Mumbai: ZEE5 has announced its much-awaited entry into the Malayalam market with its first-ever original series Kammattam. Timed with the auspicious festival of Onam, the six-episode crime thriller is inspired by one of Thrissur’s most controversial real-life incidents and is set to premiere on 5th September 2025, exclusively on ZEE5.
Directed by Shan Thulasidharan and produced by 23 Feet Productions, Kammattam stars Sudev Nair in the lead, supported by a strong ensemble cast including Jins, Jeo Baby, Ajay Vaasudev, Akhil Kavalayoor, Arun Sol, Sreerekha, and Jordy Poonjaa. The trailer was unveiled by Malayalam superstar Tovino Thomas, who extended his best wishes to the team and celebrated ZEE5’s foray into Malayalam originals.
Malayalam and Tamil ZEE5’s Business Head, & Sr. VP Marketing South, Lloyd C Xavier said, “Launching Kammattam as ZEE5’s first Malayalam original is more than just a strategic move; it’s a cultural and emotional milestone for us. Onam, a festival celebrating new beginnings and togetherness, was the perfect time to mark our entry into Malayalam storytelling. With Kammattam, we bring a series that is powerful, layered, and based on true incidents which happened in Thrissur. This marks the beginning of our long-term commitment to Malayalam originals, and we are proud to start this journey with a story that is authentic to its soil and impactful for audiences across India and beyond.”
Actor Sudev Nair said, “Kammattam has been one of my career’s most challenging and rewarding journeys. The character I play demanded emotional depth and honesty in portraying human behavior’s silences, fears, and contradictions. Stories like these linger long after the cameras stop rolling, and I’m proud it has found its home as ZEE5’s first Malayalam original. Releasing on September 5th, just in time for Onam, a festival of new beginnings, this series feels especially significant. For me, Kammattam marks a turning point where our stories, deeply rooted in Kerala yet universal in appeal, will reach audiences across India and the world. I believe viewers will not only be gripped by the suspense but also resonate with the real emotions at its heart.”
Director Shan Thulasidharan said, “When I began shaping Kammattam, I knew it wasn’t just about narrating a crime, it was about peeling back the layers of silence, betrayal, and morality that lie beneath a chilling real-life incident. Bringing that vision to the screen required a platform that values authenticity and emotional depth, and I couldn’t have asked for a better home than ZEE5. To see this story become their very first Malayalam original is humbling as a filmmaker, because it means Malayalam storytelling is being given the prominence it deserves on a national and global stage. I truly hope audiences experience not just the suspense of Kammattam, but also the cultural and human truths that lie at its core. This series is a testament to the power of regional stories when amplified on the right platform.”
Kammattam premieres this Onam on 5th September, only on ZEE5.
