Indian National Film Award-winning actor Parvathy Thiruvothu is set to spearhead Don Palathara‘s next directorial venture, co-starring the acclaimed filmmaker-actor Dileesh Pothan.
Thiruvothu, whose performance in “Take Off” (2017) earned her a National Film Award and best actor at the International Film Festival of India, brings a stellar track record to the project. The actor has delivered acclaimed performances in films including “Bangalore Days” (2014), “Ennu Ninte Moideen” (2015), “Charlie” (2015), “Uyare” (2019) and “Virus” (2019). She made her Bollywood debut opposite Irrfan Khan in “Qarib Qarib Singlle” (2017) and is also a founding member of the Women in Cinema Collective.
The project marks Thiruvothu’s first collaboration with both Palathara and Pothan, two of the most respected creative voices in Malayalam-language cinema – India’s flagship film industry in terms of innovative content – today. Though details about the storyline are currently under wraps, the film is touted to be an emotionally power-packed drama that will be shot extensively across the southern Indian state of Kerala and is set to commence principal photography imminently.
“Don Palathara’s movies hold up a mirror to how we live and love, often without judgment or noise. To step into that kind of world as an actor is very liberating,” Thiruvothu said. “His films have a powerfully meditative quality. He invites us to actively engage in reflecting on how we live. As an actor, I find that kind of space exhilarating because it demands that you unlearn performance and simply be. This is also incredibly challenging.”
The actor added: “Working with him has been on my wishlist for a while and I’m thrilled that this project came my way. And to share the screen with Dileesh, someone whose creative sensitivity I’ve admired for years, feels like an opportunity to be a student again.”
Palathara’s cinema is known for its subtle emotional layers and exploration of human relationships. His previous work includes “Family,” which had its world premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2023, as well as “Everything Is Cinema” (2021), “Joyful Mystery” (2021), “1956, Central Travancore” (2019), “Vith” (2017) and debut feature “Shavam” (2015). His films often tackle complex social realities with a meditative approach that eschews judgment.
Pothan, meanwhile, stands as one of Malayalam cinema’s most formidable forces. As a director, his debut “Maheshinte Prathikaaram” (2016) won the best feature film in Malayalam Award at the National Film Awards, as did his follow-up “Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum” (2017). Both films, starring Fahadh Faasil, set new benchmarks for storytelling in Malayalam cinema. As an actor, Pothan is praised for his restrained yet impactful screen presence across more than 60 films.
Thiruvothu is also in “Storm,” Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan’s debut production for Prime Video. The high-stakes thriller series, created and directed by Ajitpal Singh (“Tabbar,” “Fire in the Mountains”), features an ensemble cast of strong women protagonists and is produced by Roshan’s HRX Films. Production on “Storm” is scheduled to begin imminently.
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