SonyLIV announced the direct to digital release of 2 new Malayalam films – Salute and Puzhu. The platform will see the father-son duo Mammootty and Dulquer Salman launching their films for the very first time on the same OTT platform. While Dulquer will be starring in the investigative drama Salute, his father Mammootty will play the lead in the crime thriller Puzhu.
Both Puzhu and Salute are highly anticipated films of Mammootty and Dulquer, whose stardom precedes them. They are not just mega stars in the South, but have a pan-India appeal, and by launching the films directly on SonyLIV, the streaming platform is appealing to a pan-India audience with their authentic, and real stories and being the frontrunners in regional content.
Salute is a grounded procedural drama, which will see Dulquer step into the shoes of a cop, Aravind Karunkaran. The film cuts between the past and the present-day scenario, where, a once committed and fiery sub inspector, Salmaan has been reduced to a disgraced cop, aching for a shot at redemption. It follows the conflicted choices that Salmaan’s Karunkaran must make between his family and profession, right and wrong, being lawful or a degenerate, and the price he pays for the same. Puzhu, on the other hand, is an intense family thriller, which will see Mammootty in a grey shade. The film promises to be a gripping thriller around a father and son and the underlying family dynamics and trust issues that follow.
Helmed by Rosshan Andrews, Salute marks the first association of Dulquer with the director as well as the writer-duo of Bobby and Sanjay. Produced under his production banner Wayfarer Films, it will also be the Malayalam debut of Bollywood actress Diana Penty and will also star Manoj K Jayan in a pivotal role. Dulquer will also be producing Mammootty’s Puzhu under his banner along with S George’s Cyn Cyl Celluloid. Helmed by debutante director Ratheena PT, the film will also star Parvathy Thiruvothu in the lead.
Talking about Puzhu, Mammootty said, “The story of Puzhu excited me the most. As an actor, it has always been my aim to keep reinventing myself, and to take up newer, more exciting projects. Puzhu marks another step in that direction. We tried to tell a story that we believed in and put our hearts into. Hope the viewers like what they see.”
Dulquer Salmaan, who is both the actor and the producer of Salute said, “It was a great experience working on Salute. I have always been drawn to roles which push me beyond my comfort zone and challenge me as an actor. Bobby and Sanjay have done a remarkable job with the script. It is an intriguing and taut thriller with the characters going through various emotional conflicts and bearing the consequences of their actions. I have always admired Rosshan Andrews’ craft, and it was an honour to work him. This is very different than the other films I have done so far, and I cannot wait for the audiences to watch it.”
The announcement comes just a day after the Film Exhibitor’s United Organisation of Kerala (FEUOK) announced a ban on the screening of Dulquer Salmaan’s movies in future. The organisation claimed that the actor had promised to release the film in theatres first but opted for a direct OTT release. With Puzhu also going the OTT way, it would definitely be a big blow to FEUOK.
