The makers of Aadu 3 have unveiled actor  Jayasurya’s return as the beloved Shaji Pappan after eight years through a behind-the-scenes video released on Tuesday. The clip shows the actor arriving on set in full costume, wearing the character’s signature black shirt, black-and-red mundu and black goggles.

A day earlier, the team had shared another behind-the-scenes video, showing Jayasurya’s detailed makeup transformation into Shaji Pappan, offering fans a glimpse of the process behind recreating the cult character’s familiar persona. As a short-tempered and self-assured tug-of-war team leader, Shaji Pappan's exaggerated bravado often leads to chaos.

Written and directed by Midhun Manuel Thomas, Aadu 3 is being mounted as an “epic fantasy”, with the story reportedly unfolding across multiple timelines. The film, currently being shot on large-scale sets, is being co-produced by Vijay Babu’s Friday Film House and Venu Kunnappilly’s Kavya Films. It continues the Aadu series that began in 2015. The first film was a commercial failure, but later gained a cult following after its DVD release, which encouraged the team to make a sequel. Aadu 2 went on to become a box office hit.

The third instalment of the hit franchise will see the return of several key cast members, including Vinayakan, Vijay Babu, Saiju Kurup, Indrans, Aju Varghese, Srinda, Sunny Wayne, Bhagath Manuel, Sudhy Kopa and Bijukuttan.

On the technical front, Aadu 3 has cinematography by Akhil George, editing by Lijo Paul and music by Shaan Rahman. The film is slated for theatrical release on March 19, 2026.

Jayasurya also has Kathanar, another biggie in his lineup. Directed by Home-fame Rojin Thomas, the supernatural fantasy adventure is based on the legend of Kadamattathu Kathanar. The film, shot predominantly using advanced virtual production technology and currently in its post-production stages, is expected to be released sometime next year.