Tamil hero Dhanush recently met the audiences with the film Maari 2 and it has become a decent entertainer at the box office. The director is busy working with Vetrimaran for an exciting project titled as Asuran.

The interesting development about the film is that the film will mark the debut of popular Malayalam actress Manju Warrier in the female lead character. Dhanush has officially confirmed the same by posting it on Twitter.

The sources close to the film unit revealed that the regular shoot of Asuran is going to begin in Tirunelveli on January 26th. The movie is going to have a political backdrop.

Kalaipuli S Thanu is going to produce the movie under V Creations banner. GV Prakash Kumar will compose the music for the movie.

Malayalam actress Manju Warrier is currently shooting for her upcoming movie ‘Jack and Jill’. Cinematographer Santosh is helming this project. Sources claimed that Manju got hurt while shooting for an action sequence.

The shooting was taking place in Haripad, Kerala and Manju suffered minor injuries on her forehead and was rushed to a hospital nearby. The director tweeted that Manju is doing well now and revealed that the shooting will be wrapped up soon and also shared a photo with her. Billed to be a suspense thriller ‘Jack and Jill’ features Manju Warrier, Kalidas Jayaram and Soubin Shahir in the lead roles.

After Jack and Jill, Manju Warrier will be seen in Lucifer which is going to mark actor Prithviraj’s directorial debut.

Manju Warrier is definitely the queen of the mountain in Mollywood, but her return to the world of cinema with her smash hit flick How Old Are You, and the crazy attention the movie and she got seems to have crossed state and language barriers!

Yes, there were rumours which spread like wildfire that she would be starring opposite Kollywood star Suriya in one of his upcoming ventures to be directed by Vikram Kumar of Tollywood hit Manam fame. Though initially no one neither denied or confirmed this, now we have word from the people concerned.

Vikram Kumar has denied the rumour that Manju has been cast opposite Suriya but he has not denied the possibility that it may happen still. Confused? Well, the director says only Suriya has been confirmed as the lead star so far and the rest of the cast is yet to be decided upon.

But he did say one thing though – the hit maker stated outright that he was a fan of Manju Warrier and that she is, without a doubt, one of the finest actresses of this generation in Indian cinema!

Wow! Now that’s a compliment.. and one rightfully earned, it has to be said. Vikram also added that he would love to cast her in his film provided the role carried enough weight for her.

Well, the Tamil cinema world may still not be a reality for Manju, but the Malayali audiences will have a treat on their hands soon enough as the Manju Warrier – Mohanlal project to be directed by Sathyan Anthikkad was recently officially announced.

For over a decade and a half, the fans have been waiting for the Universal Star and the actress, who some refer to as the female Mohanlal in terms of her acting abilities, to pair up onscreen and recreate some of that magic which we saw in movies like Aaram Thamburan and Kanmadam.

Good times ahead folks, no doubt about it…

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After a long hiatus of 14 years, she came back and took in one fell sweep, all that was rightfully hers – yes, we are talking about Manju Warrier. The darling of Malayalam cinema came like a breath of fresh air in the late nineties, when she was just a teenager and quickly ascended to the rank of princess of hearts.

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Then came a whirlwind romance that thrilled and surprised many, and the actress barely in her twenties bid adieu to the movie world for a family life.. with her husband, the Popular Hero, Dileep.

Years and years went by and we saw little of her, except for in the thriving rumours of problems in her marital life occupying the colourful pages of gossip magazines. In any case, the couple separated in 2013 and soon we began seeing Manju again in the spotlight, making ads with Amitabh Bachchan, pursuing her passions again.. but something was different. Gone was the young girl next door and here was a stunning, strong woman who had finally come to her own.

Recently the very public divorce with Dileep and prior to that, her smash hit comeback movie How Old Are You brought the princess .. well, now a ‘queen of Mollywood’ back to the centre of the media mainstream again.

So aside from all the drama, did we really notice the blossoming of this new sensational, independent, sizzling Manju?

Well, let’s take a passing glance shall we.

The comely girl that stole our hearts..

