It looks like an old family picture, the kind that people have on their bedside table. A couple posing for a camera, most likely the old fashioned film camera, to get a photo together. Only, these are two very familiar faces, of two big stars coming together. Mammootty, who is among the top actors and biggest stars of south India, is joined by Jyothika, another prominent actor from the Tamil film industry, in a new movie’s poster. The film is titled Kathal - The Core, and Jeo Baby, who churns out critically acclaimed films year after year, is directing it.
On the evening of Tuesday, October 18, Jeo Baby put out a post saying, “Our next film, Kathal - The Core. Today, it is the birthday of our heroine. Happy bday our own Jyothika (sic).”
The photo, apparently carrying the marks and grains of an old one stuck in an album, has a younger Mammootty and a smiling Jyothika, both in white. The film is presented by Mammootty's production venture, Mammoottykampany, and is written by Adarsh Sukumaran and Paulson Skaria. Salu K Thomas is the director of photography and Francies Louis is the editor. Mathews Pulickan is the music composer.
Jeo Baby is most known for his film The Great Indian Kitchen, which portrayed the forced domestication of a newly married woman in Kerala in such detail that it got endorsed by personalities all around the world. However, his other works including 2 Penkuttikal, Kunju Daivam and Freedom Fight, the more recent anthology headlined by him, are also recognised for their content and form. His last film release was Sree Dhanya Catering Service, a comedy about a few men's booze party going wrong.
Read Sree Dhanya Catering Service review: Jeo Baby pulls off a decent comedy
Mammootty has just had a much-appreciated release with Rorschach, a psychological thriller, which was also produced by the Mammoottykampany. The star is known for taking up ventures by new talents, and trying out experimental stories and unflattering roles. Puzhu, released a few months earlier on an OTT platform, had him in a negative, hateful role of a casteist man without an ounce of mercy.
In Malayalam, Jyothika has only been seen in dubbed versions of films like Rakkilippattu and Seetha Kalyanam before. This will therefore be her first original film in Malayalam.
Read from archive: From 'bubbly' girl to foul-mouthed cop: How Jyothika is pushing boundaries