{"id":5625,"date":"2026-08-06T14:41:41","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T14:41:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=5625"},"modified":"2026-08-06T14:41:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T14:41:41","slug":"farhan-akhtar-and-ritesh-sidhwanis-excel-entertainment-aa-films-board-toronto-midnight-madness-malayalam-vampire-thriller-half-exclusive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=5625","title":{"rendered":"Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani\u2019s Excel Entertainment, AA Films Board Toronto Midnight Madness Malayalam Vampire Thriller \u2018Half\u2019 (EXCLUSIVE)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div>\n<!-- do not apply CSS styles to this element! --><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>\n\tToronto Midnight Madness selection \u201cHalf,\u201d the Malayalam vampire action thriller from Fragrant Nature Film Creations (FNFC), has been boarded by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar\u2019s Excel Entertainment, which will present and distribute the film in Hindi across North India in association with AA Films.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=5623\">Toronto Midnight Madness Film \u2018Kick On\u2019 Boarded by Blue Finch for Sales (EXCLUSIVE)<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\u201cHalf\u201d will be Excel\u2019s first release from the Malayalam-language film industry.<\/p>\n<p>\n\tDirected by Samjad and written by Praveen Viswanath and Samjad, \u201cHalf\u201d stars Ranjith Sajeev, Aiswarya Raj, Abbas and Amala Paul. The film is produced by Anne Sajeev and Sajeev P.K. and follows two half-blooded vampires on a violent hunt, blending high-speed road chases with a revenge plot set against vampire lore.<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\u201cEvery film begins with a dream, but only a few are fortunate enough to find an audience beyond where they were born,\u201d said Anne Sajeev, producer at FNFC. \u201cFrom the moment we believed in \u2018Half,\u2019 we knew we were backing a bold new world \u2013 one that felt fresh, unexpected and full of possibilities. Seeing it evolve into a film now premiering on the world stage at TIFF is both deeply rewarding and humbling. I am especially happy to see our director, Samjad, make his debut on the global stage through this film. We are proud to have Excel Entertainment and AA Films on board, sharing our belief in \u2018Half\u2019 and partnering with us to bring it to audiences across India and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\n\tSamjad, director and co-writer of \u201cHalf,\u201d described the film\u2019s approach to genre. \u201c\u2018Half\u2019 approaches vampire lore through a lens of pure grit and real-time intensity, completely bypassing slow motion to keep the experience visceral,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s an absolute honor to be selected for TIFF, and I\u2019m deeply proud to represent Indian cinema on a global stage with Fragrant Nature Film Creations and my producers Anne Sajeev and Sajeev P.K., who built this project alongside me. We are really happy to give audiences this experience on the big screen together with Excel Entertainment who is presenting the film for us in India.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\n\tRitesh Sidhwani, co-founder of Excel Entertainment, said: \u201cI\u2019ve always been excited by films that dare to be different, and \u2018Half\u2019 stood out from the very first viewing. It has a unique cinematic voice &amp; a strong creative vision. I\u2019m delighted to support its theatrical journey and look forward to audiences discovering this remarkable film on the big screen.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\n\tFarhan Akhtar, co-founder of Excel Entertainment, added: \u201cThere\u2019s something raw and visceral in Samjad\u2019s presentation that really got my attention. It grabs you by the intestines and just doesn\u2019t let go. Absolutely thrilled to be on board and take this film to the audience.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=5621\">Fox Appears to Block NFL\u2019s Effort to Re-Do Massive Rights Deal<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\u201cHalf\u201d reunites FNFC with the writing team of Samjad and Praveen Viswanath for a second time, following their 2024 mystery \u201cGolam,\u201d which also paired Ranjith Sajeev with Dileesh Pothan.<\/p>\n<p>\n\tAction choreographer Very Tri Yulisman, whose credits include \u201cThe Raid 2\u201d and \u201cThe Night Comes for Us,\u201d spent several months coaching Ranjith Sajeev and Aiswarya Raj so the actors could handle their own stunt work. Members of his team also contributed to the recent action hit \u201cThe Furious.\u201d \u201cHalf\u201d was made without any slow-motion sequences.<\/p>\n<p>\n\tBehind the camera, the crew includes Indian National Film Award winners Mahesh Bhuvanend as editor, Mohandas as production designer and Vishnu Govind as sound designer, alongside cinematographer Pappinu and composer Midhun Mukundan.<\/p>\n<p>\n\tProduction ran 117 days across a mix of terrains, from the deserts of Rajasthan and Kerala\u2019s hill country to the snow-covered landscapes of Kazakhstan. Conceived for a pan-Indian audience, \u201cHalf\u201d is set to release in the Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Kannada languages. <\/p>\n<p>\n\tFNFC entered the industry with the Mohanlal starrer \u201cPranayam\u201d and has more recently moved into acquiring international titles for the Indian market, picking up 2026 Sundance winner \u201cJosephine\u201d and the Oscar-nominated \u201cLittle Am\u00e9lie or the Character of Rain.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=5619\">\u2018Primetime\u2019 Trailer: Robert Pattinson Suits Up as \u2018To Catch a Predator\u2019 Host Chris Hansen in A24 Crime Thriller<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Toronto Midnight Madness selection, Malayalam vampire thriller &#8216;Half,&#8217; has been boarded by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar\u2019s Excel Entertainment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5624,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1158,4393,4394,2124],"class_list":["post-5625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-film","tag-farhan-akhtar","tag-half","tag-ritesh-sidhwani-2","tag-toronto-film-festival-2"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - 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