With movies like Sallaapam, Ee Puzhayum Kadannu, Aaram Thamburan, Kanmadam and many more, she took her place among the greats in the industry in a span of less than five years – most of it during her teen years. The simple, village girl with a sharp wit and formidable acting skills, that’s how we remember this multi talented artist.

The demure family woman that left the spotlight..

For years, we heard nothing noteworthy about the very talented diva who had left the playing field at the top of her game. However, we did learn she had become a mother to a baby girl named Meenakshi and that she was a content family woman. The spirited young star had grown in to a new role it seemed.

The dazzling makeover and finding the way back..

A year or so ago, the actress separated from her husband and soon started her journey back in to inevitable stardom. Sometimes, it is like riding a bike, some people can never lose their X factor. Manju was a born artist and a star. But the makeover took time and perseverance on her part but it paid off to an amazing degree. The diva was reborn in a modern, hip and glamorous avatar. Now in her early thirties, she was a beautiful woman in amazing shape and turn a few heads she did!

The return of the Queen..

Manju Warrier made her return to the big screens with Rosshan Andrrews’ How Old Are You, which spoke quite fittingly, of a woman in her mid thirties fighting against society’s prejudices and preconceptions regarding older women. The movie was a smash hit and Manju has now been overwhelmed by the sheer number of offers she has been getting. A movie along with Universal Star Mohanlal has been confirmed though, to be directed by Sathyan Anthikkad – something Mollywood fans have been waiting for since Manju’s retirement all those years ago.

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But just look at the gorgeous actress.. some people must age like fine wine!

Ah, finally some great news for the desperate fans of both the actors! Ever since Aaram Thampuran touched the hearts of Malayalam moviegoers way back in 1997, and Kanmadam solidified the duo’s onscreen chemistry, the people have been waiting for another Mohanlal – Manju Warrier starrer!

Manju’e return was supposed to be in a Mohanal flick but that one did not work out for mysterious reasons, leaving the eager fans disappointed. Now though, we have official confirmation!

The scenarist Ranajan Pramod has confirmed that he is in the process of writing a script for a movie which will feature the duo in the lead roles. Further confirmation comes from the fact that it is Antony Perumbavoor who has asked Ranjan to write this story.

The film is to be directed by Santhyan Anthikkad and will be produced by Aashirvad Cinemas.

Now, a Santhyan Anthikkad – Mohanlal venture was heard in the news earlier, but this is the first time we know for sure that Manju will be a part of the movie.

It has also been verified that Manju has given her consent for the project, which will start as soon as the script is done. The flick will apparently be a Christmas release!

So this Christmas will be extra special for die hard Mollywood fans, from the looks of things…

Manju of course has been in the news lately for her divorce from her ex husband, actor Dileep and recently agreed to a mutually agreeable dissolution of their marriage. She also pleaded with the fans to let things be and not to pry in to her personal life for obvious reasons.

Mohanlal’s Peruchazhi is coming out this August 29th, and the trailer, which came out a few days ago, has been trending in the social media.

For an industry in a financial crisis, it is always good news when the fans get what they want. Let us hope Peruchazhi and this proposed dream project both live up to their expectations and rock the cinema halls.

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Manju Warrier, the current golden girl of Mollywood and the centre of attention due to her unfortunate marital problems, posted a hand written letter on her Facebook page today explaining her situation and pleading with the fans to just ‘let things be’.

Manju and her ex husband, the popular hero Dileep, recently filed for divorce together with mutual consent. She also, willingly and without a fight, gave away her share of the joint property they owned as a couple to Dileep – assets worth around Rs 80 crores!

Now, all this had thrown the fans off and now Manju pleads with the fans to respect her privacy regarding the reasons for her actions. She confirmed that nobody else including her celebrity friends like Geethu Mohandas, Shwetha Menon, Poornima or Bhavana, forced or coerced her decisions in this tough situation.

In a stunning revelation, the actress also said she would not be fighting for custody of her daughter Meenakshi, as she “is safe and protected in her father’s care.” She added that she is doing this with the sole intention of not hurting her daughter’s feelings and assured everyone that she will always be there for her child.

