In what comes as a big disappointment to Mollywood fans and supporters of the 2024 blockbuster Premalu, the film's sequel has allegedly been shelved. While the exact reason for the project's demise is unknown, sources close to the project in the industry have stated that Premalu 2 is not happening.
In mid-2025, Premalu 2 co-producer and popular director-actor Dileesh Pothan had mentioned technical reasons behind the film's delay at that point. Initially, the film had started pre-production in the first half of 2025 with the intention of releasing for Christmas 2025. However, subsequent delays meant that film's shoot didn't take off at all in the year.
Premalu was reportedly made on a budget of Rs 8-10 crore and the sequel allegedly had a bigger budget allocated to it. The comedy entertainer was also expected to have a far more extensive pre-production phase and this was the inital reason for Premalu 2 not starting on time.
According to the revised schedule, Premalu 2 was expected to take off in the first half of 2026 with the release planned for late 2026 or early 2026. Girish AD, who directed Premalu, has been busy with his Nivin Pauly-Mamitha Baiju starrer Bethlehem Kudumba Unit which is also produced by Bhavana Studios, makers of Premalu.
The shoot of Bethlehem Kudumba Unit is progressing at a brisk pace and the film is expected to release for Onam 2026. Meanwhile, Girish is expected to plan his next project soon after Bethlehem Kudumba Unit completes post-production. For now, Premalu 2 isn't happening and it'll be interesting to see if Bhavana Studios will restructure their plans for this project at a later window.
Premalu was a trend-setter during its release in February 2024 and ended up grossing over Rs 100 crore globally. Apart from being a smash hit in Kerala, the film also made waves in other territories of India, notably in Tamil Nadu and the Telugu states. The Naslen-Mamitha Baiju starrer has also been one of the most watched Malayalam films on television and OTT.