Rajesh Madhavan’s directorial debut ‘Pennum Porattum’ selected for IFFK 2025

Rajesh Madhavan’s leap from actor to director has turned into a winning move as his debut film has been selected for 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) 2025. The film, 'Pennum Porattum' (Girl and the Fools’ Parade), has been chosen for the Malayalam Cinema Today category.

Sharing his joy, Rajesh described the moment as a dream come true. “I’m delighted to hear the news. Coming from a small town in Kasaragod, I had only heard about such a festival taking place. Later, I began attending the fest during my post-graduation time. From that to my film being selected for screening—it feels truly fulfilling,” he said, adding that words were not enough to describe his happiness.

Rajesh first attended the festival as part of its media centre through a press mentorship camp during his post-graduation days. “I have always looked up to the fest with great respect and ambition. It is one of the biggest spaces for cinema that’s accessible to us. Back then, we couldn’t even dream or imagine that one day our film would also feature here. Later, I attended the fest as a delegate, then as a film professional, and now this. We had longed for this moment, and now it’s finally happening,” he added.

However, Rajesh clarified that the film was not made solely with the intention of participating in film festivals. “This is a commercial movie. When our circle of friends watched it, they felt it had potential and encouraged us to submit it to the festival,” he said.

'Pennum Porattum', written by Ravi Shankar, is set in a fictional village and revolves around the survival of a dog, who is the central character. The film features writer Subash Chandran and actors Raina Radhakrishnan and Shinoj, along with around 100 new faces. Rajesh also plays a small role in the movie.

The film is expected to hit theatres in the first half of 2026. 'Pennum Porattum' is jointly produced by Santhosh T Kuruvila and Binu George Alexander.