Toronto Midnight Madness selection “Half,” the Malayalam vampire action thriller from Fragrant Nature Film Creations (FNFC), has been boarded by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Entertainment, which will present and distribute the film in Hindi across North India in association with AA Films.
“Half” will be Excel’s first release from the Malayalam-language film industry.
Directed by Samjad and written by Praveen Viswanath and Samjad, “Half” stars Ranjith Sajeev, Aiswarya Raj, Abbas and Amala Paul. The film is produced by Anne Sajeev and Sajeev P.K. and follows two half-blooded vampires on a violent hunt, blending high-speed road chases with a revenge plot set against vampire lore.
“Every film begins with a dream, but only a few are fortunate enough to find an audience beyond where they were born,” said Anne Sajeev, producer at FNFC. “From the moment we believed in ‘Half,’ we knew we were backing a bold new world – one that felt fresh, unexpected and full of possibilities. Seeing it evolve into a film now premiering on the world stage at TIFF is both deeply rewarding and humbling. I am especially happy to see our director, Samjad, make his debut on the global stage through this film. We are proud to have Excel Entertainment and AA Films on board, sharing our belief in ‘Half’ and partnering with us to bring it to audiences across India and beyond.”
Samjad, director and co-writer of “Half,” described the film’s approach to genre. “‘Half’ approaches vampire lore through a lens of pure grit and real-time intensity, completely bypassing slow motion to keep the experience visceral,” he said. “It’s an absolute honor to be selected for TIFF, and I’m deeply proud to represent Indian cinema on a global stage with Fragrant Nature Film Creations and my producers Anne Sajeev and Sajeev P.K., who built this project alongside me. We are really happy to give audiences this experience on the big screen together with Excel Entertainment who is presenting the film for us in India.”
Ritesh Sidhwani, co-founder of Excel Entertainment, said: “I’ve always been excited by films that dare to be different, and ‘Half’ stood out from the very first viewing. It has a unique cinematic voice & a strong creative vision. I’m delighted to support its theatrical journey and look forward to audiences discovering this remarkable film on the big screen.”
Farhan Akhtar, co-founder of Excel Entertainment, added: “There’s something raw and visceral in Samjad’s presentation that really got my attention. It grabs you by the intestines and just doesn’t let go. Absolutely thrilled to be on board and take this film to the audience.”
“Half” reunites FNFC with the writing team of Samjad and Praveen Viswanath for a second time, following their 2024 mystery “Golam,” which also paired Ranjith Sajeev with Dileesh Pothan.
Action choreographer Very Tri Yulisman, whose credits include “The Raid 2” and “The Night Comes for Us,” spent several months coaching Ranjith Sajeev and Aiswarya Raj so the actors could handle their own stunt work. Members of his team also contributed to the recent action hit “The Furious.” “Half” was made without any slow-motion sequences.
Behind the camera, the crew includes Indian National Film Award winners Mahesh Bhuvanend as editor, Mohandas as production designer and Vishnu Govind as sound designer, alongside cinematographer Pappinu and composer Midhun Mukundan.
Production ran 117 days across a mix of terrains, from the deserts of Rajasthan and Kerala’s hill country to the snow-covered landscapes of Kazakhstan. Conceived for a pan-Indian audience, “Half” is set to release in the Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Kannada languages.
FNFC entered the industry with the Mohanlal starrer “Pranayam” and has more recently moved into acquiring international titles for the Indian market, picking up 2026 Sundance winner “Josephine” and the Oscar-nominated “Little Amélie or the Character of Rain.”
