Meppadiyan release date: When and where to watch Unni Mukundan, Anju Kurian's family entertainer

For Unni Mukundan, Meppadiyan is a special movie for more reasons than one. It's his first film as hero after completing a decade in the industry and also his maiden production venture. It's also a movie for which he has undergone a major physical overhaul and it's quite clear why the actor is excited about its release.

Directed by debutant Vishnu Mohan, the movie has a stellar star cast also featuring Anju Kurian, Indrans, Kottayam Ramesh, Saiju Kurup, Nisha Sarang, Shanker Ramakrishnan, Kalabhavan Shajohn and Aju Varghese in pivotal roles.

What is Meppadiyan about?

The movie, also scripted by Vishnu, is reportedly inspired by true incidents. Set in the early 2000s, it revolves around the life of Jayakrishnan, who runs an automobile workshop, and the series of incidents that happen in life.

Unni in a recent interview with OTTplay said, "Meppadiyan is a clerical term, which means the aforementioned. So, the question is who is that person? Is Jayakrishnan a hero or a villain? If you see the trailer, it’s clear a lot is going on in his life and the thrilling elements are who is he and who is doing this to him?"

How much weight did Unni gain for Meppadiyan?

Unni put on almost 15kg to play the role of Jayakrishnan in the movie. He had revealed that he was at his heaviest while shooting for the film in 2020 at 94kg. Soon after the shooting was complete, the actor had dropped back to 73kg.

However, Unni told us that it wasn't necessary for him to gain weight to play the role but he wanted to, to break the stereotype that he can only do action roles.

Where was Meppadiyan shot?

Despite being filmed during the pandemic, the movie was shot in 45 live locations across Erattupetta, Kottayam and Pala right after the lockdown restrictions were lifted in September 2020. As it was also a period film, the makers had to go the extra mile to ensure that people with masks didn't come into the frame.

When is Meppadiyan releasing?

The family entertainer is set to release in theatres across Kerala on January 14, 2022. The movie was cleared by the censor board almost a year ago. While Dulquer Salmaan's Salute, which was also set for a January 14 release date, had postponed its release, Unni had confirmed that Meppadiyan will hit theatres on the date.

The film is expected to release on OTT platforms a month after its theatrical release.

Also read: Exclusive! Unni Mukundan on Meppadiyan: I’ve survived through challenges and producing is just phase 2 for me