Prithviraj Sukumaran has pushed back against mounting comparisons between his upcoming film ‘Vilaayath Budha’ and Allu Arjun’s blockbuster ‘Pushpa’ series, stressing that the project was conceived long before the hit Telugu franchise entered production.

Speaking at the trailer launch held at Lulu Mall in Kochi, the actor addressed speculation over similarities between his character, Double Mohanan, and Arjun’s titular role, both of whom are depicted as sandalwood smugglers.

The teaser for ‘Vilaayath Budha’, released two months ago, had itself acknowledged the inevitable parallels with a tongue-in-cheek Pushpa reference, prompting widespread discussion among fans.

Pushpa hadn’t been released

Prithviraj clarified that the idea for ‘Vilaayath Budha’ dates back to filmmaker Sachy’s original vision, developed well before ‘Pushpa: Part 1’ arrived in cinemas.

“When Sachy first conceived this idea and brought it to me, ‘Pushpa’ hadn’t even come out. Back then, we didn’t know that another movie about a sandalwood smuggler was in the works. Or that after release, it would become a worldwide phenomenon. Unfortunately, when ‘Vilaayath Budha’ was nearing completion, both ‘Pushpa’ films were released, and the character became a sensation. We acknowledged that (in the teaser),” he said.

The film is adapted from GR Indugopan’s novel of the same name, with the screenplay crafted jointly by the author and Rajesh Pinnadan. It was originally meant to be directed by Sachy, known for ‘Ayyappanum Koshiyum’, but after his sudden death in 2020, his associate Jayan Nambiar took charge of the project.

The character bears no resemblance to ‘Pushpa’

Prithviraj said he understands why viewers unfamiliar with the source material might assume the film drew inspiration from ‘Pushpa’, especially given the forest-set visuals and smuggling backdrop showcased in the trailer. Yet he maintained that the intention and characterisation were entirely independent.

He also added that the Pushpa-referencing dialogue featured in the teaser may not appear in the final cut of the film. “The character (of Double Mohanan) bears no resemblance to Pushpa,” he clarified.

Production timeline and release

‘Vilaayath Budha’ began shooting in 2022 but progressed in multiple schedules, partly due to Prithviraj’s commitments to his directorial venture ‘L2 Empuraan’ with Mohanlal, released earlier this year. The actor, last seen in ‘Sarzameen’, is next set to appear in ‘Varanasi’ and ‘Daayra’.

The trailer, marked by a gritty tone and rugged woodland setting, sparked immediate comparisons on social media with ‘Pushpa’, fuelling already heightened expectations for the film.

‘Vilaayath Budha’ is scheduled to hit theatres on November 21.