Minnal Murali in Detective Ujjwalan? Producer Sophia Paul teases WCU crossover
Thiruvananthapuram: Producer Sophia Paul has hinted at the possibility of Minnal Murali making a cameo in the upcoming film Detective Ujjwalan, fueling speculation about a growing Malayalam superhero universe.
Speaking to Movie World Media, Paul said, “We did the first superhero movie in Malayalam. Following this, we received a number of ideas based on our first movie. From that, a thought arises—why not make it a superhero universe? The first movie in the franchise is Minnal Murali. The next one is Detective Ujjwalan. So forth, other films in the franchise would sometimes feature superheroes from past films.”
The remark has excited fans of Minnal Murali, the 2021 blockbuster that redefined the superhero genre in Malayalam cinema. Produced by Paul under her Weekend Blockbusters banner, the film starred Tovino Thomas as Jaison, an ordinary tailor turned superhero after a lightning strike. Its success laid the foundation for what’s now being referred to as the Weekend Cinematic Universe (WCU).
The next entry in the WCU, Detective Ujjwalan, which is set to be released in theatres on May 16, 2025, promises a genre shift—from superhero action to a detective comedy. Directed by Indranil Gopikrishnan and Rahul G, the film stars Dhyan Sreenivasan as the titular detective and Siju Wilson as a police officer. The teaser hints at a humorous yet suspenseful ride, filled with classic whodunit tropes and a local Kerala flavour. Ever since the film's announcement, fans have been eagerly speculating whether the character of Minnal Murali will make a cameo appearance in the movie. However, last year, the Ernakulam District Court issued an injunction preventing further production, distribution, or commercialisation of characters from Minnal Murali. The action followed a petition filed by Minnal Murali writers Arun AR and Justin Mathew, claiming their characters were being used without permission in the upcoming film Detective Ujjwalan.
The film’s ensemble cast includes Kottayam Nazeer, Seema G Nair, Ronnie David, Nihal Nizam, and Nirmal Palazhi, supported by a strong technical team led by cinematographers Prem Akkattu and Shrayanti, music director Ramees RC, and editor Chaman Chacko. Production designer Koyas M and sound designer Sachin Sudhakaran aim to elevate the theatrical experience.