With a telling tune in the background of a picture of Tovino Thomas, the Neelavelicham team has announced the date of the film’s release. Director Aashiq Abu's newest, based on a short story by the legendary writer Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, Neelavelicham (The Blue Radiance) is slated for worldwide release on April 20. Aashiq has also produced this film along with Rima Kallingal, his partner for the OPM Cinemas banner, as well as the female lead of the movie. Roshan Mathew also plays an important role in the film.
Promos and video songs from the film have been creating ripples, with more than a small touch of nostalgia for those who remember the old settings in Basheer novels, and the music of Baburaj. Legendary musician MS Baburaj's compositions have been derived for the songs in Neelavelicham by composers Bijibal and Rex Vijayan.
Aashiq has also roped in actors Shine Tom Chacko and Rajesh Madhavan to play important characters in the film. The cinematography of the film is by Girish Gangadharan and the editing is by V Saajan.
Interestingly, Basheer’s Neelivelicham had a famous remake in 1964 as Bhargavi Nilayam, starring Madhu, Vijaya Nirmala, and Prem Nazir. The movie, a hugely popular horror film of the time, is still considered one of the greatest to come from Malayalam cinema. It was directed by A Vincent. All three songs that feature in Neelavelicham – Anuraga Madhuchashakam, Ekanthathayude, and Thamasamenthe Varuvan – are remade from the original compositions, written by P Bhaskaran.
Aashiq's last was Naradan, which also starred Tovino Thomas. The film was a satire of the aggressive journalism used by prominent media houses and anchors today. Before that, he made a short film for the anthology Aanum Pennum. Rima's last Malayalam film was the critically acclaimed Santhoshathinte Onnam Rahasyam, directed by Don Palathara.