Exclusive! Makers of Indrajith’s Aaha keen on theatrical release to attract tug-of-war fans

The movie, directed by Bibin Paul Samuel, also has Manoj K Jayan, Amith Chakalakkal, Ashwin Kkumar and Santhy Balachandran

Amith Chakalakkal, Ashwin Kkumar and Indrajith

It’s been an excruciating wait for the makers of the Malayalam sports drama Aaha, which has Indrajith Sukumaran in the lead. The team of the movie had finished shooting in January 2020 and has been waiting for theatres to reopen.

Despite the long wait, its director Bibin Paul Samuel tells OTTplay that they are keen on a theatrical release. “The plan is to release as soon as the theatres release. The movie was cleared by the censor board in March and it was also designed for theatres. Aaha is about tug of war, which is a layman’s sport that isn’t all that popular. So, those audiences would watch the film only when it releases in theatres and not on OTTs. We are taking that chance with Aaha,” says the editor-filmmaker, who will be making his directorial debut with the film.

Apart from Indrajith, the movie also has Ashwin Kkumar, Amith Chakalakkal, Santhy Balachandran and Manoj K Jayan in pivotal roles. Indrajith plays two phases of his character – as a 30-year-old and a 55-year-old.

The movie is based on real-life Kerala tug-of-war team Aaha Neeloor, which comprised people who did manual labour such as rubber tapping and catering. The team, formed in the 90s, have been on top of the game for about 15 years. “The audience will see Indraettan, Manoj ettan, Ashwin and Amith showcasing their career-best performances and that’s another reason we are all excited to release the film in theatres,” says Bibin.

Further on opting for a theatrical release, the director explains, “A lot of good movies have already chosen OTTs to stream the films, and so it’s necessary for some entertainers to release in theatres when the facilities reopen to sustain that industry.”

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