Antony Varghese’s Daveed is about a father going to combat for his daughter: Govind Vishnu | Exclusive

While last February saw movies such as Premalu, Bramayugam and Manjummel Boys release in theatres to spark of what many called ‘a golden year’ in Malayalam cinema, this year, Antony Varghese’s Daveed could lead the charge. The movie, helmed by debutant Govind Vishnu, has several elements going for it, which could also help it deliver the punches at the box office.

Daveed revolves around a father and daughter: Govind Vishnu

While the posters that have been released so far hint that Daveed would primarily be revolving around a boxer, Govind tells OTTplay, that’s not the case. “The film is actually about Antony’s character Aashiq Abu and his eight-year-old daughter. It’s about a father going to combat for his daughter,” says the director.

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Antony essays the lead character of the film, a bouncer-turned-boxer, who starts out fighting in local competitions before competing in global events, explains the director, adding that the movie is mount on a scale deserving of a commercial entertainer. “It’s a movie with a lot of cinematic moments,” he adds.

Vijayaraghavan plays legendary boxing coach Puthalath Ragavan

Another interesting aspect about Daveed is that the movie has Vijayaraghavan playing real-life boxing coach Puthalath Ragavan, who passed away in 2020.

“Ragavan sir is known for bringing the most number of national medals to Kerala for boxing. In his village Pooladikunnu, Kozhikode, he was renowned for training boxers. He instilled the love for boxing in women too, replacing their bangles with boxing gloves,” explains Govind. “Though Antony’s character is fictional, the film is also semi-autobiographical, in the sense that it would look at the life of Ragavan sir and celebrate his contributions.”

Daveed’s Egypt connection: Actor Moe Ismail

Daveed also has Egyptian actor Moe Ismail in a prominent role. “He plays an extremely important character in the movie, and through him, we also get to showcase some part of Egypt’s culture. You could say there are these organic crossover elements between Egypt and India, in the film,” the director explains.

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Shot in Poothotta, Triprayar and Fort Kochi, Daveed also has Lijomol, Saiju Kurup, Aju Varghese, Kichu Tellus and Jess Kukku, who plays Aashiq’s daughter Safa. The film is scripted by Deepu Rajeevan and Govind, and is expected to hit theatres on February 14, 2025.