SonyLIV has announced the direct-to-digital release of 2 new Malayalam films – Salute and Puzhu. The platform will see the father-son duo Mammootty and Dulquer Salmaan launching their films for the very first time on the same OTT platform.
Salute is a grounded procedural drama, which will see Dulquer step into the shoes of a cop, Aravind Karunakaran. The film cuts between the past and the present-day scenario, where, a once committed and fiery sub-inspector, Salmaan has been reduced to a disgraced cop, aching for a shot at redemption. Puzhu, on the other hand, is an intense family thriller, which will see Mammootty in a grey shade. The film promises to be a gripping thriller around a father and son and the underlying family dynamics and trust issues that follow.
Helmed by Rosshan Andrews, Salute marks the first association of Dulquer with the director as well as the writer-duo of Bobby and Sanjay. Produced under his production banner Wayfarer Films, it will also be the Malayalam debut of Bollywood actress Diana Penty and will also star Manoj K Jayan in a pivotal role. Dulquer will also be producing Mammootty’s Puzhu under his banner along with S George’s Cyn Cyl Celluloid. Helmed by debutante director Ratheena PT, the film will also star Parvathy Thiruvothu in the lead.
In a statement, Mammootty said the story of Puzhu excited him the most. "As an actor, it has always been my aim to keep reinventing myself, and to take up newer, more exciting projects. Puzhu marks another step in that direction. We tried to tell a story that we believed in and put our hearts into. Hope the viewers like what they see.”
For Dulquer, Salute is "very different" from the other films he has done so far. ”I have always been drawn to roles that push me beyond my comfort zone and challenge me as an actor. Bobby and Sanjay have done a remarkable job with the script. It is an intriguing and taut thriller with the characters going through various emotional conflicts and bearing the consequences of their actions. I have always admired Rosshan Andrrews’ craft, and it was an honour to work with him."