Malayalam cinema’s beloved icon Jagathy Sreekumar is making a long-awaited comeback, and it’s nothing short of spectacular. After years away from the spotlight, the actor is stepping into a surreal, dystopian world in Arun Chandu’s upcoming sci-fi adventure, Vala. The filmmakers dropped a gripping character introduction video that has fans buzzing with excitement and curiosity.
The Legend Is Back — And This Time, He’s Leading Zombies
The teaser opens with Jagathy’s character — a cerebral, philosophical figure — speaking on the limits of human understanding, despite the universe’s endless scope. The narrative quickly shifts to a post-apocalyptic setting marked as New Calendar Year 10, eventually fast-forwarding to the year 25, where chaos reigns and the undead roam freely.
And here’s the twist — Jagathy plays Professor Ambili, a mysterious leader of a zombie gang. In a standout moment, Basil Joseph’s character greets him with the linel, “Welcome back, sir!”—a clever nod to the actor’s real-life nickname, “Ambili”, making the moment all the more special for longtime fans.
A Star-Studded, Genre-bending Ride
Helmed by Arun Chandu and co-written with Tyler Durden, Vala is shaping up to be a unique fusion of science fiction, satire, and zombie horror. The film also brings together familiar faces from Arun’s previous outing Gaganachari, including Gokul Suresh, Aju Varghese, Anarkali Marikar, and KB Ganesh Kumar. Gokul’s brother Madhav Suresh makes a key appearance, while Vineeth Sreenivasan, Bhagath Manuel, Arjun Nandakumar, and John Kaippallil round out the impressive ensemble.
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Produced by Turtle Vine Productions in collaboration with Letters Entertainments, the film reportedly draws inspiration from global digital journalist Johnny Harris. The narrative, set in a collapsing future, creatively references modern internet culture and social commentary, adding layers of relevance and satire.
With visuals crafted by Surjith S Pai, editing by Ceejay Achu, and a dynamic score by Sankar Sharma, Vala aims to be a visual and emotional rollercoaster. Not to forget, veteran actor Janardanan lends his voice to a talking cat — because why not?
