Gandharva Jr: After Malikappuram, Unni Mukundan reveals his big plans for Malayalam with Rs 40 Cr-budget superhero film

The success of Malikappuram has changed things for Malayalam actor Unni Mukundan. Projects that were in limbo due to their high budgets suddenly got greenlit with the actor proving that he has what it takes to bring in the audience to the theatres. One such project is his latest movie, Gandharva Jr, which went on floors on Friday.

The film, which is reportedly made on a budget of Rs 40 crore, is directed by debutant Vishnu Aravind. The makers have pitched it as a superhero film, the third such project of the genre after Tovino Thomas’ Minnal Murali and Dileep’s Parakkum Pappan in the last few years in Malayalam.

Scripted by Kalki writers Praveen Prabharam and Sujin Sujathan, the movie will be released in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Kannada. Jakes Bejoy will be composing the music for the movie, which has Chandru Selvaraj as its cinematographer.

In an earlier interview with us, Unni had said that Gandharva Jr will mark the beginning of the kind of films that he wants to be attached to in Malayalam. “Gandharva Jr is one of the biggest films that I am part of. We will be releasing a glimpse of it soon, so that people will understand what I am trying to do in Malayalam. There hasn’t been a day that I have doubted myself,” he said.

The movie has Unni essaying the role of a gandharvan (a celestial being) who falls down to earth from the heavens and revolves around what happens in his daily life.

Meanwhile, Unni’s Malikappuram, which has already emerged as the biggest Malayalam hit of 2023 grossing over Rs 40 crore in Kerala box office, is set for its OTT premiere on February 15. The film’s digital rights have been bagged by Disney+ Hotstar, which will be streaming the film in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi.