New Delhi: Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions has entered Malayalam cinema for the very first time with the film Odiyan: The Age of Illusion. Written and directed by Rahul Sadasivan, the film stars Manju Warrier and Prithviraj Sukumaran. Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta and Supriya Menon are co-producing the film.
In an Instagram post, Johar shared his first step toward Malayalam cinema and expressed how proud he is to collaborate with Sukumaran. He also shared that director Sadasivan’s storytelling is deeply rooted in folklore.
“We’ve come such a long way with multiple collaborations behind us and hopefully many more ahead of us too,” Johar wrote.
Interestingly, Manju Warrier has previously worked in a film with the same name and theme, released in 2018. The film was directed by VA Shrikumar Menon and written by Harikrishnan, starring Mohanlal in the lead role alongside Prakash Raj. The upcoming film, however, revolves around an urban legend of the Odiyan clan, a group of people who allegedly scared people to death. According to folklore, members of the clan were shapeshifters who could transform into half-human, half-beast forms.
Sadasivan has earlier created films with similar storylines, exploring urban legends and folklore from South India. His first major success came with Bhoothakaalam (2022), a horror story where the protagonist senses the presence of an entity after the loss of a loved one. The film also explores themes of mental health and unemployment against the backdrop of chilling horror.
Then came Bramayugam (2024), one of the most acclaimed black-and-white horror films in Malayalam cinema in modern times. The film stars Mammootty alongside Amanda Liz and Sidhanth Bharathan. Set in the 17th century, the story follows a folk singer who is rescued by a cook who works in a mysterious mansion in the forest after a near-death experience. As the singer begins living in the mansion, he discovers that the master possesses mystical powers and may kill him. Bound by a spell, the singer experiences life-threatening sickness whenever he attempts to leave the premises.
Sadasivan also directed Dies Irae, a horror-thriller released on Halloween 2025. The film follows an Indo-American architect who begins experiencing paranormal activities after visiting a friend who died by suicide. The story gradually unfolds around a thin, headless man.
While Karan Johar has not previously produced a traditional folklore horror film, he has backed projects such as Kaal (2005), Bhoot (2020), and Ghost Stories (2020). Odiyan marks Karan Johar’s debut in folklore horror cinema despite his three-decade-long career as a producer.
(Edited by Insha Jalil Waziri)