Drishyam 3 has a bigger market; Mohiniyattam is for Kerala audiences: Director Krishnadas Murali on not delaying release

For filmmaker Krishnadas Murali, the decision to return to the world of Bharathanatyam was not driven by box office success, but by something more unpredictable — audience memory. With Bharathanatyam 2: Mohiniyattam, the director revisits familiar characters, but places them in a new tonal and narrative space, building on a film that found its footing only after its theatrical run.

Set in Sreekandapuram, the sequel continues the story of the same family, though Murali is careful to position it as more than just a direct extension. “This is very much a continuation, but it unfolds differently,” he says, noting that the setting remains unchanged even as the situations grow more complex. When he first narrated the script to the cast, their response gave him confidence. “The actors immediately connected with it and delivered exactly what the story needed,” he adds.

Yet, the uncertainty around the project lingered, largely because Bharathanatyam did not succeed in theatres. “That doubt was always in my mind,” Murali admits. “The question was whether a sequel made sense at all.” What changed that hesitation was the film’s afterlife on streaming platforms. Viewers who discovered it later responded strongly to its characters and tone, often expressing a desire to see more of the same world. “Many people told me they had missed it in theatres but really enjoyed it later. They wanted to revisit that family, and that stayed with me,” he says.

Interestingly, Murali had initially considered working with the same cast on a completely different story. The shift towards a sequel came only after recognising that there was still emotional investment in the original. Even so, Mohiniyattam does not simply replicate what came before. Instead, it leans into a more pronounced tonal shift. “The humour is louder this time because the problems the family faces are bigger,” he explains. “The subtlety of the first film is still there, but this one moves at a faster pace and operates on a different energy.”

That change has not gone unnoticed. Following the trailer’s release, audiences appeared to pick up on the shift in genre and tone. “People seemed to understand that this is not the same film again,” Murali says. “There was a concern initially about whether those who liked Bharathanatyam would still remember it, especially since many watched it later online. But the response suggests that the connection is still there.” At the same time, he acknowledges that there are still viewers who may not have seen the first film at all, and the sequel is also an attempt to reach that audience.

The film’s release also arrives at a time when industry dynamics are shifting, with larger projects constantly reshaping the calendar. Asked whether the postponement of Drishyam 3 indirectly benefits Mohiniyattam, Murali is measured in his response. “It might bring some additional attention, but the scale is very different,” he says. “That film has a much wider reach. Mohiniyattam is primarily made for a Kerala audience, so we never really considered delaying it.”