Anaswaran Rajan-film Vaanku set to release in theatres on January 29

The Malayalam film industry is feeling optimistic with the boost that the government’s announcement has provided to waive entertainment tax for cinemas up to March and give a 50 per cent reduction in the fixed electricity charges during the lockdown period since March last year.

While Vijay movie Master is set to hit theatres at the reopening on January 13, the first Malayalam film to announce its

theatre release

is debut director Kavya Prakash’s

Vaanku

. The film, with Anaswara Rajan in the lead, is scheduled to release on January 29. Kavya is a mix of happiness and nerves. Saying that the full credit for the decision goes to the producers Sirajudheen and Shabeer Pathan, Kavya noted that while they had received good OTT offers, they made the difficult decision to wait. “The film has been ready for a year - in fact, we were set to release just a couple of days before the lockdown was declared in March - but they knew that it being scriptwriter Shabna Mohammed and my first film, it would be important for us to get a theatre release. Also, they felt it is a good family subject that will translate nicely to the big screen,” says Kavya, who is in Bengaluru and is excited to come down for the premiere.

She is confident that people will come back in good numbers for the theatre experience. “Everyone loves the experience of watching good films on the big screen and that will make people come. Also, our government has and continues to be careful in maintaining safety protocols, and that is also a persuasive factor,” she notes.

Vanku is about four college girls – played by Anaswara Rajan, Nandhana Varma, Gopika Ramesh and Meenakshi Unnikrishnan - their wishes, how they achieve them and the consequences that arise. The story is by Unni R. Arjun Ravi is the DoP, music is by Ouseppachan.