies proved why Mohanlal is called the mini-film industry in himself. The actor holds almost all the major box office records under his name. Interestingly, Mohanlal is the only Indian actor who has given all-time-blockbuster movies in every decade- the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s. No other actor was able to achieve this mammoth record. He was the No. 1 Superstar in Malayalam cinema and still holds the top place. For many outside Kerala audiences, Mohanlal is the face of Malayalam cinema. The actor will be next seen in the Pan-India movie Kannappa, which is slated to release on June 27, 2025. It will be his cameo appearance in the film. He is playing the character of Kirata, a warrior inspired by Indian mythology. The next release for Mohanlal is Hridayapoorvam, scheduled to release on August 28, 2025. Directed by Sathyan Anthikad, the family drama also stars Malavika Mohanan and Sangeeth Prathap. Further, the actor will be seen headlining a Pan-India period drama titled Vrusshabha, produced by Ekta Kapoor. Helmed by Nanda Kishore, the movie will hit the screens on October 16, 2025. It features an ensemble star cast and marks the theatrical debut of Sanjay Kapoor's daughter, Shanaya Kapoor. It will be interesting to see how these movies perform at the box office. Let's see if these titles can continue the blockbuster streak of Mohanlal this year. With two back-to-back all-time-blockbuster movies, Mohanlal should eye a hat-trick. Besides these scheduled releases, the actor has numerous projects in his kitty, including Rajinikanth starrer, Jailer 2. For the unversed, Lalettan's Thudarum is still playing in cinemas nearby. If you have not yet watched the movie, you can book your tickets from the online ticket-booking websites or grab them from the counter itself. His cult movie Chhota Mumbai is ready to re-release in cinemas in 4K restored quality. Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates.
