At 65, Mohanlal proves he’s not slowing down anytime soon. Hot on the heels of his record-breaking hit L2: Empuraan, the Malayalam superstar was soon back with Thudarum, a family crime drama that’s already left a mark at the box office and is now headed to streaming. While L2: Empuraan made its digital debut on JioHotstar on April 24, followed by its Hindi-dubbed release on May 23, it’s now Thudarum’s turn to join OTT. So if you missed the theatre run or just want to rewatch the film from the comfort of your couch, here’s everything you need to know about Thurdarum’s OTT release.
When and where to watch Thudarum on OTT
Thudarum is set to start streaming on JioHotstar from May 30, 2025. The announcement was made by the platform via a post on X (formerly Twitter), much to the delight of fans. While the film will stream in its original Malayalam version, it will also be available in dubbed Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi, thus broadening its reach to a pan-India audience.
The OTT release comes just over a month after the film’s theatrical debut on April 25, where it created a stir both critically and commercially.
Thudarum plot
Thudarum follows the story of Shanmugham, better known as Benz (played by Mohanlal), who is a former stuntman now leading a quiet life as a taxi driver. A devoted family man, Benz’s most treasured possession is his vintage black Ambassador Mark 1. But when the car is seized by the police as part of a criminal investigation, his otherwise simple life spirals into chaos.
The film brings together a stellar cast, including Shobana, Prakash Varma, Farhaan Faasil, Maniyanpilla Raju, Binu Pappu, Thomas Mathew, Amritha Varshini, Irshad Ali, and Aarsha Chandini Baiju.
In an interesting twist, Mohanlal was simultaneously filming Thudarum and L2: Empuraan, portraying two vastly different characters—a grounded family man in one, and a don in the other. Director Tharun Moorthy, speaking to The Hindu, shared his admiration for the veteran actor’s versatility. “He slipped into Shanmughan, the common man, from Khureshi Ab’raam, the don, with so much ease. That comes from 47 years of experience,” Moorthy said.
He also credited Empuraan’s massive scale and appeal for setting the stage for Thudarum’s wider reception. “I am impressed by the visual scape of Empuraan. The scale at which Raju [actor-director Prithviraj Sukumaran] mounted the movie opened the market for Malayalam cinema in other languages. Empuraan is a big reason for Thudarum getting a big opening and entry into other markets.”
While L2: Empuraan has become the highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time, Thudarum isn’t far behind in the records department. The film made history as the first Malayalam movie to cross Rs 100 crore in Kerala alone, which is a major milestone for regional cinema.
Thudarum is ready to stream starting May 30. Don’t miss it.