Manju goes on to wish Dileep all the best in all his future endeavours, and says that this feels like a new beginning or rather a “new birth” for her. The talented and adored star says she is starting life from scratch in every sense of the word and is grateful for all the love and support she has received so far.

“I am all too aware of the fact that the success of one movie is not the benchmark of a successful life” she said, referring to her comeback film How Old Are You which just recently passed its 75th day at the box office.

Her heartfelt but plainly worded communiqué with the fans ended with a quote she says that rings true for her now and came to her mind as she wrote this – “You never realize how strong you are, until being strong is the only option you have left.”

Very well put, Manju!

But the fans still stand divided on the divorce issue and many comments in response to this post saw them begging Manju and Dileep to reconsider their options and to try and save their marriage, if at all possible.

Sigh. Guess there is never going to be complete agreement on such things, and perhaps, as the lady suggested, it is simply better if we stay out of it and respect their privacy.

Keep following Chitramala for more updates from Mollywood!

Whoa!! That’s the first response that comes to anyone’s mind when they hear this and rightfully, that should be so! This is by far the latest shocking development in the saga that is the Manju Warrier – Dileep divorce proceedings, which has captivated the people of Kerala for some time now.

Yes folks – in an unprecedented act in such matters, at least in recent memory, Manju Warrier has decided to give away, without a fight, the property in her name earned during the period of her 14 year marriage, to her ex husband actor Dileep!

And this property, which legally and justifiably belongs to both of them, is worth a total of nearly Rs 80 crores!!

Manju has already instructed her lawyers to go ahead with the decision, sources say.

Talk about taking the high road, if indeed that’s what the beloved actress is doing here.

Dileep had initially resolved to an all out attack, in divorce terms, when he filed a petition in court saying the reason he wants an immediate divorce from Manju is because she has been and still continues to emotionally abuse him.

And now Manju’s response to that is one for the books! Surely, this makes Dileep look.. ahem, not so good, to put it mildly.

Manju’s enormous popularity among the people, especially with her blockbuster hit of a comeback film How Old Are You becoming a shining beacon of hope and promise to women everywhere, had already made sure that Dileep’s public image takes many hits in all of this. The very talented and dignified Manju had personally chosen to maintain silence.

But this move by the Mollywood sweetheart sure takes the cake, and is sure to keep the people talking for ages to come. She has certainly walked the talk when it comes to women, no matter what age or status in life, being self sufficient and respectful of themselves and others.

Way to go Manju!

The court will now hear Dileep’s arguments on the case in a confidential hearing to be held on the 23rd of this month. Both parties will be present but no media.

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Manju Warrier has been overwhelmed with the response her movie How Old Are You has gotten so far, and the actress who made her comeback after 14 long years probably doesn’t know what to do with herself now that she has been offered a multitude of prestigious offers from many industries.. or so we would think!

But reports say the very talented Manju has already decided on a project and in that one she would be playing the wife of veteran actor/director Joy Mathew!

Now this comes as a surprise to all, because many were expecting Manju to do a full on mass entertainer next, but this choice of hers suggests a more dramatic flick with more substance. Yes folks, our very own Manju chechi is not shying away from the richer, more deep characters..

In fact, Manju, upon seeing the warm reception her comeback film got, had said, “I believe that as an actor I have an obligation to do roles that would not only entertain but benefit society in some way.”

Way to stick to your promise, Manju!

Joy Mathew, apparently, is still scripting the film and he says he is very excited to work with Manju, who he has never met before, but he does refer to her as “one of the most talented actresses in Malayalam cinema right now.”

Aneesh Anwar, who directed the film Zachariyayude Garbhinikal, is the man they are trying to rope in for this film, to stand at the helm. But sources say, Anwar has neither accepted nor declined the offer yet.

Now about the film itself, don’t worry it’s not going to be an esoteric, artsy project.. no. This one is reported to be an engaging, nail biting thriller!

Joy Mathew supposedly plays an investigative officer who is under suspension most of the time. Manju plays his spouse who eventually gets herself trapped in a dangerous situation and the plot will shift into top gear from there.

