This Christmas, Malayalam superstar Mohanlal will present his directorial debut, a fantasy drama for children, Barroz: Guardian of Treasure, in theatres. The actor plays the title character, a genie who has been guarding Vasco da Gama’s hidden treasure for several centuries in order to hand it over to the true descendant of the Portuguese explorer.

Earlier today, Mohanlal revealed the trailer of his 3D film, and the response has been quite positive. That the film will be visually stunning is a given, with netizens in awe of the “Hollywood-level quality”, which makes it a must-watch. “It will be a good theatrical experience,’ is what most opined.

Positive response for Barroz trailer

“Barroz has the vibe of a Disney movie, with rich visuals. If it also establishes an emotional connect, then it will be a sure-shot winner,” opined a viewer. Another chimed in, “Peak Malayalam cinema; kids are going to enjoy Barroz this Christmas.” The trailer has, undoubtedly set expectations high.

While the response to the trailer has been overwhelmingly good, there have been stray voices raising concern if the subject will appeal to modern-day audiences. ““There are problems with the dialogues and the set design, , but the fact to remember here is that the target audience of the film is children,” wrote a viewer.

Initially based on a novel by Jijo Punnose, the director of India’s first 3D film, My Dear Kuttichathan, Barroz – Guardian of Treasure was changed drastically, including in the ethnicity of the title character, among others. So much so that Jijo eventually excused himself from collaborating on the project. His name does not feature on the credits anymore, as the final product is said to be far flung from what he had envisioned the story to be.

Barros features cinematography by Santhosh Sivan, while child prodigy pianist Lydian Nadhaswaram is behind the film’s music. The film was first mooted for release in march 2023, and has been pushed ahead multiple times. As of now, it is set to be in theatres on December 25, 2024.

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