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Updated May 20, 2026 · 10:26
Malayalam Cinema News Updated May 20, 2026

Pepe Returns as Antony Varghese in Pan-Indian Thriller 'Kattalan'

The makers of director Paul George's pan-Indian Malayalam film 'Kattalan' have revealed that lead actor Pepe plays a character called Antony Varghese, which is his real name. Pepe was previously known for playing Vincent Pepe in 'Angamaly Diaries'. The film also features Telugu actor Sunil as Maari and Tamil actress Dushara Vijayan as Lucy. 'Kattalan' is produced by Cube Entertainments and will release worldwide on May 28, 2026.

Pepe plays Antony Varghese in 'Kattalan'

Chennai, May 20

The makers of director Paul George's pan-Indian Malayalam film 'Kattalan', featuring actor Pepe in the lead, have now disclosed that he plays a character called Antony Varghese in the film.

Interestingly, Antony Varghese is the original name of the actor and he was often referred to as Pepe after he played the character Vincent Pepe in his earlier film, 'Angamaly Diaries'.

Cube Entertainments, the production house producing the film, took to its Instagram handle to make the announcement.

It wrote, "Kattalan Character Reveal #1 - Pepe as Antony Varghese. KATTALAN Worldwide Release on May 28. Get ready for the HUNT. Worldwide Release on May 28,2026."

The makers have also disclosed that Telugu actor Sunil plays a character called Maari while Tamil actress Dushara Vijayan played a character called Lucy in their film.

While Kabir Duhan Singh plays Eddy, Parth Tiwarii plays a character called Roby in the film. Raj Tirandasu, who impressed audiences with his performance in pan-Indian film Pushpa, will be seen playing a character called Maari 95 in the film.

The makers of the film had earlier welcomed ace music director Ravi Basrur on board the unit of the film. The announcement had come as a surprise to many as earlier, the production house had announced Ajaneesh Loknath, the musical genius behind 'Kantara 2', as the film's music composer.

In February this year, the makers had announced that shooting for their film had been wrapped up. While the makers had previously announced that the film would hit screens on May 14 this year, the announcement on completion of filming had only May mentioned and the date of release missing in it.

The production house had won hearts when late last year, it paid tribute to the stuntmen who had worked on the film.

The production house had then released the footage of a four-wheeler turning turtle during the filming of a stunt sequence and offered their salutations to brave stuntmen, whose courage enabled film units to shoot such sequences.

The film has triggered huge interest in fans and film buffs. For the unaware, producer Shareef Muhammed of Cubes Entertainments, best known for making the blockbuster 'Marco', is back with his next ambitious venture titled 'Kattalan', a high-octane pan-Indian action thriller that is being directed by Paul George.

While actor Antony Varghese (Pepe) and actress Rajisha Vijayan play the lead in the film, it will also feature Rapper Baby Jean, Telugu actor Sunil, best known for his performances in blockbusters like 'Pushpa: The Rise' (2021), 'Pushpa 2' (2024) and 'Jailer' (2023), actor Kabir Duhan Singh, known for his intense screen presence and powerful performances across multiple languages and veteran Malayalam actors Jagadeesh and Siddique in pivotal roles.

Story for the film has been penned by Paul George, Joby Varghese and Jero Jacob. The dynamic trio is making its sensational writing debut with 'Kattalan'. Sources say that the writers have blended raw storytelling energy with cinematic vision to craft a gritty, high-stakes narrative that thrusts audiences deep into the world of power, betrayal, and the deadly missions.

The film has choreography by Sharief. Costumes for the film are by Dhanya Balakrishnan and cinematography is by Renadive. Editing for the film is by Shameer Muhammed.

— IANS

Reader Comments

Priya S

Interesting choice to have Pepe's character name be his real name. But I hope the movie doesn't rely too much on star power and actually delivers a solid story. That stunt video they released of the car flipping was insane though - respect to the stuntmen! 🙏

Siddharth J

Pan-Indian wave is real! Malayalam cinema is on fire lately - first Marco, now Kattalan with a killer cast including Sunil, Kabir Duhan Singh, and Rajisha Vijayan. The Ravi Basrur vs Ajaneesh Loknath confusion was funny, but both are legends. Hope the story matches the hype. 🔥

Michael C

As someone who's followed Malayalam cinema from abroad, seeing this kind of crossover is amazing. The character names - Antony Varghese, Maari, Lucy, Eddy, Roby, Maari 95 - sound like a wild mix. My only concern is that pan-Indian films sometimes lose the local flavor. Hope they keep it authentic.

Nisha Z

Wait, Ravi Basrur replaced Ajaneesh Loknath? That's a big change! But Ravi Basrur's work in KGF is legendary so I'm not complaining. Also thrilled to see Rajisha Vijayan - she's a powerhouse performer. The production quality from Cubes Entertainments (Marco makers) gives me high hopes. 🤞

David E

Love the respect for stuntmen with that tribute video. That's classy. The writing team of Paul George, Joby Varghese, and Jero Jacob making their debut

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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