Odiyan: The Age of Illusion, a period horror film set in 19th-century Kerala, has officially gone on floors with a pooja at Anchumana temple in Kochi. Starring Prithviraj Sukumaran and Manju Warrier, the film is written and directed by Rahul Sadasivan and marks Dharma Productions’ first collaboration with the Malayalam industry, co-producing with Prithviraj Productions.
Odiyan: The Age of Illusion, the period horror film starring Prithviraj Sukumaran and Manju Warrier, commenced production with a pooja ceremony held at the Anchumana temple in Kochi. The ceremony was attended by Prithviraj Sukumaran, Manju Warrier, director Rahul Sadasivan, producer Supriya Menon and Prithviraj's mother Mallika Sukumaran.
Odiyan: The Age of Illusion is jointly produced by Prithviraj Productions and Dharma Productions, with Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta and Supriya Menon credited as producers. The project marks Dharma Productions' first collaboration with the Malayalam film industry. The film will be made in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi.
The film is written and directed by Rahul Sadasivan and is set in 19th-century Kerala, drawing on local folklore and cultural mythology. Dialogues are written by Sadasivan and T.D. Ramakrishnan and music is composed by Christo Xavier. Radakrishnan and Xavier have both previously collaborated with Sadasivan on Bramayugam (2024).
Rahul Sadasivan is known for directing Bhoothakaalam (2022), Bramayugam (2024), and Dies Irae (2025).
Discussing the film in a previous interview with THR India, Prithviraj revealed that when Sadasivan brought the film to him, the actor’s first condition was that he would do it only if he could produce it. Sadasivan agreed, but explained that there was an existing commitment with Dharma. "If it were anyone else, I might have bullied Rahul into giving the film just to me," Prithviraj said with a laugh. "But I share such a great relationship with Karan. I said, 'Okay, just because it is Dharma, go to Dharma, pitch the project. If there is any problem, anything at all, we will do it.'"
Two days later, he received a call from Karan Johar, who said, “What do you mean any problem at all? We are doing it!" That, he explained, is how the collaboration came to be.
Prithviraj added how he had told Johar for a long time that he would be the one to bring him to Malayalam cinema. "I'm not saying they would not have come to Malayalam cinema if not for Odiyan: The Age of Illusion, but I'm so happy and privileged that it's going to happen through a film of mine."
He also addressed other production houses who are currently looking to enter into Malayalam cinema, one of the most vital regional industries in India, remarking jokingly, "I hope all of you come to Malayalam cinema, change nothing and learn a lot of things."
Other than Odiyan, Prithiviraj's upcoming release slate includes Meghna Gulzar's Daayra, a Hindi-language cop drama co-starring Kareena Kapoor Khan, releasing on September 18. He is also working on S S Rajamouli's Telugu magnum opus Varanasi, which stars Mahesh Babu as Rudhra, Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Mandakini and Prithviraj as antagonist Kumbha.