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The collaboration between legendary director Adoor Gopalakrishnan and superstar Mammootty for their upcoming film, ‘Padayatra’, is creating a buzz in film circles. However, in a departure from standard star releases, new reports suggest that the film may bypass a wide theatrical release in favor of a niche distribution strategy.
This project marks the first time the duo have worked together since their National Award-winning collaboration in the early 1990s. Recent reports indicate a possible shift in strategy, with discussions pointing to a live online release.
OTT is creating huge hype for Mammootty’s film
According to recent reports shared by Reporter, ‘Padayatra’ may not follow the traditional theatrical route for its release. Instead, the makers are said to be considering a digital premiere after the film screens at major festivals.
Such a strategy can put the film into critical appreciation before reaching a wider audience online. However, there has been no official confirmation from the manufacturers regarding this development yet.
Story and script of the movie “Padayatra”
Earlier, there were reports that the film will be based on Thakazi’s novel ‘Randidangazhi’. However, the official poster indicates a different creative direction for the project.The story, screenplay and dialogues are jointly credited to Adoor Gopalakrishnan and KV Mohankumar.
Fourth collaboration with Adoor Gopalakrishnan
‘Padayatra’ is the fourth time that Mammootty and Adoor Gopalakrishnan have worked together. Their previous collaborations include classics like ‘Anantaram’, ‘Vidheyan’ and ‘Mathilukal’, all of which received critical acclaim.In Mathilukal, Mammootty portrayed Vaikom Muhammad Bashir with remarkable depth and restraint.In Vidheyan, he played the role of Bhaskara Pattelar, a performance widely considered to be one of his best works.
Mammootty’s performance in Vidheyan earned him a National Award and the film also bagged a State Award.Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s last directorial venture was Pinneyum starring Dileep and Kavya Madhavan in the lead, which was released in 2016. The film received mostly mixed reviews.On the other hand, Mammootty has the most awaited actioner ‘Patriot’, which will release on May 1. He will be collaborating with Mohanlal, Kunchacko Boban, Fahadh Faasil, Nayanthara and many more, in the action film directed by Mahesh Narayanan.