Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions is set to make its Malayalam cinema debut with acclaimed horror filmmaker Rahul Sadasivan’s upcoming film Odiyan. The project, titled Odiyan: The Age of Illusion, was officially announced on Tuesday, June 16.
The film stars Prithviraj Sukumaran and Manju Warrier in the lead roles and will be jointly produced by Dharma Productions and Prithviraj Productions. The film is backed by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, and Supriya Menon.
The title refers to the mythical Odiyan, a figure rooted in Kerala’s folklore, particularly in the Malabar region. According to legends, Odiyans were practitioners of ‘Odividya’, believed to possess the ability to shapeshift into animals and terrify people under the cover of darkness. These stories are often associated with the pre-electrification era when myths around mysterious nocturnal figures and sounds became part of local oral traditions.
Announcing the project on social media, Karan Johar wrote, “Prithviraj, we’ve come such a long way with multiple collaborations behind us and hopefully many more ahead of us too. It gives us great pride to announce our film - Odiyan, directed by the supremely talented Rahul Sadasivan. His knack for eerie storytelling rooted in folklore is a feat in this age of cinema. Bringing this to life on screen is the exceptional Manju Warrier and, of course, our favourite Prithviraj himself.”
Besides Malayalam, Odiyan will also be released in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi. Further details about the film are yet to be announced.
Rahul Sadasivan has emerged as one of Malayalam cinema’s most distinctive horror filmmakers. After making his directorial debut in 2013 with the science fiction film Red Rain, he gained widespread recognition with the psychological horror drama Bhoothakaalam (2022), starring Shane Nigam and Revathi. The film was praised for blending supernatural horror with themes of grief, loneliness, and mental health. Rahul further cemented his reputation with the critically acclaimed black-and-white folk horror film Bramayugam (2024), headlined by Mammootty, which drew heavily from Kerala’s folklore and caste histories.
The Odiyan folklore was previously adapted for the big screen in the 2018 fantasy drama Odiyan, starring Mohanlal as Odiyan Manikyan. This film, directed by VA Shrikumar Menon, also featured Manju Warrier and Prakash Raj in prominent roles. Released amid massive expectations, Odiyan received mixed reviews, with criticism directed at its screenplay and execution.
Ahead of its release, the film had also drawn attention for Mohanlal’s physical transformation to portray a younger version of his character, which became a major point of discussion among fans and audiences. Despite its polarising reception, the film remains among the most prominent cinematic adaptations of the Odiyan legend.