‘Athiradi’ trailer out: Basil Joseph tries to impress Riya Shibu while clashing with Tovino Thomas in action-packed campus drama

The makers of ‘Athiradi’ unveiled the film’s official trailer on Tuesday evening, offering audiences a glimpse into a fun-filled blend of action, comedy, romance, and campus chaos. Headlined by Tovino Thomas, Basil Joseph and Vineeth Sreenivasan, the film marks director Arun Anirudhan’s debut as a filmmaker. Interestingly, Arun had previously co-written the superhero blockbuster ‘Minnal Murali’, which featured Tovino in the lead and was directed by Basil Joseph. With ‘Athiradi’, Tovino and Basil reunite once again, this time sharing screen space as actors.The trailer hints at a lively campus entertainer centred around Basil Joseph’s character Samkutty, a college student determined to revive a long-discontinued college festival. His motive, however, appears to go beyond college spirit, as he takes up the challenge to impress Riya Shibu’s character.But things take an unexpected turn when Samkutty locks horns with Tovino Thomas’ rough-and-tough rowdy character. Promotional interviews featuring Basil suggest that the tension between the two characters grows from a personal ego clash, eventually escalating into larger confrontations. The actor had also revealed that he underwent a noticeable physical transformation to convincingly portray a college-going youngster in the film.One of the major highlights of the trailer is its numerous references to iconic Malayalam films and pop culture moments. There are visible nods to the Mohanlal classic ‘Aaram Thampuran’, particularly the portions revolving around the revival of the famous Kanimangalam Pooram festival.The trailer also surprises viewers with references to Marvel’s Thor, adding a quirky layer to the film’s humour. In one over-the-top sequence, Tovino’s character is even seen battling a gigantic robot, hinting at the film’s larger-than-life treatment. Apart from the lead trio, the cast also includes Zarin Shihab, social media personality Shelvin James and filmmaker-actor Santhivila Dinesh in important roles.The visuals for ‘Athiradi’ have been shot by cinematographer Samuel Henry, while the music has been composed by Vishnu Vijay. Editing duties are handled by Chaman Chakko. The action portions are choreographed by stunt masters Action Sandhosh and Phoenix Prabu. The film is jointly produced by Dr Ananthu S and Basil Joseph under their respective production banners, while Tovino Thomas and Sameer Thahir are attached as co-producers. ‘Athiradi’ is all set for a worldwide theatrical release on May 14. Ahead of the official release, the makers have also planned special paid premiere shows on Wednesday evening, building excitement among fans eager to watch the film on the big screen.