Malavika Manoj's Habeebi, which was earlier slated for release on May 28, has been postponed to a new date. Directed by Meera Kathiravan, the film will now hit theatres on June 12.
The previously unveiled trailer of the film established that it revolves around a Muslim neighbourhood in southern Tamil Nadu that gets divided over the romance between a boy and a girl in the area. Envisioned to showcase Tamil Muslim culture, the makers say the film would carry an "emotionally enriching narrative, culturally rooted backdrop and sincere storytelling".
The film, along with Malavika Manoj and veteran filmmaker Kasturi Raja in pivotal roles, also stars Esha, Dhanashree Sudhakaran, Arulkumar, and Anusreya Rajan.
Previously, in a statement, Meera Kathiravan revealed details about Malavika's role in the film. He said, "Malavika Manoj plays a character named Nilofer Nisha and will be fondly addressed by all the characters as ‘Nilavu Pulla’ as a nickname. When I wrote the script and developed this character, I wanted someone who could portray a girl from the 90s with variations in appearance across two different time periods."
In another statement, Kasthuri Raja shared details on his role. "My role in Habeebi has been to support and strengthen the vision of the team. I believe honest storytelling always finds its audience, and this film holds that sincerity," he said.
The makers had earlier unveiled the first single from the film titled 'Vallone', recreating the iconic voice of the legendary singer Nagore EM Hanifa through artificial intelligence. Recently, the makers also launched the second single, 'Roohe Roohe'.
With Raahul of Romeo Pictures, Nesam Entertainment, and GKS Bros Production, Habeebi's technical crew comprises music composer Sam CS, editor Mathi VS, cinematographer Mahesh Muthuswami, and art director Appunni Sajan.