Full Breakdown
Malayalam Vampire Thriller “Half” Secures TIFF Midnight Madness Slot and Nationwide Hindi Release via Excel Entertainment
8/7/2026, 5:06:15 AM
Film Selected for TIFF Midnight Madness
The Malayalam-language action-horror “Half,” produced by Fragrant Nature Film Creations (FNFC), has been chosen for the Toronto International Film Festival’s Midnight Madness program. The film follows two half-blooded vampires on a violent hunt, blending high-speed road chases with a revenge plot rooted in vampire lore.
Production and Creative Team
“Half” is directed and co-written by Samjad, with a screenplay by Samjad and Praveen Viswanath. The cast includes Ranjith Sajeev, Aiswarya Raj, Abbas and Amala Paul. Action choreography was overseen by Very Tri Yulisman, who trained the leads for their own stunt work. The crew features Indian National Film Award winner Mahesh Bhuvanend (editor), Mohandas (production designer), Vishnu Govind (sound designer), cinematographer Pappinu and composer Midhun Mukundan. Production spanned 117 days across diverse locations—deserts of Rajasthan, Kerala’s hill country and snow-covered Kazakhstan.
Distribution Partnership
Excel Entertainment, co-founded by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar, will present and distribute “Half” in Hindi across North India in association with AA Films. This marks Excel’s first release of a Malayalam-language film. The movie is slated for simultaneous release in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Kannada, targeting a pan-Indian audience.
Official Statements
Producer Anne Sajeev emphasized the film’s ambition, noting that only a few movies manage to reach audiences beyond their birthplace. Co-founder Ritesh Sidhwani described the selection as an honor and expressed pride in representing Indian cinema on a global stage alongside FNFC and Excel Entertainment.
Upcoming Release and Market Position
Following FNFC’s earlier successes—including the 2024 mystery “Golam” and the acquisition of the 2026 Sundance winner “Josephine”—“Half” aims to expand the studio’s footprint in both domestic and international markets. The multilingual rollout positions the film to reach diverse regional audiences while showcasing a distinctive Indian take on the vampire genre.