Can’t wait to get more details on this one?

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How Old Are You is as fresh a breath of air as any in recent times in Mollywood and there’s a multitude of reasons why. The movie’s phenomenal success at the box office aside, it has also changed a few things in many other spheres of life ranging from political to societal.

The movie’s team too deserves a lot of credit and the producers of this flick have shown a thing or two to the industry at large!

The satellite rights have been sold for Rs 5.5 crores, which is a big deal given the fact that it is not a mass entertainer starring a male superstar but a woman centric film. This is also impressive since the rights were sold after the movie was released and it has been weeks, so it speaks volumes about the movie’s popularity.

Kudos to Listin Joseph, who produced this film under the banner of Magic Frames!

Now, it is also worth mentioning at this point that the film did not by any means employ huge marketing gimmicks or extravagant promotional tactics but instead had a silent opening and the team behind the flick obviously decided to let it speak for itself.

Manju Warrier, who made her comeback through the movie and played the lead role of Nirupama Rajeev, has been made in to sort of a symbol for women and their rights.

The film sheds light on many issues faced by women and her recent appointment as the brand ambassador for organic farming in the state (a central topic in the film) is just one example of how much the audiences have taken the movie to heart.

The State Government is officially beginning an initiative in organic farming in households and they are, lo and behold, adopting the methods shown in the film for this. Talk about influencing the public right there!

To sum it up, How Old Are You is a film that’s definitely going down in the history of Malayalam cinema as a unique one and congrats to the director Rosshan Andrrews on that one too.

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The Dileep – Manju Warrier divorce proceedings are set to happen next month, and the shock waves created by Dileep filing for it have had several unexpected impacts. None more interesting than the fact that people are sending letters to the Family Court, addressed to Dileep, blaming him for his much beloved wife’s professional plight!

To be fair though, they are not talking about Manju’s career highlights now; she is without a doubt Mollywood’s top female star, with her amazing comeback film How Old Are You getting immense responses everywhere.

No, the fans are blaming Dileep for ‘destroying’ her career trajectory over the years they were married!

This is in fact a common opinion of the Manju Warrier fan base as a whole, from what can be gathered. She had kept a very low profile for the entirety of almost a decade and half of marriage, and had never appeared in anything media related with regard to her own artistic talents.

Let’s not forget that Manju is also a talented and trained classical dancer!

The actress, who was in her early twenties when she wed the actor, retired from movies then in spite of being at the top of her game. Her return to acting was something greatly looked forward to by the fans and her decision to finally do it was the primary cause for the dissolution of their marriage – even according to Dileep.

He had even admitted to ‘sabotaging’ her original planned comeback opportunity by going behind her back and talking to the director of the project to excuse Manju from it.

So it came as quite a shock to the people when Dileep filed for divorce a few days ago and formally alleged that he had been suffering emotional abuse at the hands of Manju for years.

And so the letters have been flowing to the Court addressed to Dileep formally, and since no one by that name works there, it was opened and read by the concerned authorities. There are a few letters supporting Dileep in there as well – to balance things out..

The divorce proceedings will be confidential and will have no media presence as Dileep filed for it to be so, and we will have to wait and see how things pan out for the couple. Their daughter Meenakshi is staying with Dileep now, while Manju has moved back in with her parents.

Manju Warrier’s How Old Are You has been declared a golden hit with critical and commercial success going through the roof, and the fans embracing the comeback of the actress with open arms. The female viewers were especially impressed with the film, Manju’s performance and the tale a woman fighting for her dream against all odds and prejudices. So far so good..

But that’s not all – the movie has had certain other unanticipated outcomes as well. Manju’s fan following was immense to begin with but this film has increased its intensity to all new levels; a welcome relief one assumes for the actress who is going through a particularly hard and much publicised divorce right now.

There was an incident in the Kerala Legislative Assembly recently, when as a somewhat off the cuff retort, an MLA suggested that perhaps the Civil Supplies Department should ‘take a few cues’ from the Manju Warrier flick and come up with more female friendly initiatives. Now, while this may have been casual and let’s admit it – a bit silly – it could have and maybe should have stopped there.

