Riya Shibu on working with Basil Joseph in Athiradi: He is really fun, but…
Sarvam Maya actress Riya Shibu opens up about working with Basil Joseph in Athiradi, adding that he is fun but very focused on work. The upcoming Malayalam movie releases in theatres on May 14, 2026
Last Updated: 12.45 PM, Feb 12, 2026
Malayalam actress Riya Shibu shot to instant fame after she played the Gen Z ghost Delulu in the Nivin Pauly-led movie Sarvam Maya. Even as accolades continue to come her way for Sarvam Maya, Riya Shibu has jumped into her next movie Athiradi, which stars actor-filmmaker Basil Joseph. Now, Riya Shibu has open up about working with Basil Joseph in Athiradi, adding that he is fun but very focussed on work.
What Riya Shibu said about Basil Joseph
Athiradi is an upcoming Malayalam movie, which stars Basil Joseph, Tovino Thomas and Riya Shibu. In a recent interview with the Malayalam magazine Grihalakshmi, Riya Shibu also spoke about Athiradi.
“Right after Sarvam Maya, I went for Athiradi shooting. Basil Joseph is the main character. It is really fun to work with Basil. He cracks a lot of jokes, but he is really focussed when it comes to work,” Riya Shibu was quoted as saying.
Basil Joseph has been an affable person both onscreen and offline, and portrays a fun persona during interviews. Before venturing into full-time acting, Basil helmed three films, including the superhero film, Minnal Murali. Recently, Riya Shibu’s character from Athiradi was revealed. The young actress plays the character Swathi R Krishna, a college student, in the upcoming film.
Helmed by Arun Anirudhan, Athiradi will release in theatres on May 14, 2026. Antony Varghese Pepe’s Kattalan and Naslen’s Mollywood Times are the other films releasing in the same week.
What’s Athiradi about
Athiradi is touted to be a campus-based film, which the makers have said will be a fun entertainer. Basil Joseph plays engineering student Samkutty, while Tovino Thomas is seen as Sreekuttan. Actor-filmmaker-singer Vineeth Sreenivasan is also part of Athiradi. Though his character poster was unveiled, the makers did not reveal his name.
Among his other upcoming movies, Basil Joseph will play a full-fledged role in the Tamil film Raawadi. He was last seen in the Tamil period drama Parasakthi in a cameo. Tovino Thomas' next release is Pallichattambi, releasing on April 9, 2026.
Athiradi movie FAQs
Q. When will Athiradi release?
A. The Malayalam film Athiradi, starring Basil Joseph and Tovino Thomas, will release in theatres on May 14, 2026.
Q. Who is the director of Athiradi?
A. Arun Anirudhan, who co-wrote Minnal Murali, is the director of Athiradi.
Q. How many films did Basil Joseph direct?
A. Basil Joseph has directed three films - Kunjiramayanam, Tovino Thomas-starrer films Godha and Minnal Murali.