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Malayalam dark comedy thriller “Pravinkoodu Shappu” marks an eye-catching debut for writer-director Sreeraj Sreenivasan. Set in the pastoral landscape of rural Kerala, this whodunit niftily works with Agatha Christie-esque twists with a fair amount of absurd humor. Starting right from the opening scene, the film revels in its ambitiously eccentric setup and crafts a fairly engrossing, if not entirely original, mystery. And it does that with style, with some fantastic action pieces that show the potential of the debuting filmmaker.

The script, written by Sreenivasan, replaces the British Cottagecore mood of Christie’s stories with the crass and brash vibe of a village toddy (local palm wine) shop. Sreenivasan takes a passionately meticulous care in setting up the murder in the preposterously hilarious liquor shop setup, where drunken machismo is just a shove away. He is so fascinated by the absurdity of the murder premise that he finds excuses...

When & Where To Stream Basil Joseph’s Pravinkoodu Shappu? (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Pravinkoodu Shappu had a vast amount of pre-release hype. In 2024, almost all the films Basil Joseph was part of were financially successful. The only movie that didn’t live up to the mark was Cup, though even that had an 8.5 IMDb rating. So, in 2025, with his first film of the year, everyone expected another super hit.

However, it unfortunately didn’t live up to the hype. While it wasn’t a complete disaster, the film received generally negative reviews from critics. The audience, however, was a bit more positive towards it. Now that it is coming to Ott, it will reach a wider audience.

Pravinkoodu Shappu: Plot

Pravinkoodu Shappu is a black comedy, locked-room murder mystery crime thriller. Eleven people were drinking and playing cards in a toddy shop (toddy being an alcoholic beverage). The following day,...

What to watch this weekend: January 17(Photo Credit – YouTube)

This week’s theatrical lineup features six exciting films. On the Ott front, Prime Video offers a much-anticipated second season of a series that originally premiered in 2020. Lionsgate introduces a new chapter in a popular horror franchise, while Netflix brings three fresh entries, including a documentary about a renowned Bollywood family.

There’s much more to explore; scroll down for the full list. We at Koimoi wish our readers a joyful and prosperous Makar Sankranti.

Prime Video

Paatal Lok season 2 (Hindi)

Release Date: January 17, 2025

Season 2 of the crime investigation thriller starring Jaideep Ahlawat is coming. This time, our protagonist delves into the murder of the founder of the Nagaland Democratic Forum. As the investigation unfolds, he uncovers a dark web of drug syndicates, migrant worker disappearances, and the many complexities that lie beneath.

Lionsgate play

Hellboy: The Crooked Man (English)

Release...

Locked-Room Murder Mystery (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Basil Joseph, widely celebrated for his directorial prowess and acting skills, has been focusing more on his acting career in recent years, temporarily stepping away from the director’s chair. With an impressive box-office record, six out of his seven films last year were hits, including three in which he played the lead role.

In an interview with OTTplay, Basil expressed his desire to break free from typecast roles often designed for family audiences. While he is keen on experimenting with diverse characters, he also emphasized his commitment to delivering a “minimum guarantee” experience for his audience.

Speaking about his latest film, Pravinkoodu Shappu, Basil shared how the project pushed him to grow as an actor. Portraying a police officer with a distinct Thrissur accent, he spent extensive hours in the dubbing studio to make his performance as authentic as possible. He also highlighted...

Tovino Thomas in a scene from Ajayante Randam Moshanam, showcasing its action-packed period drama (Photo Credit – Instagram)

After a successful theatrical run, Ajayante Randam Moshanam (A R M) is set to debut on Ott. The film received strong reviews from critics and audiences alike and was released during Onam, dominating the festival period in the Kerala market. Available in 2D and 3D formats, the movie features Tovino Thomas in the lead role, taking on three distinct characters. Scroll down for details on the Ott release date, cast and crew, plot, and more.

Cast and Crew of A R M

Tovino Thomas stars in a triple role, playing Ajayan, Maniyan, and Kunjikelu. Aishwarya Rajesh appears as Chothi, Kunjikelu’s love interest, while Krithi Shetty plays Lakshmi, Ajayan’s main heroine and girlfriend. Surabhi Lakshmi takes on the role of Manikyam, Maniyan’s wife.

In supporting roles, Basil Joseph is seen as K.

Take a look at the 45-day box office collections of Arm! ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

The Tovino Thomas starrer Ajayante Randam Moshanam (Arm) has been an impressive offering at the Malayalam box office. The movie has not only acquired a lovely response from the masses but has also been raging a storm at the box office. Let us look at how the film fared on its 45th day at the box office.

Arm Box Office Collection Day 45

On its 45th day, the day-wise collection of the movie saw a slight increase in the collections. It earned 0.17 crore, which was a little rise from its 44th-day collections, wherein it had earned 0.07 crore. The film’s India net collections come to 63.28 crore. At the same time, the gross collection amounts to 74.57 crore. The movie earned around 32.25 crore when it comes to the overseas collection. The worldwide collection of the movie now comes to 106.82 crore.

Mollywood The film, which has Isha Talwar playing the female lead, is about the gang wars among immigrant communities in the Us. Digital NativePrithviraj and debut director Nirmal Sahadev went on to the floors with Ranam a few months ago and the shooting is nearing completion with the filmmakers contemplating on its release date. Reports are that Ranam will be out in the theatres in March and the exact release date is being worked out. Starring Prithviraj in the lead role, the film has Isha Talwar as his leading lady. Veteran actor Rahman will be seen in a pivotal role in Ranam. The last time Prithviraj and Rahman teamed up for a movie was for Mumbai Police which was a hit and this has raised the expectation levels for Ranam. The film is bankrolled by Anand Payyanur and Biju – Rani Lawson under the banners Yes Cinema Production and Lawson Entertainment. Set predominantly in the United States of America, the film is about the gang wars among the immigrant communities in Detroit and Michigan. Ranam was earlier titled as Detroit Crossing but the title was changed to Ranam during the course of the filmmaking. With Prithviraj, Rahman and Isha Talwar in the lead role, the supporting cast includes Mathew Arun, Celine Joseph, Ashwin Kumar, Shivajith Padmanabhan, Nandhu, Shyamaprasad, Sajini Sacharaiah, Giju John and Justin David. Jakes Bejoy is the music composer for the film with Jigme Tenzing being the cinematographer. According to reports, The movie has some high-voltage action sequences and the makers have roped in Hollywood action choreographers for the project. Apart from Ranam, Prithviraj has a slew of projects on hands including the Anjali Menon directorial, Blessy’s Aadu Jeevitham and Roshni Dinakar’s My Story. The actor will also foray into film direction by wielding the megaphone for the first time for Lucifer. Touted to go on to the floors in April this year, the film will have Mohanlal playing the lead role...