Odiyan: How Malayalam cinema explored the Kerala folklore twice before the Prithviraj Sukumaran-Karan Johar film

FIlmmaker Rahul Sadasivan has chop-chop suit a make to count with in the horror genre, thanks to his recent releases Bramayugam (2024) and Diés Iraé (2025). His next shoot, Odiyan: The Age of Illusion, was announced on Tuesday. The film will be headlined by Prithviraj Sukumaran and Manju Warrier, and produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, and Supriya Menon, under Dharma Productions and Prithviraj Productions.But this is not the first time in recent years that Mollywood has tapped into the Kerala legend of Odiyan. There were at least two times in the last few years when the Malayalam film industry attempted to explore the subject. While both films became among the highest-grossing of their time in the language, one is more beloved than the other. Know all about it.What is an Odiyan?Odiyan/Peony are described in Kerala folklore as half-man, half-beast-like creatures that lurk in alleyways at night. Rooted in the oral traditions of the Malabar and Palakkad regions, it was believed that they would practice dark magic known as odividya. These creatures were also known for their shapeshifting abilities, in addition to their strength, which could break a human spine.When Mollywood explored Odiyan twiceIn 2018, VA Shrikumar Menon debuted with the ambitious Odiyan, starring Mohanlal in the lead role. The film was one of the highest-grossers in Malayalam cinema that year, but was criticised and opened to mixed reviews. Odiyan focused on the drama, portraying the clan not at the height of its power but near the end of its existence. Interestingly, this film also starred Manju Warrier as the female lead. In 2025, Dominic Arun helmed Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, starring Kalyani Priyadarshan as a vampire-like creature called a yakshi. Her character, Kalliyankattu Neeli/Chandra, meets several other creatures along the way. One of them is Dulquer Salmaan’s Charlie, an Odiyan who fights like a ninja. The film hints that he shapeshifts into a dog and is a loner. Both the character and the film were massive hits, with Charlie’s return teased for Lokah Chapter 2 as well. About Odiyan: The Age of IllusionAccording to a press release sent by the makers, Rahul’s Odiyan: The Age of Illusion is described as: “At core, the film is about a terrifying shape-shifter from Kerala legend, whose fury descends on a powerful matriarchal household, setting off a battle between truth and illusion that crackles with myth, menace and psychological weight.” “The Odiyan is not just a myth; it is a piece of Kerala's identity, a legend that has travelled through generations and continues to hold a powerful place in our cultural consciousness. Bringing this story to the screen in a way that honours its mythology and the culture it comes from has been a pursuit very close to my heart,” said Prithviraj about the film.