The trailer for Bethlehem Kudumba Unit introduces Nivin Pauly as Justin, nicknamed the MP3 King for digitising his father’s cassette collection in 2005. Set against a neighbourhood film shoot, the romcom follows his self-aware, secret romance with melancholic college student Ashley, played by Mamitha Baiju, as their age-gap relationship becomes a central point of tension and discussion.
The two-minute forty-second trailer of Bethlehem Kudumba Unit begins with a narration in which Nivin Pauly explains his father's collection of cassettes back in 2005, which he and his friend used to upload onto the internet for people to download. This habit gave him the title of “MP3 King”, and that’s how we’re introduced to his character Justin.
But the setting of the film has got more to do with filmmaking than music. Justin looks like he is producing a short film as we see a crew shooting the film around his neighbourhood. Like heroes of older Gireesh AD movies, Justin too seems to be chilling in life without a job or real responsibilities. Mamitha is introduced as the literal girl next door, a college student who is always “melancholic”. Her name is Ashley, and she can be seen playing a guitar. What follows, at least in the trailer, is a self-aware romance that blooms between Ashley and the much older Justin and their efforts to hide their relationship from people around them.
In a recent interview promoting the latest Malayalam-language hit film, Balan: The Boy, Gireesh AD, who had acted in the film, shared that Bethlehem Kudumba Unit was about a love story between an older man and a younger woman wherein their age difference becomes a matter of discussion. Gireesh AD has previously directed I Am Kathalan, featuring Sarin Rishi, Lijo Mol Jose and Naslen.
Gireesh is also known for directing the successful Malayalam comedy Premalu (2024), which also co-starred Mamitha Baiju. The co-writer on Bethlehem Kudumba Unit is Kiran Josey, with Vishnu Vijay on music, Ajmal Sabu on cinematography, and Akash Joseph Varghese on editing. Mamitha Baiju was seen playing the role of Maddy’s in last week’s Tamil release Vishwanath And Sons, starring Suriya. She was also in Jana Nayagan, Tamil star and Tamil Nadu CM Vijay’s final film. As for Nivin, his last release was Prathichaya, directed by B Unnikrishnan.