Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan has praised Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, saying the Nivin Pauly and Mamitha Baiju-starrer reminded him of his childhood and left him feeling refreshed. In a post on social media, Satheesan lauded the film’s portrayal of rural life, relationships and romance, and said he enjoyed watching it with his daughter and her friend. The film, directed by Girish AD, has emerged as the highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time, earning Rs 331.09 crore worldwide.
Despite his busy schedule interrupting his habit of watching at least one film every month, Satheesan said the film prompted him to share his appreciation publicly.
“Due to a busy schedule, I had stopped my routine of watching at least one movie a month. Yesterday, after a long break, I finally sat down and watched a film in one go. My daughter, her friend, and I thoroughly enjoyed Bethlehem Kudumba Unit.”
Recalling the film’s depiction of rural life, Satheesan said its treatment of everyday experiences and relationships reminded him of his childhood. He also praised the storytelling, saying the film kept him engaged throughout.
“What sets this film apart is its treatment; it never felt dull for a single moment. I could instantly connect it to my own childhood—the rural landscapes we used to see, the people there, the simple lives they led, the affection they shared, and their tender romances. It was a film that kept me completely captivated. Once it ended, I found myself wondering why I had waited so long to watch it.”
The Chief Minister also praised the ensemble cast, pointing out that even actors who appeared in only a handful of scenes left a lasting impression.
“It wasn’t just the lead characters who stood out; even those who appeared in only one or two scenes made a strong impression. It gave me plenty of laughs and, at times, even brought a touch of sadness—I enjoyed it thoroughly from start to finish. This film is a testament to excellent teamwork,” he wrote.
Satheesan said he rarely writes appreciation notes after watching films but decided to make an exception because of how much he enjoyed this one. He also revealed that he had called director Girish AD and actor Sangeeth Prathap, who plays Nivin Pauly’s brother in the film, to congratulate them. He could not reach the lead actors by phone.
“I don’t usually write reviews after watching a movie, but I decided to share my thoughts because I enjoyed it so much—it was truly refreshing. I called the director, AD Girish, and the actor, Sangeeth Prathap, to congratulate them. I couldn’t reach Nivin Pauly or Mamitha Baiju by phone. Along with them, another person who left a lasting impression on me is Glikson—poor Glikson! Congratulations to everyone who worked on this film.”
A post shared by V D Satheesan (@vdsatheesan.official)
Members of the film’s cast and crew responded to the chief minister’s post with messages of gratitude.
Meanwhile, Mamitha Baiju has expressed gratitude to director Girish AD for trusting her with lead role in the film. Speaking at the film’s success celebration, the actor recalled that the filmmaker narrated the story to her shortly after the shooting of Super Sharanya wrapped up, even before that film was released.
Mamitha said Girish had already believed she would be suitable for the character, although she was unsure why he had such confidence in her. She credited him with supporting her at a time when she doubted whether she could take on leading roles.
“Now, as I stand here at the success meet of ‘Bethlehem’, all I have to say to Girish chettan is thank you. When someone stands by a person like me, who is practically nothing, there is a certain value they give that person. That is how I feel about Girish chettan. Whether it was ‘Premalu’ or ‘Bethlehem’, at a time when I didn’t even believe I could play a main heroine’s role like this, he believed in me. I am very grateful to him,” Mamitha said, as quoted by Reporter website.
Bethlehem Kudumba Unit has grossed Rs 331.09 crore worldwide, making it the highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time. The film has earned Rs 192.64 crore in gross collections in India, with its overseas gross contributing another Rs 138.45 crore to the worldwide total. Its India net collection stands at approximately Rs 165 crore.
Malayalam actor Fahadh Faasil, who is one of the film’s producers, has also addressed its impressive box-office performance. He pointed out that the worldwide gross should not be confused with the amount that producers actually receive.
“None of us will get even half of this Rs 300 crore that they are talking about. That is the gross collection,” he said in a conversation with Cue Studio.
The film continues to run in a limited number of theatres and is also streaming on JioHotstar.
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