Confirmed! Mohanlal’s Neru will clash with Salaar and Dunki after all

When filmmaker Jeethu Joseph and actor Mohanlal got together for a new film earlier this year, it was first thought that the duo were working on the third and final instalment of the Drishyam franchise. But it was then revealed that they were doing a different project – a legal drama, written by real-life advocate Santhi Devi, who played a lawyer in Drishyam 2. Called Neru, with a tagline that reads Seeking Justice, the film went on floors in mid August and was wrapped up in early October. At the time, it was speculated that given the break-neck speed at which the team was functioning, it could have a 2023 release as well, with Christmas mentioned as the best bet.

Neru: Mohanlal’s courtroom drama gets a release date? 

A few weeks ago, there was a buzz on social media that Mohanlal would have a Christmas release. While his directorial debut Barroz was the name heard, delays in post-production meant that Neru was the candidate to be in theatres on December 21, a development that the actor confirmed moments ago. This will put the film in direct competition with two biggies – Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki and Prabhas’ Salaar. Tovino Thomas is rumoured to also have a release on the day with either Nadikar Thilakam or Ajayante Randam Moshanam, but this is yet to be confirmed. In Kerala, Neru will be the big Christmas release, followed closely by Salaar, as Prithviraj Sukumaran plays a pivotal role in the film by KGF maker Prashant Neel.

Mohanlal plays an advocate in Neru, a role he’s taken up after 15 years. He is joined by Priya Mani in the black robe. This is the duo’s first collaboration since Grandmaster. Also on the cast are actors Jagadish, Siddique, Anaswara Rajan, and Ganesh Kumar, in pivotal roles. The movie is produced by Aashirvad Cinemas.

Mohanlal- Jeethu Joseph's Neru is a courtroom drama after all; here's everything we know