Girish AD's record-breaking Malayalam blockbuster Bethlehem Kudumba Unit (BKU), starring Nivin Pauly and Mamitha Baiju, is set to premiere digitally on JioHotstar on October 2. The streamer announced the release date through social media on Sunday. The film, which hit theatres on August 21 as an Onam release, continues its strong theatrical run with packed houses across Kerala and overseas.
After 37 days, BKU has reportedly amassed around ₹330 crore at the worldwide box office, making it one of the year's highest-grossing Indian films. Its Tamil and Telugu dubbed versions also hit theatres on September 4.
Scripted jointly by Girish and Premalu co-writer Kiran Josey, BKU follows Ashley (Mamitha), who falls in love with her older neighbour Justin (Nivin), a charismatic middle-aged man around 12-13 years her senior. Set against a close-knit neighbourhood and a large family, the film blends romance, humour and slice-of-life drama. The cast also includes Sangeeth Prathap, Suresh Krishna, Vinay Forrt, Srinda and Shyam Mohan. The technical crew includes cinematographer Ajmal Sabu, editor Akash Joseph Varghese and music director Vishnu Vijay. Produced by Dileesh Pothan, Fahadh Faasil and Syam Pushkaran under the banner of Bhavana Studios, the film marks Girish's fifth directorial after Thanneer Mathan Dinangal, Super Sharanya, Premalu and I Am Kathalan.
Earlier, BKU emerged as the highest-grossing Malayalam film worldwide, surpassing Kalyani Priyadarshan’s 2025 vampire actioner Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra. The romantic comedy also became the first film in Kerala to cross the Rs 150-crore mark in gross collections from the state and reportedly overtook the Mohanlal-starrer Narasimham's 26-year-old long-standing footfall record.
An excerpt from CE review of BKU reads, "It exudes the pleasant energy of Sathyan Anthikad films of the 80s and 90s with its large ensemble, friendly neighbourhood ecosystem, family members who feel like actual people, and a consistent dose of humour."
