With a mask on his face, much like Batman, Kunchacko Boban looks straight at the camera in the first poster of the upcoming film Nizhal or Shadow, released on Monday. He will act opposite Nayanthara in the Malayalam film that will mark the directorial debut of award-winning editor Appu Bhattathiri.
All Appu said about the film in an interview to TNM was that it is a thriller and every one of the few characters in it would have equal importance. Rony David and Divya Prabha play two other important roles.
Kunchacko Boban’s fearless expression behind the masked face adds mystery, while the plasters glued to his nose and forehead suggest action.
The film is written by S Sanjeev and produced by five people -- Anto Joseph, Abhijith M Pillai, Badusha, Fellini TP and Ginesh Jose. Appu will edit the film with his friend Arunlal SP.
Nayanthara, a Malayalam actor who became a superstar in Tamil cinema, last played the heroine in Mollywood for Dhyan Sreenivasan's Love Action Drama, opposite Nivin Pauly.
Kunchacko Boban’s last release, another thriller, Anjaam Paathira, was both critically acclaimed and had a successful run in theatres.
Appu who calls himself an 'accidental editor' has been busy with back to back films ever since he made his debut as an editor with Sanal Kumar Sasidharan's Oraalppokkam. It is another film of Sanal -- Ozhivu Divasathe Kali -- and Jayaraj's Veeram that won him the state award for Best Editor in 2017. But his calling is filmmaking, and it's with this dream that he entered cinema, Appu said. He finally got the opportunity during an unexpected break in work that came with COVID-19.
The last editing work Appu did was for the Netflix release Maniyarayile Ashokan with Jacob Gregory in the lead. He had also finished editing work for Anugraheethan Antony before plunging into direction.
Watch: Trailer of Anugraheethan Antony