Could Rifle Club be Aashiq Abu's comeback? Reasons to look out for Anurag Kashyap, Darshana Rajendran-starrer

Aashiq Abu’s sophomore directorial Salt N' Pepper is often credited with ushering in the new wave in Malayalam cinema. The director went on to make several acclaimed and popular movies such as 22 Female Kottayam, Mayaanadhi, and Virus, but his last two movies Neelavelicham and Naradan failed to do well at the box office.

Now, the noted filmmaker is gearing up for the release of Rifle Club which has been making significant buzz with its ensemble cast, quirky posters, and riveting trailer. Will the movie change the fortunes of Aashiq Abu whose last film to garner critical and commercial success was Virus, way back in 2019?

Rifle Club to mark Aashiq Abu's comeback?

Rifle Club ensemble cast

Rifle Club boasts a terrific line-up of notable actors such as Vijayaraghavan, Dileesh Pothan, Darshana Rajendran, Vani Viswanath, Vineeth Kumar, and Unnimaya Prasad in prominent roles. Notably, the movie also marks the Malayalam debut of acclaimed director-actor Anurag Kashyap, while popular rapper Hanumankind is making his acting debut with the film, which is touted to be an action thriller.

Also read: Rifle Club trailer out: Aashiq Abu’s film with Anurag Kashyap and Dileesh Pothan promises a riveting watch as the hunt begins 

Action-packed plot

The film is said to revolve around a rifle club as a bunch of hunters join forces to confront an arms dealer. The trailer, released recently, gives a glimpse of the wacky characters in a colonial-style setting, and with all of them wielding weapons, the film promises to be a quirky action spectacle. The fast-paced trailer ended with intense firing sequences, setting the stage for a total showdown.

Also read: Darshana Rajendran picks up the gun for Aashiq Abu's Rifle Club 

Syam Pushkaran's writing

Not just the ensemble cast and director, Rifle Club also has a terrific set of writers led by Syam Pushkaran, who won the National Award for Best Screenplay for Maheshinte Prathikaram, along with Dileesh Karunakaran and Suhas. Syam had also previously collaborated with Aashiq Abu for Salt n’ Pepper, 22 Female Kottayam, Idukki Gold, and Mayaanadhi. Syam is also a frequent collaborator with filmmaker-actor Dileesh Pothan who plays a key role in Rifle Club as well. As the stalwarts join forces for Rifle Club, audiences expect nothing but a cinematic spectacle.

Aashiq Abu's direction

Since his debut in 2009, Aashiq Abu has done a variety of films across genres. While his much-loved Salt n’ Pepper came as a breath of fresh air to Malayali audience, his next directorial 22 Female Kottayam, starring Rima Kallingal and Fahadh Faasil, had a riveting climax that literally made viewers sit up and take notice. His Mayaanadhi, with Tovino Thomas and Aishwarya Lekshmi, too is celebrated for its take on love and sexuality in modern times. Aashiq Abu’s Virus too had an ensemble cast and portrayed the events following the real-life Nipah outbreak in Kerala.

But his recent outings Neelavelicham and Naradan failed to impress the audiences despite having popular names such as Tovino Thomas in both films. The director is looking to make a terrific comeback with Rifle Club and reclaim his place among the top filmmakers from Kerala.

Rifle Club releases in theatres on December 19, 2024.