On a Saturday morning at a multiplex in Hyderabad, a group of Telugu-speaking film goers check with the usher if Aavesham, the Malayalam film starring Fahadh Faasil, is being screened with English subtitles. Inside the hall, the banter among the audience is in both Malayalam and Telugu. Language barriers are broken when the title card reads ‘Re-introducing Fahadh Faasil’. Collective cheering takes over.
Director Jitu Madhavan’s gangster spoof comedy Aavesham and director Vineeth Sreenivasan’s Varshangallku Shesham, which was also released last week, are the latest in the line of Malayalam films that have sparked curiosity among Telugu film buffs.
Malayalam cinema has been in focus in recent months, with at least one film generating interest every fortnight, if not week. Premalu and Manjummel Boys, which became blockbusters in Malayalam and Telugu-dubbed versions, are the icing on the cake.
