Odiyan Age of Illusion is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing Malayalam films on the November 2026 calendar. The film pairs Prithviraj Sukumaran and Manju Warrier in a folklore horror epic directed by Rahul Sadasivan, and it marks the Malayalam debut of Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, working together with Prithviraj Productions. It is listed for a theatrical release on 18 November 2026, in five languages.
Image Credit: Dharma Productions and Prithviraj Productions — Official Trailer/Poster via YouTube
What is Odiyan Age of Illusion about?
Odiyan Age of Illusion is rooted in the folklore and cultural mythology of 19th-century Kerala. At its core is the legend of the Odiyan, a terrifying shape-shifter from Kerala legend whose fury descends on a powerful matriarchal household. The film sets up a battle between truth and illusion, with myth, menace and psychological weight driving the story rather than simple jump scares.
That premise is what makes Odiyan Age of Illusion different from a standard horror film. The Odiyan is not just a monster in this telling; it is a piece of Kerala’s identity, a legend that has travelled through generations and still holds a powerful place in the cultural consciousness. Prithviraj Sukumaran himself described the project that way when it was announced, calling it a battle between truth and illusion that unfurls soon.
The legend behind the title
In Kerala’s oral traditions, Odiyans were believed to be people with the power to change shape, figures who inspired both fear and fascination in the villages they were said to haunt. Odiyan Age of Illusion draws on that tradition and places it inside a 19th-century household, where belief, fear and deception collide. The film’s announcement poster leaned into that mood, showing a skeletal, horned figure curled inside an ornate antique mirror, a striking image that set the tone for the film’s themes of illusion and dread.
It is worth clearing up one possible confusion early. There was an earlier Malayalam film called Odiyan in 2018, starring Mohanlal and Manju Warrier. Odiyan Age of Illusion is a new film with its own story and makers, not a sequel to that 2018 film, although Manju Warrier’s presence in both gives the shared title an interesting echo for Malayalam cinema fans.
Odiyan Age of Illusion cast and makers
Odiyan Age of Illusion stars Prithviraj Sukumaran and Manju Warrier in the lead roles. The rest of the cast has not yet been finalised in the announcements checked so far, and character details for the two leads are still being kept under wraps by the makers.
Behind the camera, the film is written and directed by Rahul Sadasivan. Dialogues are by Sadasivan and T. D. Ramakrishnan, and music is composed by Christo Xavier, according to reports on the film going on floors. The producers are Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla and Apoorva Mehta for Dharma Productions, and Supriya Menon for Prithviraj Productions.
Filming for Odiyan Age of Illusion began in Kerala in September 2026, with a pooja ceremony at the Anchumana temple in Kochi attended by Prithviraj Sukumaran, Manju Warrier, director Rahul Sadasivan, producer Supriya Menon and Prithviraj’s mother Mallika Sukumaran. The makers announced the start of filming with the message that a new journey begins, and described the project as a Prithviraj Productions and Dharma Productions venture.
Why Dharma Productions’ Malayalam debut matters
Odiyan Age of Illusion is Dharma Productions’ first Malayalam production, and that alone makes it a landmark project. Announcing the film on 16 June 2026, Karan Johar wrote that Dharma Productions was taking its first step into the world of Malayalam cinema, and that he was proud to announce it with the best partners in Prithviraj and his team. He praised Sadasivan’s knack for eerie storytelling rooted in folklore, and singled out both Manju Warrier and Prithviraj as the exceptional actors bringing the film to life.
The partnership matters because it pairs one of Bollywood’s most influential banners with one of Malayalam cinema’s biggest stars and most respected production houses. If Odiyan Age of Illusion lands well, it could open the door to more such cross-industry collaborations, with Malayalam stories mounted on a pan-Indian scale without losing their local roots.
Odiyan Age of Illusion release date, languages and OTT status
Odiyan Age of Illusion is listed for release in cinemas on 18 November 2026. The film is planned as a pan-Indian release in five languages: Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi. That five-language plan underlines how big the makers are thinking, and it puts the film in front of audiences far beyond Kerala on its opening weekend.
No OTT platform or streaming date has been announced yet for the film, and no trailer has been released so far in the announcements checked. That is normal for a film that only began shooting in September 2026, and fans should treat any claimed streaming date floating around online as unconfirmed unless the makers announce it. This article will be worth revisiting once the trailer and the OTT details are officially confirmed.
Rahul Sadasivan’s folk-horror track record
One reason the film carries such high expectations is its director. Rahul Sadasivan has built a reputation as a specialist in folk horror, with Bhoothakaalam, Bramayugam and Dies Irae behind him. Bramayugam, in particular, showed how effectively he can turn Kerala folklore into atmospheric, unsettling cinema, and it carried the tagline The Age of Madness. The film, with the tagline The Age of Illusion, feels like a deliberate companion piece in tone, if not in story.
Sadasivan’s films tend to favour mood, myth and slow-burning dread over loud horror, and that approach suits the Odiyan legend perfectly. A shape-shifter story is, at heart, a story about not knowing who to trust, and that is exactly the kind of psychological tension Sadasivan handles best. For audiences who liked Bramayugam, the film is the most natural next film to watch out for.
Frequently asked questions
When is the film releasing?
The film is listed for a theatrical release on 18 November 2026, in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi.
Who stars in the film?
Prithviraj Sukumaran and Manju Warrier lead the cast of the film. The rest of the cast has not been finalised in the announcements so far.
Who is directing the film?
Rahul Sadasivan, the director of Bhoothakaalam, Bramayugam and Dies Irae, is writing and directing the film.
Is the film a sequel to the 2018 Odiyan?
No. The film is a new film with its own story and makers, although Manju Warrier also starred in the 2018 film Odiyan.
Has the OTT platform for the film been announced?
No. No OTT platform or streaming date has been announced yet for the film.
Why the film deserves a place on your watchlist
The film brings together a powerful legend, two of Malayalam cinema’s finest actors, a director who understands folk horror, and a landmark production partnership between Dharma Productions and Prithviraj Productions. With a 19th-century Kerala setting, a five-language release and a 18 November 2026 date on the calendar, it has all the ingredients of a film that will be talked about well beyond its opening weekend. Keep an eye out for the trailer, because that will be the first real glimpse of how Sadasivan has brought the shape-shifter legend to life.
Sources: Filmibeat’s Odiyan: The Age of Illusion page and The Hollywood Reporter India.
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