Malayalam actor Prithviraj is gearing up to be the hero of Kerala’s most expensive film yet.
To be made on a budget of Rs500 million (Dh27.4 million), the film starring the Ennu Ente Moideen actor will be unveiled in Dubai on Friday.
The period drama will be based on the Indian mythological text Mahabharata, confirmed its Dubai-based producer.
“It’s going to be the most expensive Malayalam film to be ever made and will be visually stunning. We are putting together a fantastic team of actors, technicians and talents from across India and Hollywood to make this spectacle come alive. Director R S Vimal, who worked with Prithviraj in Ennu Ente Moideen, will be directing this film,” said Venu Kunapilly, the producer, in Malayalam in an interview with tabloid!.
While their budgets are usually a fraction of what Hollywood and Bollywood films spend on epics featuring battles, South Indian films are known for extracting the best from every penny spent.
In 2015, Telugu blockbuster Bahubali, with a Rs1.2 billion budget, became India’s costliest film,
It’s first production for Kunapilly, who has been running a business dealing automobile parts for the past two decades in the UAE.
“It’s going to be an epic film that has a strong story about one of the characters in Mahabharata and will leave a lasting impact on the minds of the viewers,” he added.
In 2009, Pazhassi Raja, starring Malayalam actor Mammotty in the role of a Hindu king who fought against the British in the 18th century, held the distinction of being the Malayalam industry’s most expensive film, with a budget of Rs270 million.
“Prithviraj will be in Dubai soon to give out all the details,” said Kunapilly. Watch this space for more.
