​Who is Khalid Rahman? Inside the career of ‘Alappuzha Gymkhana’ director arrested for the possession of hybrid ganja​

Khalid Rahman, the renowned Malayalam filmmaker, has recently made headlines following his arrest in Kochi on charges of possessing hybrid ganja. The director, known for his work in films such as Mammootty’s film ‘Unda,’ Shine Tom Chacko starrer ‘Love’, and Tovino thomas’ ‘Thallumaala’, was taken into custody along with filmmaker Ashraf Hamza recently.

Khalid Rahman, a celebrated name in Malayalam cinema, comes from a family deeply rooted in the industry. His brothers, Shyju Khalid and Jimshi Khalid, are respected cinematographers, and his father, the late actor V.P. Khalid, was a prominent figure in the film and television world.

He began his journey in the Malayalam film industry as an assistant director, working on films like ‘Ustad Hotel’, ‘North 24 Kaatham’, and ‘Sapthamashree Thaskaraha’. Khalid also made cameo appearances in movies such as ‘Parava’ and ‘Mayaanadhi’, and played a significant role in the film ‘Manjummel Boys’.

Khalid Rahman made his directorial debut with the Asif Ali and Biju Menon starrer ‘Anuraga Karikkin Vellam’, which received much praise for its simple and heartwarming storytelling and performances. His follow-up projects were ‘Unda’ and ‘The Shine Tom Chacko starrer ‘Love’. Mammootty’s crime drama film ‘Unda’ turned out to be a superhit and Khalid Rahman received much adulation for his stunning direction.

‘Love’, a film shot during the COVID-19 lockdown, received good reviews from movie buffs for its unique style of storytelling, which resembles a psychological thriller. ‘Love’ was entirely different from ‘Unda’ and ‘Anuraga Karikkin Vellam’. After that, the director changed his entire filmmaking style to a ‘Edgar Wright-style’ with the Tovino Thomas starrer ‘Thallumaala’. His most recent film was the Naslen starrer ‘Alappuzha Gymkhana’.

Khalid and Ashraf Hamza’s arrest has drawn significant attention, with excise officials revealing that the two filmmakers had reportedly been using narcotics for the past four to five years. Reportedly, the two were caught in a flat while preparing the substance for consumption.