Ayalvaashi: Soubin Shahir, Shine Tom Chacko replaces Prithviraj, Indrajith in Irshad Parari’s film

Scriptwriter Muhsin Parari’s brother Irshad Parari will kick off his directorial debut Ayalvaashi on November 12, with a completely different cast than the one that was initially announced before the pandemic.

The movie, which is scripted and helmed by Irshad, was first announced in 2019 with Prithviraj Sukumaran and Indrajith Sukumaran set to play the leads and the former’s production company on board to back the film. However, with the delay due to the pandemic and scheduling conflicts, the two actors have now dropped out of the project.

Soubin Shahir and Shine Tom Chacko have been roped in to play the lead in the movie, which is touted to be an entertainer set in a rural backdrop. Ashiq Usman, who had produced Thallumaala earlier this year, will be backing the movie, which also has Nikhila Vimal and Lijomol Jose as the female protagonists.

While the cast and producers have changed, the film’s script seems to be the same. Irshad in an earlier interview with Kochi Times had said that he hasn’t tweaked the script during the pandemic as it’s “a very local and rooted story” about a “group of realistic people”.

Apart from the lead actors, the film also has Binu Pappu, Naslen, Gokulan, Jagadish, Shobi Thilakan and Swati Das as part of the cast. Irshad had previously worked as an associate director in Prithviraj’s Lucifer, and also shot a few ad films.

In the interview, the debutant filmmaker also said that he wanted Ayalvaashi to be a theatrical release as it’s his first movie. “As its writer and director, I believe it would be enjoyed more if it’s released in theatres,” he said.

Prithviraj’s next commitments is a major reason the actor had pulled out of the film. He is currently working on the pre-production on his next directorial Empuraan, which is expected to go on floors by mid 2023. He also has to complete Vilayath Buddha and Kaaliyan before he starts work on the sequel of Mohanlal’s Lucifer.