After Germany win, Nimisha Sajayan’s ‘Enna Vilai’ heads to Istanbul Film Festival
Sajeev Pazhoor’s much-anticipated socio-political family thriller ‘Enna Vilai’, starring Nimisha Sajayan and Karunaas in the lead, has added another international festival honour to its journey. After winning the Best Feature Film award at the Mannheim Arts and Film Festival in Germany, the film has now been officially selected for the Kaia International Film Festival 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey.
Nimisha Sajayan shared the news with her followers on Instagram, announcing that Enna Vilai will screen at the Istanbul festival. The actress also confirmed that the film is set to hit theatres in September 2026.
The film has already been generating interest among critics and film enthusiasts, with its socio-political storyline set against a family drama. Its festival run has also brought recognition to the team, including the Best Screenplay Award at the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival.
Interestingly, the film's journey began with a gesture that had little to do with the usual glitz and glamour of a first-look launch. Instead of getting a celebrity to unveil the first look, the makers chose to hand the honour to the residents of Paalam village in Dhanushkodi, where a large part of the film was shot.
The decision was the team's way of thanking the villagers who had welcomed the cast and crew during the shoot. The residents came together to launch the first look, turning what could have been a routine promotional event into a warm celebration of the bond formed between the filmmakers and the local community.
Producer Githesh V had earlier explained that the team wanted the film to begin its public journey with a gesture of gratitude. He said the people of Paalam had made the crew feel at home during the shoot, making them the natural choice to unveil the first look.
Director Sajeev Pazhoor shared a similar sentiment, saying that while filmmakers often use locations to tell their stories, there are times when the places and the people themselves become part of the filmmaking experience. For him, the people of Paalam became an important part of Enna Vilai, making the village-led first-look launch particularly meaningful.
Produced by Kalamaya Films under the banner of Githesh V, Enna Vilai has been written and directed by Sajeev Pazhoor. Alongside Nimisha Sajayan and Karunaas, the film features Y. Gee. Mahendran, Poornima Bhagyaraj, Mohan Ram, Lollu Sabha Swaminathan, Kavithalayaa Krishna, Deepa Shankar, Mottai Rajendran, Nakkalites Kavi and several others.
With its international festival recognition continuing to grow, ‘Enna Vilai’ is now gearing up for its theatrical release in September 2026.
With agency inputs