Dharma Productions and Prithviraj Productions have announced a new Malayalam film titled Odiyan: The Age Of Illusion. The movie is based on one of Kerala’s most well known myths and will explore folklore and cultural traditions from 19th century Kerala. The project marks an important milestone for Dharma Productions as it will be the company’s first Malayalam language production.
The film is being produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, and Supriya Menon. It will be directed by Rahul Sadasivan, who is known for films such as Bhoothakaalam, Bramayugam, and Diés Irae. The cast includes Manju Warrier and Prithviraj Sukumaran in leading roles.
According to the filmmakers, the story focuses on the legend of the Odiyan, a feared shape shifter from Kerala folklore. The narrative follows events that unfold when this mysterious figure becomes connected to a powerful matriarchal family. The film is expected to explore themes of truth, illusion, fear, and belief while drawing heavily from local myths and cultural history.
Rahul Sadasivan has built a reputation for bringing Kerala’s folklore and traditions to the screen in a unique way. With Odiyan: The Age Of Illusion, he is taking on one of the largest projects of his career. The director said, “Folklore has always been a powerful source of fear because it exists in the space between memory, belief, and imagination. With Odiyan: The Age of Illusion, I wanted to revisit one of Kerala’s most enduring legends and bring it to life through a cinematic language rooted in atmosphere, mystery, and emotion.”
Karan Johar spoke about his long standing admiration for Malayalam cinema and said the project felt like the right opportunity for Dharma Productions to enter the industry. Apoorva Mehta described the collaboration as an important step for the company as it expands into new regional markets and storytelling traditions.
Prithviraj Sukumaran said the Odiyan legend remains an important part of Kerala’s cultural identity and noted that bringing the story to the screen has been a personal goal. Supriya Menon also welcomed the partnership and expressed hope that the film would offer audiences a high quality cinematic experience.
Odiyan: The Age Of Illusion is currently in development and is expected to arrive in cinemas in the future.