Anoop Sathyan Before L368: Who Directs Mohanlal's Next Film
Mohanlal's L368 started shooting in Kochi on 30 October. Meet director Anoop Sathyan, son of Sathyan Anthikad, what he made before, and what has really been confirmed.
On this page
Short answer: Anoop Sathyan is the writer-director whose only feature so far is Varane Avashyamund (2020), a Chennai-set romantic comedy with Suresh Gopi, Shobana, Dulquer Salmaan and Kalyani Priyadarshan. He is the son of veteran filmmaker Sathyan Anthikad, and on 30 October 2026 he began shooting his second film, tentatively titled L368, with Mohanlal in the lead. If you want to know what to expect, watch Varane Avashyamund first, then pick one or two Sathyan Anthikad–Mohanlal classics for context.
The news is fresh. The pooja for L368 was held in Kochi on Friday, 30 October, and filming started the same day at Kakkanad. Mohanlal confirmed it on his social channels, and Malayalam and national outlets ran the first-look poster. This guide pulls together what has actually been reported, so you can separate confirmed facts from the usual rumour mill.
Who is Anoop Sathyan?
A film family
Anoop is one of the twin sons of Sathyan Anthikad, the director behind a long run of Malayalam family comedies and dramas. Wikipedia lists his brothers as Arun and Anoop's twin, Akhil Sathyan, who is also a director: Akhil's debut was Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum (2023), and his second film, Sarvam Maya, was released in December 2025. Anoop's own debut came first, with Varane Avashyamund in February 2020.
Learning on other people's sets
Before directing, Anoop worked on other filmmakers' units. Wikipedia's page for Ezhu Sundara Rathrikal (2013) notes that he was working as an associate of Lal Jose on that film and appears in a small cameo. It is a useful reminder that the "director's son" label only tells part of the story: he spent years inside the craft before getting his own film.
Varane Avashyamund: the one film to know
Released in theatres on 7 February 2020, Varane Avashyamund ("Groom Wanted") was written and directed by Anoop. Dulquer Salmaan produced it under his Wayfarer Films banner and also acted in it. According to Wikipedia, the story is set in an apartment complex in Chennai and explores love, family and relationships through a divorced woman, her daughter, and the neighbours next door.
- Cast: Suresh Gopi, Shobana, Dulquer Salmaan and Kalyani Priyadarshan.
- Music: Alphons Joseph. Cinematography: Mukesh Muraleedharan. Editing: V. S. Vinayak.
- Why it was talked about: it was marketed as Suresh Gopi's return to acting after a gap of about five years, Shobana's Malayalam comeback after her last Malayalam film, Thira (2013), and Kalyani's Malayalam debut. Wikipedia reports positive reviews for the cast, screenplay and direction.
In a February 2020 Cinema Express interview, Anoop said he enjoyed being able to use "actor Dulquer" in the film rather than "superstar Dulquer". That choice is typical of the film: a character-led, dialogue-heavy comedy where the stars serve the ensemble. It is also the best clue to his taste before L368.
What we know about L368
These details come from the launch coverage by Cinema Express, Onmanorama, Rediff and Ground News' roundup of reports. We have separated what was announced from what Anoop has said about the tone.
Confirmed
- Title: L368 is a working title. It follows Mohanlal's film count: Sathyan Anthikad said at the launch that he has directed 20 of Mohanlal's 368 films.
- Producers: Binu George Alexander, with Antony Perumbavoor presenting under the Aashirvad Cinemas banner. Onmanorama notes Alexander as the producer behind Balti.
- Cast named so far: Mohanlal and Mukesh in pivotal roles, plus Aju Varghese, Rajesh Madhavan, Eva Thennal and Sangeeth Prathap. Cinema Express adds three theatre artists from Maharashtra and Karnataka.
- Crew: cinematographer Shehnad Jalal, production designer Prashanth Madhav and composer Jakes Bejoy. Anoop is writing, directing and editing.
- Locations: Kochi to start, then Idukki, Mangaluru and other parts of Karnataka.
- First-look poster: Mohanlal with two children by the coast. Outlets describe the mood differently (a beach, a coastal road, an "I love you" sign), so treat the poster as a tone-setter, not a plot summary.
Tone: not a typical Anthikad film
In an August interview with Cinema Express, Anoop called the film a "quirky comedy action thriller with an emotional core". Cinema Express notes this is a departure from the style usually associated with his father's cinema. That matters, because the obvious shortcut is to call every Sathyan–Mohanlal-adjacent project a gentle family comedy. This one is being sold as something sharper.
Not confirmed
No release date, final title, plot or runtime has been announced as of 2 November 2026. Shooting has only just begun, so any "release date" you see on social media is guesswork. We will not repeat one here.
Why the Mohanlal link is more than a coincidence
At the launch, Sathyan Anthikad recalled that young Anoop would be crestfallen if Mohanlal was not the lead in his father's film. Onmanorama reports that, after an argument at home, the boy once announced that he was leaving for Mohanlal's house. Mohanlal himself said he had been part of Sathyan's films "from the first to the last", and that working with the son continues a long journey.
Onmanorama lists Nadodikkattu, Gandhinagar 2nd Street and Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam among the Sathyan–Mohanlal classics, with Hridayapoorvam as their latest collaboration. Sathyan added that his own next film will also star Mohanlal. So Mohanlal is lined up to work with both father and son back to back, which is a rare pairing in any industry.
A short watch order before the new film
- Varane Avashyamund (2020): the only Anoop Sathyan feature to date. Check which streaming platform carries it in your country; avoid unofficial full-film uploads.
- Nadodikkattu (1987): the Sathyan Anthikad–Mohanlal comedy that every Malayali brings up first.
- Gandhinagar 2nd Street and Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam: two more in the same partnership, useful for seeing the family's comedy style that L368 is said to move away from.
- Hridayapoorvam: the most recent Sathyan–Mohanlal film, with Sangeeth Prathap, who also appears in L368.
Where this fits in Malayalam cinema right now
A second-generation director with an established star is a story the industry has told before, and it sits alongside a wider pattern of newer directors landing big-name leads. We wrote about that in our Tharun Moorthy watch guide and about Girish A.D. If you like following directors rather than stars, our directors to follow list and the new-generation wave piece are good next reads. For the veteran end of the spectrum, see Adoor Gopalakrishnan's films and the Padayaatra reunion. Looking for something to stream this week? Try best Malayalam movies on OTT and upcoming Malayalam movies.
FAQ
Who is directing Mohanlal's L368?
Anoop Sathyan, who also writes and edits it. It is his second feature after Varane Avashyamund (2020).
Is Anoop Sathyan related to Sathyan Anthikad?
Yes. He is Sathyan Anthikad's son, and his twin brother Akhil Sathyan is also a director.
When does L368 release?
No release date has been announced. Principal photography began on 30 October 2026 in Kochi.
What genre is L368?
Anoop has described it as a quirky comedy action thriller with an emotional core.
Who else is in the cast?
Mukesh, Aju Varghese, Rajesh Madhavan, Eva Thennal and Sangeeth Prathap have been named, along with three theatre artists from Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Sources: Cinema Express, "Mohanlal-Anoop Sathyan's L 368 commences filming" (30 October 2026) and its August 2026 interview with Anoop Sathyan; Onmanorama, "After a six-year hiatus, director Anoop Sathyan returns with a Mohanlal film" (30 October 2026); Rediff/PTI, "Actor Mohanlal starts shooting for Anoop Sathyan's L368" (31 October 2026); Wikipedia, "Varane Avashyamund", "Akhil Sathyan", "Sathyan Anthikad" and "Ezhu Sundara Rathrikal".
