Has Mohanlal’s Ram been shelved? Director Jeethu Joseph clarifies

Drishyam maker Jeethu Joseph’s second collaboration with superstar Mohanlal was not meant to be its sequel Drishyam 2. The director-actor duo had kickstarted an action-packed thriller called Ram, which was to be made in two parts in early 2020, but shortly after, the pandemic struck. While the team did regroup and shoot parts of it, there’s been uncertainty about its status and, if, they’d given up on it altogether, considering that both Jeethu and Mohanlal are busy with back-to-back that are not Ram.

“We have shot about 80% of Ram. To wrap up the first part, we need only 15-16 days of work, because the main portions, including the action blocks are done. For the second part, there’s a little more to be done, because, when we were shooting in UK, our actress got injured, and then there were rain delays. Now, the problem is that we have to reshoot an entire block, because we stopped in the middle of a fight sequence,” explains the filmmaker, while talking to Galatta Plus.

Ram is an action film in the mold of Jason Bourne

The first part can be easily released if the rest of the shoot is done, reckons Jeethu, but he admits that it may be difficult to accomplish because there are financial issues plaguing the project. Ram, he adds, is a film that can be likened to the Jason Bourne series, a big-budget action project, which was a first for Jeethu. He adds, “I have done action in Oozham, but in Ram, its different, the stunt coordinators were from Hollywood.”

Jeethu, meanwhile, is currently gearing up for the release of his next with Asif Ali, a thriller called Mirage. The film is led by Aparna Balamurali, whose search for a missing person, is aided by Asif, who plays an investigative journalist. The film is set to release in theatres on September 19. Thereafter, Jeethu will wind up Valathu Vashathe Kallan and then proceed to shoot Drishyam 3. Rumour is that the makers are looking at having Drishyam 3 in theatres for Christmas 2025.

FAQs

Q. What happened to the Malayalam film Ram?

A. Ram, directed by Jeethu Joseph and starring Mohanlal in the lead, is currently stalled owing to financial issues of the producer. The 2-part film is about 80% complete. 

Q. How many movies has Jeethu Joseph directed?

A. Jeethu Joseph has directed over 18 films, including Drishyam, 12th Man, Neru, and My Boss, among others.

Q. Is there going to be Drishyam 3?

A. Yes, Drishyam 3 is happening, Jeethu Joseph and Mohanlal had confirmed.

Q. Is the Drishyam 3 shooting started?

A. Drishyam 3 shooting will start in October 2025.