Chennai, Jan 15 (NationPress) The creators of director Vysakh's highly anticipated revenge thriller 'Khalifa' have officially welcomed Bollywood star Neil Nitin Mukesh to the Malayalam film arena.

Leading man Prithviraj Sukumaran, who stars in this captivating thriller centered around gold smuggling, extended his warm wishes to the Bollywood actor on the occasion of his birthday.

On his Instagram account, he posted, "Happy birthday Neil Nitin Mukesh! Welcome to the Malayalam film industry! #KHALIFA"

For those unfamiliar, Prithviraj portrays a character named Aamir Ali in the film. It’s worth noting that during his last birthday, he shared a sneak peek video of Khalifa.

He remarked, "A revenge forged by a lineage that spans generations! Next Onam... Aamir Ali will inscribe his vengeance in gold! #KHALIFA - The Ruler."

The glimpse video opens with a news bulletin revealing that police and customs officials have uncovered a multi-million dollar gold smuggling scheme linked to the Middle East. The operation, as reported, is facilitated through networks in London, Nepal, and Kerala.

Next, we see an elderly man being interrogated by a customs officer named Panicker, who warns the subject that his colleague Aamir is finished and can be arrested anywhere in India. Panicker attempts to intimidate the individual by referencing the COFEPOSA act.

The interrogated man responds, "Do you know how the COFEPOSA came into existence?" This is followed by exhilarating action sequences featuring Prithviraj. The individual elaborates on the origins of the COFEPOSA act, mentioning notorious figures such as Sukur Naren Bakhia and Haji Mastan, and how these individuals led to the act's introduction by Mrs. Gandhi in 1974.

The video reveals that Prithviraj Sukumaran embodies Aamir Ali in what promises to be a thrilling ride filled with edge-of-the-seat chases and stunts.

It’s noteworthy that Prithviraj completed filming for his segments in the UK schedule of the movie and returned to India in August of last year.

Since its announcement, the film has sparked immense excitement among fans and cinema enthusiasts. At the start of the project, Vysakh shared on Instagram, "The journey of #Khalifa officially begins! Our pooja ceremony for this ambitious film, starring the incredible @therealprithvi, took place today. I’m beyond excited to collaborate with Prithviraj after 15 long years!"

He continued, "Preparing for an exhilarating journey, with our first schedule commencing in London on August 6th. This project boasts a powerhouse team - scripted by Jinu Abraham, visuals by Jomon T John, music by rising star Jakes Bejoy, editing by Chaman Chacko, styling by Mashar Hamza, and action directed by Yannick Ben. We seek all your blessings for this venture."

Initially announced in 2022, the film officially began production in 2025 and was originally slated to be filmed in Dubai, Nepal, and Kerala, but has now shifted to locations in the UK.

This marks Prithviraj's second collaboration with Vysakh in over 15 years following their successful film 'Pokkiri Raja' and will be his next project with writer Jinu V Abraham, who penned 'Kaduva'.