Mohanlal's magnum opus Marakkar to finally hit theatres on 2 December

After a long postponement on account of the COVID-19 pandemic and resultant lockdowns, Mohanlal’s much-awaited magnum opus Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham is ready to hit theatres on 2 December 2021.

Mohanlal announced the big news by sharing a new poster for the film.

Earlier, there was speculation that the film's producer Antony Perumbavoor would be opting for a direct-to-OTT release after talks with exhibitors for a theatrical release ran aground. The reports said Perumbavoor had demanded a certain amount as minimum guarantee from theatre owners at which they balked.

According to reports, Kerala's minister for films Saji Cherian then held discussions with representatives of the film producers’ association and the producer to dissuade him from going for a digital release.

Mohanlal's film was initially scheduled to be released on 26 March 2020 but that plan had to be called off on account of the countrywide lockdown imposed by the prime minister without warning. Then in June this year, the makers announced that the film was set for a theatrical release on 12 August, but again the makers had to postpone the release because of the second wave of COVID-19.

Marakkar, which recently bagged three awards at the 67th National Film Awards — Best Feature Film, Best Special Effects and Best Costume — tells the story of 16th century naval officer Kunjali Marakkar IV who rose to fame for his sea battles with the Portuguese.

Directed by Priyadarshan, the film also features Mohanlal's son Pranav Mohanlal, Arjun Sarja, Keerthy Suresh, Suniel Shetty, Prabhu and Manju Warrier.