But the Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob, went on to one up the MLA and responded that he hadn’t seen the movie. This, apparently, was akin to pouring fuel in to fire and soon the situation turned ridiculous (understatement) with a heated debate on who all had in fact seen the movie and who hadn’t.

Finally, it took the speaker G Karthikeyan to bring an end to the frivolous ‘fight’ and bring everyone back to reality, by emphasizing quite strongly that ‘enough is enough’!

While a simple ‘LOL’ should suffice as an apt response to this incident, one is also forced to question our elected representatives on their unfortunately evident disregard for the value of time and resources.

Wonder what the actress and the director of the film Rosshan Andrrews think of all this – on second thought let’s not – just hope that more good movies come our way.

In this difficult socio political climate, that looks like the only reprieve for us anyway.

Yes, that’s what it sounds like anyways! Manju Warrier was recently invited to be in an FM radio show and that’s when the actress revealed her plans for personal life in a somewhat metaphoric way.

The Rj had asked Manju who her chosen companion would be if she were to go on a long trip now and the actress immediately, without hesitation or pause, replied that she would much rather travel alone to any destination now and for the rest of her life!

Don’t be mistaken though – the entire conversation was rather bright and the actress appeared neither upset or crestfallen about recent events.

And who can blame her for wanting to stay single, if indeed that’s what she meant, given all the controversy surrounding the ending of her first marriage that’s currently in the media spotlight.

Her ex husband, from who she had been separated now for over a year, actor Dileep – the popular hero – filed for divorce last week and sources have revealed that in the confidential petition filed to the family court, the actor claims that he has been suffering mental and emotional abuse from Manju which necessitates an immediate dissolution of their marriage.

Whatever be the truth to this allegation, this move by the actor has surprised many and what’s more he also petitioned the court to make the hearing of the case confidential – meaning he wants the media banned from it! One wonders why though… as hurting Manju’s reputation or her image among the fans is clearly not a problem for the actor.

However the events may play out in the days to come, one thing is for sure – the fans and the public in general, are 100 % behind Manju on this one so far and would stand by her.

Her come back movie How Old Are You, directed by Rosshan Andrrews, has been declared a major hit and the actress’s career seems to be travelling on a steep upward curve with offers pouring in from multiple industries in the south.

Dileep too is doing well professionally and his reputation as someone who delivers hits consistently remains untarnished as his last flick Ringmaster has also been a success. The couple’s daughter Meenakshi has chosen to stay with Dileep, while Manju has been staying at her parents’ home in Thrissur.

Will the divorce at some stage become even more ugly with dirty laundry being aired in public and will Manju contest Meenakshi’s custody and was Dileep’s pre emptive strike, so to speak, a calculated move to prevent that? Only time will tell…

Keep following us on Chitramala for more updates.

Well, all one can say is that it has been coming for a while and nobody is surprised – actor Dileep has filed for divorce from his wife Manju Warrier formally in the Family Court. But what has surprised many is that the ‘popular hero’ has petitioned for a closed and confidential hearing in the case, banning all media presence!

This also goes with the other shocking twist in the saga, according to which he claims that he has been suffering emotional and mental abuse at the hands of Manju, who is currently the golden girl of Mollywood with her hit comeback film How Old Are You!

Dileep had prior to this openly admitted to the media that it was Manju’s decision to re enter the movie world and acting that had led to their separation, which happened over a year ago.

He also had quite simply ‘confessed’, in a manner of speaking, of trying underhanded tricks like speaking to the director of Manju’s supposed comeback movie then, in order to persuade him to not make the film with her as the star.

These admissions, along with the public’s (especially women’s) sympathy and admiration for Manju as a woman tied down by her husband and for her tremendous and captivating acting skills, got the actor a lot of hate – the gossip surrounding his alleged relationship with actress Kavya Madhavan, who has been before and since portrayed as the ‘other woman’ in this scenario, didn’t help matters any.

Now that Manju has made her return to the big screen and that too with a bang, the time seemed ripe perhaps, for the actor to make his move and dissolve the troubled marriage permanently.

