Nivin Pauly on BKU’s Rs 331 cr record and LCU villain turn

Malayalam star Nivin Pauly is in an interesting place: he has just headlined Mollywood’s highest-grossing film, and he is already preparing to surprise audiences in the Lokesh Cinematic Universe. In a conversation with Variety India, the actor reflected on why Bethlehem Kudumba Unit clicked, how his friendship with Mamitha Baiju shaped the romance, and what lies ahead.

Small film, record result

Directed by Girish AD, Bethlehem Kudumba Unit has crossed Rs 331 crore, becoming Malayalam cinema’s highest grosser and overtaking the 2025 blockbuster Lokah: Chapter 1. Nivin Pauly said nobody in the team expected that scale.

“People often assume that a film needs a huge budget, big sets, foreign locations, and a grand scale to break box-office records,” Nivin told Variety India. Instead, the small-town story connected emotionally and “surprised everyone, including us.”

His biggest compliment, he added, was that the film took away people’s stress for three hours.

Friendship first, romance later

The film’s unconventional age-gap romance works because Pauly and Baiju have known each other for years. He said their long friendship meant they approached the relationship as two close friends, not as people separated by age, and that comfort helped the dynamic feel natural.

What worked, in his telling

• No huge budget or foreign locations—just a sincere, emotionally grounded script.
• A relatable story that let viewers switch off from stress.
• An existing off-screen friendship that made the on-screen pairing feel easy.

A darker gear in the Lokesh Cinematic Universe

Next, Nivin Pauly is stepping into an antagonist’s role in the Lokesh Cinematic Universe. He said the villain is dark and cruel, with a touch of dark humour, and that the scale is big. After two feel-good romantic comedies, he feels it is the right time to surprise the audience.

NP51 with Rukmini Vasanth

His upcoming romantic comedy NP51 pairs him with Rukmini Vasanth for the first time. The shoot is still in its early days: the actors have spent only a few days together on set, followed by an Onam break and a period of mourning after a colleague’s death.

For Hindi film fans tracking southern cinema, Bethlehem Kudumba Unit is another reminder that Malayalam storytelling continues to punch above its budget with emotion and character, not set-pieces. Nivin Pauly’s LCU turn also gives the shared universe a familiar face in an unfamiliar shade.

Source: The Times of India