Malayalam filmmaker Vineeth Sreenivasan, known for his string of feel-good hits, is back with a thriller after years of lighter fare. His latest project, ‘Karam’, stars Noble Babu Thomas, who not only plays the lead but also penned the story and screenplay, marking a notable departure from Vineeth’s usual style.

Breaking away from tradition, Vineeth began shooting ‘Karam’ without a formal announcement, and none of the familiar faces from his earlier films are part of the cast. The ensemble includes Manoj K Jayan, Baburaj, Kalabhavan Shajohn, Shabeer Kallarakkal, Sayaji Shinde, Johnny Antony, and Shwetha Menon, along with a few international actors. Shaan Rahman has composed the music, while Jomon T John handles cinematography.

In a recent interview with Rekha Menon for her YouTube channel, Vineeth addressed why his younger brother, actor Dhyan Sreenivasan, who has previously collaborated with him, is absent from the film. “In this? Then he would go and tell everyone the storyline. If he tells the story of the thriller… then what’s the point,” Vineeth said with a playful smile. He added, “There wasn’t a single role in this film that Dhyan could have done.”

Vineeth also shared a personal moment about presenting the film to his father, veteran actor and filmmaker Sreenivasan. “Noble and I went together to present this to my father. Noble has known my father since school. My father held him close and blessed him,” he recounted.

‘Karam’ represents Vineeth’s return to the thriller genre, following his earlier hit ‘Thira’, which also starred Dhyan in the lead. His previous film, ‘Varshangalkku Shesham’, though commercially successful, faced criticism on OTT platforms and sparked discussions involving Dhyan. However, Vineeth emphasised that ‘Karam’ was crafted entirely outside that dynamic, with no roles suited to his brother.

The film is set to showcase a gripping narrative backed by a fresh ensemble and marks another collaboration between Vineeth and composer Shaan Rahman, promising a thriller experience distinct from his signature feel-good repertoire.