Veteran actor Jagathy Sreekumar, who has been on an extended sabbatical, has joined the cast of Gaganachari director Arun Chandu’s upcoming zombie film Vala. The actor will portray the character of Professor Ambili, also known as Uncle Luna.R. On Sunday, on the occasion of Jagathy's birthday, the makers also unveiled a character poster featuring the actor seated in a wheelchair against a striking post-apocalyptic backdrop, consistent with the film’s zombie narrative. The wheelchair’s accessories bear a striking resemblance to those of iconic scientist Stephen Hawking, hinting at a tech-savvy character.
The film, co-written by Arun and Tyler Durden, reunites much of the team from the Arun’s State Award-winning science-fiction mockumentary Gaganachari. The lead cast of Vala includes Gokul Suresh, Aju Varghese, Anarkali Marikar, and KB Ganesh Kumar, alongside Gokul’s brother Madhav Suresh in a pivotal role. Bhagath Manuel, John Kaippallil, and Arjun Nandakumar also feature in the ensemble. In a earlier conversation with CE, Arun described it as a hybrid between a screen thriller and a found footage film, with a narrative infused with humour and pop culture references. The story takes a decisive turn towards the zombie genre in the second half, centring on a protagonist inspired by American YouTuber and investigative journalist Johnny Harris.
Produced by Underdog Entertainments in collaboration with Letters Entertainments, Vala is currently in pre-production, with a significant focus on CGI-heavy elements, including 3D creature modelling. Principal photography is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2025, with the release slated for later in the year.
Jagathy’s illustrious film career was abruptly interrupted in 2012 following a devastating car accident that left him hospitalised for over a year. Despite not fully recovering, he made a minor return to cinema only in 2022 with the Mammootty-starrer CBI 5: The Brain. In the film, he reprised his role as CID Vikram from the CBI franchise, though his appearance was limited without dialogues, marking his first screen presence in a decade.
