Odiyan review and release Highlights: Mohanlal’s film opens to mixed reviews

For his role in Odiyan, Mohanlal, reportedly, lost about 18 kgs in two months. He achieved the transformation with the help of fitness experts, masseurs, yoga masters and dermatologists. His workout routine also included high-intensity exercises.

Tamil music director Sam CS  has composed the background score of Mohanlal’s Odiyan. Talking to indianexpress.com, Sam said, "The songs for Odiyan were composed earlier by M Jayachandran. But after Vikram Vedha’s release, they approached me to compose the background scrore. I had gotten several offers for just the background score, even from Bollywood, but I didn’t take it as I wanted to shoulder the entire film. But when I heard Odiyan’s script I couldn’t resist. First, it was a very unique, non-linear story. It is a thriller that needs a lot of ethnic sounds from that period and region — there was a lot of scope to experiment with old instruments intrinsic to Kerala. Moreover, I grew up in Munnar watching Malayalam cinema. To get such an out-of-box script and also debut with a Mohanlal film. It is a film to be proud of."

Satellite rights – Rs 21 crore [Asianet – Rs 14 crore, Amritha TV – Rs 7 crore]
GCC rights – Rs 2.9 crore
Other overseas rights – Rs 1.8 crore
Telugu rights – Rs 5.2 crore
Tamil rights – Rs 4 crore
ROI rights – Rs 2 crore
Audio & other rights – Rs 1.8 crore
Theatre advance – Rs 17 crore
Hindi rights + Satellite rights – Rs 4 crore
Tamil satellite rights – Rs 3 crore
Telugu satellite rights – Rs 3 crore
Fans Shows Pre-sales + Advance booking in Kerala – Rs 5 crore
Advance booking sales from UAE – GCC – Rs 5.5 crore
Advance booking sales from ROI + ROW – Rs 1 crore
Tamil remake rights – Rs 4 crore
Telugu remake rights – Rs 5 crore
Branding with Airtel SIM – Rs 5 crore
Branding with Kingfisher – Rs 3 crore
Branding with MyG, Hedge & Others – Rs 2 crore
Branding with Confident Group – Rs 3 crore
Other sponsors – Rs 2 crore

Also Read | Odiyan pre-release business: Mohanlal film crosses Rs 100 crore benchmark

While @ImNidin tweeted, "Odiyan ends up being a big disappointment.Had so much potential @Mohanlal is the only positive aspect of the movie.Manju Warrier,Prakash Raj are completely wasted.Weak Script,poor execution @VA_Shrikumar you have us an explanation,big time. #Odiyan," @Im_amal963 posted on Twitter, "#Odiyan is pretty watchable movie with loads of heavy action with emotions mixed in appropriate ratio. Kudos to the director @mpadmakumar @Mohanlal @antonyperumbavoor." @jacobkorathu was also dissapointed by Odiyan, He wrote on Twitter, "Film is a mockery of the effort put in by Mohanlal. Strictly Average one. Sreekumar menon ???"

“I don’t believe that I have made a great film. But, I am sure that I have made a film that will entertain you. I consider it as my biggest blessing for the opportunity to show Mohanlal in ways that you all would like to see,” director VA Shrikumar Menon said at the audio launch of Odiyan in Dubai.

Also Read | Malayalam cinema has started to dream big with Odiyan: Director VA Shrikumar Menon

Mohanlal fans have not taken kindly to Bhartiya Janata Party's call for a hartal in Kerala. They have filled the comments section of the party's official Facebook page with abuses.

Also Read | Kerala hartal LIVE: BJP calls for dawn to dusk strike; shops and schools remain shut

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— IE Malayalam (@IeMalayalam) December 14, 2018

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— IE Malayalam (@IeMalayalam) December 14, 2018

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— IE Malayalam (@IeMalayalam) December 14, 2018

Kerala rises early, on a hartal day, not for work, but for Mohanlal's film Odiyan.

Forum Keralam posted on Twitter, "Yes, there was potential but an ambitious project like this needs skillful men behind this. With both the writer and director failing at their job, its a collosal disappointment. Expectations were lot from Peter Hein who rocked last time with Pulimurugan. But with an ordinary work, he is also in the blacklist here. Even the much talked about 'Odi' scenes aren't convincing as most of them looks silly. Coming to the cast, all the roles are poorly etched apart from Mohanlal and a talented protagonist material like Prakash Raj is offered a plastic character which is another flaw. Technically, the visuals are top notch and Sam's bgm work is commendable but the same cannot be said about editing which acts as a villain for the films non-linear narration. And about the hero Mohanlal, we all know how much effort and pain he has gone through for this project but in the wrong hands all of that goes in vain. But his appearance is one of the few positives in this weak film."

Despite Bhartiya Janata Party’s call for a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Kerala on Friday, fans are making a beeline to select theaters screening Mohanlal’s latest release, Odiyan.