Manju Warrier: Ayisha can be considered a cross-border, global cinema, instead of a Malayalam film

Malayalam star Manju Warrier is on a roll in 2023. The lady superstar kicked off the new year by being part of Ajith Kumar’s Pongal release, Thunivu, and in a week, is gearing up for her next release in Malayalam – Ayisha.

Directed by debutant Aamir Pallikal and shot in the UAE, the movie had caught the attention of the audience ever since it was announced. The team claimed that Ayisha will be the first ever Indo-Arab collaboration and will be released in multiple languages including Arabic.

Manju, in a recent interview, seconded this. “It’s difficult to categorise Ayisha as a Malayalam film. It can be considered an inter-sectional, cross-border or global cinema. The film’s story happens in an Arab background and about 80% of the artistes are from other countries. They speak their language in the movie,” said the actress, adding that Ayisha has a strong screenplay and is backed by a brilliant cast and crew.

The movie has Manju essaying the role of a maid named Ayisha in an Arab household. The story evolves in Saudi Arabia. The team, however, had shot the film extensively in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. In an interview, Manju also revealed that more than showing the struggles of her character, the team has approached this film in a different way. “It showcases the relationship between the various maids of the house, the maid and the majesty as well as the family members,” she said in an interview with Pearle Maaney.

Apart from Manju, the film also has Classmates fame Radhika along with Egyptian actor Islam Abdelgawwad in a pivotal role. Manju, in an earlier social media post, had introduced the Arab actor saying that he was chosen for the role due to “his outstanding acting skills and his ability to handle multiple languages”. The film, which is set to hit theatres on January 20, also has Sudani from Nigeria director Zakariya as its co-producer.