Streaming giant JioHotstar is gradually, but definitely, expanding its footprint in Malayalam, a fertile turf rich with diverse stories and consumers. After a mixed 2025 that saw the return of the successful investigative thriller show Kerala Crime Stories, a heartwarming rom-com in Love Under Construction, and the Nivin Pauly-led medico-thriller Pharma, the platform's new year slate looks packed with a slew of interesting originals, starting with Secret Stories: Roslin, set to premiere on February 27. Moothon-fame Sanjana Dipu, Meena, Vineeth, and Hakim Shahjahan headline the series.

Sumesh Nandakumar, a former associate of Anwar Rasheed and Jeethu Joseph, makes his directorial debut with this show. "Beyond a regular thriller, we've tried to convey a drama that doesn't rush a lot. It should appeal more to those who are into focused, binge-watching rather than passive viewing," says the director, hoping that its runtime of just around 3.15 hours — split into six episodes of around 30 minutes each — should be ideal to hold the viewer's attention.

Like Sumesh, Secret Stories: Roslin is a first for its writer as well. Lyricist Vinayak Sasikumar, whose credits include viral hits like 'Illuminati', 'Pavizha Mazhaye', and the more recent 'Kunjikkavil Meghame', turns scenarist with this series. Sumesh and Vinayak's rapport began when they were working together on Anwar Rasheed's Trance. Sumesh was an assistant director in it, while Vinayak was part of the team as the lyricist. "Our sensibilities were largely different except for a shared fascination for thriller and mystery films. We discussed a few such ideas before Vinayak narrated this one during the lockdown. It was also when streaming platforms were becoming active here, with Hotstar's first Malayalam series, Kerala Crime Files, already underway. Though it was initially conceived as a film, we later altered it to a web series format after realising the script had intriguing elements at regular intervals that could be split as episodes," recalls the director.

Associating with a streaming platform is vastly different from films backed by a traditional production house, and Sumesh was well aware. He remembers going through multiple rounds of narrations, submitting scripts in Malayalam and English, discussing feedback and sticking strictly to their guidelines. "It was a new experience working under such standard policies. Once the script is approved, you can't improvise a lot, unless you get prior permission. They will also be monitoring our shooting daily — the duration of portions shot on a particular day, and so on. But apart from that, there weren't a lot of creative interferences."

All this while, Sumesh also had firm backing from his mentor Jeethu, whom he assisted in five films, including the Malayalam and Telugu versions of Drishyam 2 and the unreleased Mohanlal-starrer Ram. The young filmmaker remembers how his "guru" was a strong pillar of support right from the project's inception, before agreeing to come on board as the showrunner. Sumesh explains how Jeethu's presence wasn't just for name’s sake, but with clear responsibilities. "He was creatively involved, right from sharing suggestions about the script to occasional set visits to observe how we function. We also had to show him the first cut, the version after re-recording and the final cut. He may not have always been physically present, but was involved throughout, including the ongoing promotions."

Secret Stories: Roslin is set largely within a family, with Sanjana Dipu playing a teenager haunted by nightmares of a creepy stalker. Veterans Vineeth and Meena play her parents, while Hakim Shahjahan appears as a mysterious guest, whose unexpected arrival to the family compounds the girl's troubles. Sanjana, Sumesh says, was suggested by filmmaker Rahul Riji Nair. "When I checked her profile, I thought she was apt for the character. She proved me right with the auditions, where she was behaving rather than relying on dialogues to convey emotions. Such actors only make our job much easier. The same holds true for Meena Ma'am and Vineeth sir, whose chemistry was important because a lot depends on how convincing they appear as a family," says the director, while also lauding Hakim for his contribution. "It's a tricky character, who triggers the story’s conflict, and Hakim got the meter of performance accurately."

The series might be releasing two years after it first went on floors, but Sumesh still sounds confident that the subject will resonate with a wide audience. "Yes, technology and visual aesthetics might have evolved in these two years, but I pin my hopes on the core subject, which is universal and could be effective in any backdrop."

While the show's title hints at potential new chapters, the director is pragmatic that it all depends on how well the first season fares. "We haven't discussed anything formally yet. As of now, our focus is on this chapter, which we have ensured is neatly wrapped up without leaving anything for the future instalments to resolve."