Actor Arun Ajikumar on taking his design venture 'Aesthetic Kunjamma' from Mollywood to Bollywood

In an industry where film posters often disappear into the noise of endless digital promotion, Aesthetic Kunjamma has quietly built a visual identity that audiences now instantly recognise. The design collective, led by actor and designer Arun Ajikumar, has become one of the most talked-about creative names in Malayalam cinema’s marketing space, crafting striking campaigns for films like 'Bramayugam', 'Dies Irae, 'Aadu 3' and 'Patriot'. Now, the team is stepping into Bollywood with major projects including Alia Bhatt’s 'Alpha' and the much-awaited 'Tumbaad 2'.​

For Arun, the shift did not happen overnight. It came through the visibility and reach of the projects they had already worked on in Malayalam cinema.

“Films like 'Bramayugam' had a wide reach. People started looking deeper into the marketing side of those films and that’s how they got to know about us,” he said. “After 'Lokah', a person from Yash Raj Films’ marketing team contacted us. They said they were working on this action film, 'Alpha', and wanted something fresh. We pitched an idea, they liked it, and that’s how we became part of the project.”

The team’s growing reputation in the horror space also led them to 'Tumbaad 2', a sequel to the cult Hindi horror film that continues to have a strong fan following years after its release. According to Arun, the makers had been closely observing Aesthetic Kunjamma’s work before approaching them.

“They were already following what we were doing because of the horror projects we had worked on,” he explained.

Working in Bollywood, however, came with a completely different rhythm. Arun says the contrast between Malayalam cinema and the Hindi film industry becomes most visible in the way projects are structured and approved.

“In Bollywood, especially with a production house like Yash Raj Films, there are a lot more layers of approval creatively,” he said. “They function almost like a corporate setup. There’s a proper 9-to-5 structure. In Malayalam cinema, you can call a director anytime and discuss ideas. Here, the process is more flexible and constantly evolving.”

That difference also extends to audience expectations. Arun believes Bollywood projects are designed with a much wider demographic in mind, which naturally affects creative decisions.

“They have to cater to a very large audience, including viewers from tier-2 and tier-3 cities,” he said. “Sometimes extremely indie ideas may not connect with everyone there, so the designs have to appeal to a broader audience while still feeling fresh.”

For 'Tumbaad 2', Arun says the creative process was driven by a strong visual vision from director Adesh Prasad, while actor and producer Sohum Shah was deeply involved in the marketing side of the campaign.

Whenever we showed posters or designs, Sohum would suggest ideas from that perspective.”

Despite building one of the most recognisable design brands in Malayalam cinema today, Arun insists he never originally imagined himself entering the marketing or design space at all.

“I always thought I would become an actor,” he said. “I never thought I would become a designer or work in marketing.”

That creative instinct, however, naturally pushed him in multiple directions. While managing large-scale design projects through Aesthetic Kunjamma, Arun has also steadily built an acting career, earning appreciation for his performances in films like 'Dies Irae' and 'Padakkalam'.

“I’m someone who enjoys artistic work in general, so I’m happy doing design too,” he said. “I also have a very good team that handles things structurally. During 'Padakkalam', I was acting while simultaneously working on designs for major projects.”

On film sets, Arun says many people now know him more as 'Arun Kunjamma' than by his full name.

“People mostly recognise me as a designer right now,” he said. “As an actor, the recognition is coming slowly. A lot of people are surprised when they realise I act too.”
For now, he seems comfortable balancing both worlds, even if the overlap occasionally surprises people around him.
“People usually ask, ‘You act as well?’” he said. “But right now, I’m able to manage both.”