Is ‘Premalu 2’ shelved? Reports fuel uncertainty around the sequel

Reports suggest that ‘Premalu 2’, the romantic entertainer eagerly awaited by Malayali audiences, has been shelved. According to industry buzz, differences of opinion over the script are believed to have led to the project being dropped. However, there has been no official confirmation from the makers so far. Earlier, actor-director Dileesh Pothan had indicated that a sequel to Premalu would not happen anytime soon, citing certain technical reasons.

'Premalu 2' was officially announced on April 18, 2024, during the success celebration of the first film, with the director making the announcement on stage. At the time, the makers had also revealed plans for a simultaneous release in Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu, with dubbed versions. Despite the announcement, the project continued to face delays for various reasons, eventually fuelling reports that the sequel may have been completely abandoned.

Addressing the uncertainty earlier, Dileesh had acknowledged that the film would be delayed but maintained that there was still hope of it materialising at some point. The lack of updates since then, however, has only strengthened speculation around the project’s future.

Released in theatres on February 9, 2024, 'Premalu' went on to rewrite Malayalam box office records. Made on a modest budget of Rs 12.50 crore, the film reportedly collected around Rs 135 crore worldwide, emerging as one of the biggest hits of the year.

Set against the backdrop of Hyderabad, the film starred Naslen and Mamitha Baiju in the lead roles, with Shyam Mohan, Akhila Bhargavan, Sangeeth Prathap, Altaf Salim, and Meenakshi Raveendran in key supporting roles. Written by Girish A D and Kiran Jose, and produced by Bhavana Studios, the film featured music composed by Vishnu Vijay. A major reason behind Premalu’s massive success was its easy connect with younger audiences, capturing modern romance, student life, and the experience of youth migrating to a new city. The film’s popularity also propelled Naslen and Mamitha Baiju into overnight stardom, with both actors going on to headline successful projects soon after.

Meanwhile, director Girish A D’s next film is ‘Bethlehem Family Unit’, which stars Nivin Pauly in the lead and features Mamitha Baiju as the female lead. The film, mounted on a larger scale with an ensemble cast, is expected to hit theatres as an Onam 2026 release.