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Aashiq Abu, the acclaimed Malayalam film director, producer and actor, is all set to make his debut in the web series format. According to reliable sources, Abu is currently working on a script for a web series that will be streamed on a popular Ott platform. The details of the cast, crew and genre of the web series are yet to be revealed, but it is expected to be a fresh and innovative project from the director who has given us films like Daddy Cool, Salt N’ Pepper, Naradhan, Neelavelicham, 22 Female Kottayam, Mayaanadhi and Virus.

Aashiq Abu is known for his collaboration with screenwriters Syam Pushkaran and Dileesh Nair, who have penned some of his most successful films. He is also the founder of Opm, a media production house that has produced and distributed films like Maheshinte Prathikaaram, Halal Love Story and Aarkkariyam. Abu has also done several ad...

CinemaAashiq Abu’s remake of Vincent’s 1964 horror classic ‘Bhargavi Nilayam’ has brought back to spotlight an old debate, surrounding the necessity of remakes within Malayalam cinema.Still from 'Neelavelicham'Remakes are not in the least unusual, not down in Kerala, where people get a heavy dose of Priyadarshan movies. Films have been handed between languages, scripts rewritten to Hindi or Tamil from Malayalam. Priyadarshan is not the only culprit, just the more notorious one. The argument in support being that remakes take the original stories to more people, who understand a different language. But then there came remakes of Malayalam films into newer Malayalam films, works of an earlier decade retold. The case in point, the reason for this banter, is of course the remake of the iconic Bhargavi Nilayam of 1964 into Neelavelicham in 2023. Director Vincent’s Bhargavi Nilayam has been considered a classic, a horror movie that set the standards for horror movies,...

BooksNearly 60 years after Basheer adapted his short story for the script of the 1964 horror classic ‘Bhargavi Nilayam’, the story is once again turning into a film, this time with its original title ‘Neelavelicham’.*Spoiler alert* Neelavelicham or The Blue Radiance, Vaikom Muhammed Basheer’s short story which inspired his script for the 1964 horror classic film Bhargavi Nilayam, is only 12 pages long. Yet it got widely read, loved and passed on through generations, coming as it did from Basheer, a most beloved writer in Malayalam. For one, it gave rise to the iconic film, a first of its kind in Malayalam, mixing horror with a love story and presenting it so sensitively. For another, it represents everything that Basheer is loved for. He presents himself in the first person narrative in Neelavelicham, while in the film, we see a reflection of the writer. The language is also typically Basheer’s, with...

MollywoodIt’s been five decades since ‘Bhargavi Nilayam’ was released, and the film seems to have aged well. As Aashiq Abu attempts to recreate it as ‘Neelavelicham’ on screen, he sure has the odds stacked against him. An old, haunted house. A cheerful, lonely novelist who sees the world through a psychedelic lens. A smokey-eyed, white sari-clad, beautiful female ghost who lurks in the background. A tragic love story. That’s the narrative that shaped Malayalam cinema’s first-ever horror-romantic-investigative thriller Bhargavi Nilayam (The Abode of Bhargavi), released in 1964 and directed by A Vincent. The plotline is no confounded jigsaw puzzle, especially for avid fans of Vaikom Muhammed Basheer, who cherish the playfulness, romance, and mystique of his short story Neelavelicham, on which the film was based. Basheer, who developed a screenplay from the short story, positions himself as the novelist in Bhargavi Nilayam. Though Madhu is exasperatingly mechanical as...

MollywoodAashiq Abu’s 'Neelavelicham', Ashraf Hamza’s 'Sulaikha Manzil' and other anticipated films are releasing in time for Eid celebrations.Still from Sulaikha ManzilFor the Ramzan weekend, at least four Malayalam movies are releasing in theatres, including the much-awaited Neelavelicham. There could be more releases announced mid-week, as part of the festival fun. Here is the list of this week's releases announced so far. 1. Neelavelicham - One of the most awaited films of the year, Aashiq Abu's Neelavelicham is ready for release this week. The team behind the film has been giving out bits and pieces about what's in store. Starring Rima Kallingal, Roshan Mathew and Tovino Thomas, the film is based on Vaikom Muhammed Basheer's story of the same title, and his later script for the 1964 film Bhargavi Nilayam. It falls into the horror genre and is set in an earlier decade. Evergreen melodies of legendary musician Ms Baburaj,...

MollywoodThree songs from the 1964 film ‘Bhargavinilayam’, composed by Ms Baburaj and written by P Bhaskaran, have been reused in the upcoming ‘Neelavelicham’, directed by Aashiq Abu.Two days after receiving a legal notice, the team behind Neelavelicham, an upcoming Malayalam film, released a statement. The notice was regarding three songs used in the film, which were originally from the 1964 movie Bhargavi Nilayam. Aashiq Abu, the director and co-producer of Neelavelicham, said in the statement that the team had received the necessary rights and permission to recreate and reuse the older songs. Both Neelavelicham and Bhargavinilayam are movies based on a story written by legendary writer Vaikom Muhammed Basheer. Three of the original songs in Bhargavi Nilayam, which have been celebrated as masterpieces of the late composer Ms Baburaj, with lyrics penned by the great writer P Bhaskaran, have been reused in Neelavelicham, composed by Bijibal. These are ‘Thamasamenthe Varuvan’, ‘Anuraga...

MollywoodPromos and video songs from Neelavelicham have been creating ripples among those who remember the old settings in Basheer novels, and the music of Baburaj. With a telling tune in the background of a picture of Tovino Thomas, the Neelavelicham team has announced the date of the film’s release. Director Aashiq Abu's newest, based on a short story by the legendary writer Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, Neelavelicham (The Blue Radiance) is slated for worldwide release on April 21. Aashiq has also produced this film along with Rima Kallingal, his partner for the Opm Cinemas banner, as well as the female lead of the movie. Roshan Mathew also plays an important role in the film. Promos and video songs from the film have been creating ripples, with more than a small touch of nostalgia for those who remember the old settings in Basheer novels, and the music of Baburaj. Legendary musician...