'Vilayath Buddha' Teaser: Prithviraj Sukumaran Channels a 'Local Pushpa' In New Action Thriller
The first teaser of Jayan Nambiar’s 'Vilayaath Budha,' based on GR Indugopan’s bestselling novel, introduces Prithviraj as Double Mohanan — a “small-time Veerappan” with shades of Allu Arjun’s Pushpa.
On Saturday, the makers of Prithviraj’s upcoming mass actioner released a fun 90-second teaser setting the theme and nature of the star’s character in the film. Vilayath Buddha is based on a bestselling novel by writer GR Indugopan. In the teaser, we see a police officer introducing Prithviraj’s character ‘Double Mohanan’ as a “small-time Veerappan” for his illegal activities based around the forest. We later see another officer confronting ‘Double Mohanan’ by warning him that he should not be behaving like “Pushpa,” the popular character played by Allu Arjun in the hit Telugu franchise. To this, Prithviraj replies by joking that “Pushpa is international” but Mohanan is merely a local. This also hints that the film might be playing around with themes of smuggling or tree felling.
The film is produced by Sandip Senan (Urvasi Theatres) along with AV Anoop. It also stars Shammi Thilakan, Priyamvada Krishnan, Anu Mohan, Rajashree and Teejay Arunasalam. It is said to be based around two characters—Bhaskaran Master (Shammi Thilakan) and his protégé Double Mohanan— who are in conflict over the ownership of a sandalwood tree. The film is set in a place named Marayoor and the teaser shows chopped sandalwood trees as the basis for the central conflict. The teaser ends with Prithviraj Sukumaran holding a chainsaw, walking away in slow motion.
The film is expected to release soon and Prithviraj’s work on the shoot was completed in March of this year. For his next, the actor is expected to begin shooting for Khalifa. Fifteen years since the release of their film Pokkiri Raja (2010), director Vysakh and Prithviraj Sukumaran will reunite for another big-budget entertainer. The film’s pooja function took place on Sunday in Kerala and its shoot is expected to begin in August in London.
Prithviraj had posted a picture of the film’s clapboard with the caption “Aamir Ali will see you soon!”. A poster of Khalifa was earlier launched three years ago in October 2022 with the caption “Vengeance Will Be Written In Gold.”