A new teaser of Anthony Pepe’s Kattalan: The Hunter was launched late last week. The action-packed teaser featured several high voltage stunts that take place in what appears to be on the backdrop of poaching of the elephants for ivory. In one sequence, Pepe can be seen climbing atop an elephant while charging at it with an axe. Most of the teaser appears to be taking place within the forest, arguably in a period setting. Climbing of trees and a fight involving several villains, machine guns and grenades, make up the remaining duration, with Ajaneesh Loknath’s pulsating score adding to the drama.
According to a press note from the team, the shoot of the action film was stalled because the lead actor suffered an injury. “The incident occurred during the shoot in Thailand, while filming a combat scene involving an elephant.” The film is being directed by first-time director Paul George, and the action sequences involving elephants are being choreographed by Kecha Khamphakdee, known for their work in international action thrillers, including the Ong-Bak series.
The film’s music is composed by Ajaneesh Loknath, with the script being written by Joby Varghese, Paul George, and Jero Jacob. The film's dialogue is by Unni R. Kattalan and will be released in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi, with reports suggesting a May 2026 theatrical release.
Said to be in production with a massive budget, it’s being directed by first time director Paul George. Speaking about the film, he said, “It began with a modest budget. But at each stage, I was only encouraged to make the film bigger, in line with a huge vision. No expenses have been spared.” The director also said that this was fourth script for Antony Varghese having got his dates five years ago.
2024’s ultra-violent blockbuster Marco, starring Unni Mukundan, was also produced by Shareef Muhammed. It emerged as the highest-grossing Hindi-dubbed Malayalam film of all time then, and Shareef Muhammed, the first-time producer behind the film, had spoken to THR India about his strategy.
Addressing its violence, he said, “The brutal scenes are key features of the film, and an integral part of its narrative. Our intention was to provide the audience with a cinematic experience that stayed true to the story we wanted to tell. Cinema is not reality, and we believe the audience has the maturity to understand this distinction. Just like every coin has two sides to it, there is always good and bad in any creative work.”
