Dharma Productions Partners With Prithviraj Productions for High-Budget Shape-Shifter Thriller Odiyan
In a landmark moment for Indian cinema, Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions has officially announced its grand entry into Malayalam cinema. The storied production house has partnered with Prithviraj Productions for a sweeping folklore epic titled Odiyan: The Age of Illusion, starring powerhouses Prithviraj Sukumaran and Manju Warrier.
The film is being jointly produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, and Supriya Menon. Sitting in the director’s chair is master of atmospheric horror Rahul Sadasivan, acclaimed for his groundbreaking work in Bhoothakaalam, Bramayugam, and Diés Irae.
The Mythos: Truth vs. Illusion
Rooted deeply in the cultural mythology of 19th-century Kerala, Odiyan: The Age of Illusion explores the terrifying legend of a shape-shifter. The narrative follows the creature’s fury as it descends upon a powerful matriarchal household, igniting a high-stakes psychological battle between truth and deception.
Industry Voices on the Mega-Collaboration
The creative forces behind the project expressed immense pride in bringing this regional legend to a national stage:
Karan Johar said,”I have been a great admirer of Malayalam cinema for a long time… The craft, the courage, the way its filmmakers trust their audiences—it is something I have watched with genuine awe. Odiyan deserves the biggest possible canvas.”
Prithviraj Sukumaran is the Actor & Producer. “The Odiyan is not just a myth, it is a piece of Kerala’s identity… Bringing this story to the screen in a way that honours its mythology has been a pursuit very close to my heart.”
Rahul Sadasivan is the Director who siad “Folklore has always been a powerful source of fear because it exists in the space between memory, belief, and imagination… I’m excited to tell a story on a much larger canvas while staying true to the themes that have always interested me.”
Apoorva Mehta (CEO, Dharma Productions) & Supriya Menon (Director, Prithviraj Productions) both reiterated that this partnership signals a fearless creative expansion, combining Dharma’s mounting industry scale with the disruptive, world-class storytelling muscle of Malayalam cinema.
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Odiyan: The Age of Illusion is slated for a grand theatrical release soon.
