Mohanlal starrer 'Marakkar' will not be releasing anytime soon, says Priyadarshan

The Mohanlal starrer Marakkar was supposed to hit the screens on March 26 but this did not happen due to the coronavirus pandemic, which recently forced the Indian government to implement a 21-day lockdown.

During a recent interview with journalist Rekha Nair, director Priyadarshan said that the magnum opus will not be released ‘anytime soon’ and indicated that the film is not exactly a priority given the current situation. He also refrained from reacting to rumours about the biggie potentially releasing this September.

Marakkar, touted to be the biggest Malayalam movie of the year, features ‘Lalettan’ in a massy new avatar that has piqued curiosity. Many feel that it has the potential to open new avenues for Mollywood. The movie has a stellar cast that includes ‘Action King Arjun Sarja, Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty, Sudeep, Pranav Mohanlal and ‘Lady Superstar’ Manju Warrier. It is slated to hit screens in five languages (Malayalam, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Kannada).

Unlike the Tamil and Telugu industries, Mollywood is yet to give a pan-India hit. Mammootty’s Mamangam, which many felt was the industry’s big hope, failed to deliver the goods and sank without a trace in the all-important Hindi belt. The inside talk is that Marakkar might fare better given Priyadarshan’s popularity. Either way, it is a crucial release for all concerned.

Meanwhile, Mohanlal is going through an eventual phase on the work front. Last year, he hit the bullseye with Lucifer that emerged as a blockbuster. His other big release Ittymaani, however, did not do as well as expected. The ‘Complete Actor’ was last seen in the actioner Big Brother that failed to deliver the goods. The film had an impressive cast that included Bollywood actor Arbaaz Khan, Siddique, Irshad and Anoop Menon.

Mohanlal will next be seen in the previously mentioned Marakkar and the much-hyped Ram.