Marco star Unni Mukundan’s latest movie set new records for a Malayalam film in North India and other South markets, but the actor says it shouldn’t be chased by all Malayalam films. Here’s why!
Last Updated: 03.04 PM, Feb 03, 2025
Malayalam star Unni Mukundan’s latest blockbuster Marco has catapulted him to pan-Indian success – something only few actors from the industry can claim. With Marco set for an OTT release on Sony LIV on February 14, the actor says that going “pan-Indian” is not meant for all Malayalam movies and it’s something that only a select few stars would be aiming for.
One reason for Marco’s appeal to the North Indian audience, as observed by several filmmakers and producers including that of 2018: Everyone Is Hero maker Venu Kunnappilly, is its marketing.
Ask Unni how Marco’s marketing could change the game for Malayalam cinema and he tells OTTplay, “I don’t think all Malayalam films will try to achieve the pan-Indian tag. Maybe a few actors will do that. But the industry in general will not, because that’s the nature of our industry. Also, I don’t want the entire industry to now follow that trend. It’s not the right way.”
Explaining his stance, the actor, who has Vinay Govind’s Get Set Baby gearing up for theatrical release on February 21, says, “Our movies should be designed to be promoted or sold based on their content. Pan-India designs are dangerous because then you are compromising on content and focusing on the market demands. They are two different things. Making a film to fulfil market requirement means that you are eyeing 50% business and only giving your 50% to art. I would rather try to make a film that I like the way I want, and hope that it functions exactly how Marco did.”
Unni denies that the movie was designed keeping in mind the potential of the film to be accepted across the country, for its genre that has worked in previous movies such as KGF and Animal. “We made a film, let it go to the market, and it travelled. That’s the best way. To have good content is important; pan-Indian tag is more of a burden,” he explains. “But then you also must understand that there is money involved, you would definitely want the movie to travel so that the business survives.”