With Prithviraj roped in, will Mollywood's remake of Andhadhun meet expectations

Sriram Raghavan's Andhadhun that starred Ayushmann Khurrana, Radhika Apte, and Tabu in the lead roles was a sleeper hit at the Bollywood box-office in 2018. Upon its release, this black comedy crime thriller received positive responses from all corners and collected Rs 450 crore worldwide.

Now, the movie is getting a Mollywood remake with Prithviraj Sukumaran roped in to play the lead role. According to the latest reports, Unni Mukundan, Mamta Mohandas, and Ahaana Krishna are  playing crucial roles in this film.

Why remake of Andhadhun in Malayalam?

Post the internet revolution, the film viewing trait of people in Kerala is not confined to Mollywood movies. Young audiences in the state are very much familiar with movies from other industries, and during the release of Andhadhun, it was the hottest debating topic in popular Mollywood Facebook groups including Cinema Paradiso, and Movie Street.

The success of a Mollywood movie in theaters solely depends on the rush of young viewers. Considering Prithviraj's stardom, his fans will flood the theatres in the initial days. However, after the initial pull, it remains unclear whether Mollywood viewers will visit the theaters to watch Mollywood Andhadhun, especially considering the fact that they have watched the classic original version.

Will Prithviraj's stardom negatively affect Andhadhun's Mollywood remake?

In the original version of Andhadhun, Ayushmann Khurrana played the role of Akash, a man who fakes blindness. The character of Akash was well etched by Sriram Raghavan, and the subtle acting of Ayushmann elevated the role to new heights.

However, Prithviraj Sukumaran is an actor who enjoys huge stardom in all nooks of Kerala. When it comes to Andhadhun, there are no scenes that could explore the stardom of the actor, and all audiences can see in the film will be a normal young man who fakes blindness.

The unquestionable regional factor

Ravi K Chandran is directing Andhadhun's Mollywood remake. Even though the original version of Andhadhun was an impeccable crime thriller, it had some regional elements which may be difficult to convey with Mollywood audiences. The success of Mollywood Andhadhun will depend on how the director will craft the story in a Kerala backdrop.