The major fact to be noticed in this case, however, is that the daughter of the couple – Meenakshi – has stuck by her father through all of this. Something that speaks volumes to many…

In any case, the case is to be heard in the court on July 23, according to reports. It will have to be seen how ‘confidential’ the proceedings are and if it will involve smear campaigns or ugly divorce tactics by either parties.

Manju Warrier’s return has been one of the biggest successes in Mollywood history; the actress’s personal comeback saga coupled with the acclaim the movie has received, sky rocketing the actress’s career graph to new heights.

It has been rumored that Manju has been approached with or offered nearly 25 projects in multiple south Indian industries and the actress herself has confirmed a couple of these to the media and her growing fandom.

The leading lady of Malayalam has already signed up for a Telugu film with Nani and says she might even do a Tamil flick with none other than superstar Surya!

In fact, most of the roles reported to have been offered to Manju are in movies with some of the biggest names in the industry, including a film with Telugu star Nagarjuna.

It seems every couple of days now, we hear new rumors of flicks with the actress’s name on the marquee, and this indicates just how much the fans want to see her on the big screen.

News has been spreading that Manju has replaced Amala Paul in the Joshiy movie Laila O Laila, which also stars Mohanlal – this of course, sending the hardcore Manju – Mohanlal fans in to a frenzy.

After all, Manju has been called the ‘Female Mohanlal’ for her natural and gifted acting skills and charming on screen persona.

In any case, welcome back Manju Warrier and hope you never leave ‘the stage’ again…

Reports are indicating that one of the the dream duos of Mollywood history, Mohanlal and Manju Warrier, may in fact pair up opposite each other in Joshiy’s upcoming project Laila O Liala! Apparenlty, the writer Suresh Nair and Joshiy himself are keen to rope in Manju for the lead female role.

The movie Laila O Laila was announced last year with Mohanlal in the lead, opposite the sensational Amala Paul but the project kept getting delayed for various reasons. Now, Amala Paul’s upcoming nuptials may or may not mean the actress retiring from the industry for a while.

It as it this crucial juncture that Manju has made her hugely successful comeback to the film world with her surprise blockbuster hit How Old Are You. And now, Suresh Nair, the writer of the flick who made a name for himself in Bollywood with hits like Kahani and Salaam Namasthe, wants Manju playing the lead in the movie!

Of course, it goes without saying how much that would hype up the already hyped up project. The Manju Warrier – Mohanlal on screen chemistry is the stuff of Mollywood legend and the fans have been waiting for years to see the magic happen again.

In fact, when Manju’s comeback was confirmed, initially it was supposed to be in a Mohanlal – Ranjith project which got shelved for unknown reasons later.

So, now we wait for a confirmation or a denial to these rumors from the stars or the film’s makers and what thrilling news it would be if they nodded yes…

Mollywood’s current queen Manju Warrier who has made it clear that talent knows no age barriers with her hugely successful comeback movie How Old Are You says that her character, Nirupama Rajeev, bears many similarities to her real self.

A woman in her thirties pursuing her dream while battling society’s preconceptions about age and gender? Yes, the story does seem to oddly resemble Manju’s own life the past few years, which have been the fodder for much gossip media attention.

The actress says the project was not just work but almost like a reflection of her soul and she thanks all those who stood by her, believing in her and having faith in her talent, even after all these years. It isn’t very often a female actor returns to the big screen after a decade and a half to such an emotional and heartwarming embrace form her fans.

Manju believes that the adoration she has received from her fans through all these long years must make her more responsible to them as an actor and as a person in the public eye. So combining the two was a good move in hindsight as How Old Are You, she says, is dedicated to all those women who live their lives for the well being of their families and that of the world.

The expectations of how good the movie will turn out to be from her fans, was simultaneously a cause for fear and inspiration for Manju – truly a sign of a born artist.

How does she feel now that she has made her return to the craft she loves in grand fashion?

“I feel like a kid who just recovered a lost toy and can’t stand the thrill of the moment. The making of the movie was where I rediscovered myself and I can’t thank enough those responsible.” A jubilant Manju replies.