# Footage (film)
**Footage** (ഫൂട്ടേജ്) is a 2024 Indian Malayalam-language found-footage mystery thriller directed by Saiju Sreedharan, an established film editor making his directorial debut. It stars [Manju Warrier](https://www.edgepedia.org/manju-warrier), Vishak Nair, and Gayathri Ashok, and follows a vlogger couple whose constant recording draws them into investigating a suspicious neighbor. Several outlets describe it as the first found-footage feature film in [Malayalam cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/malayalam-cinema), though IMDb lists it as the second, after Nirmal Baby Varghese's *Vazhiye* (2022).[1](https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/malayalam/exclusive-footage-will-offer-a-different-film-viewing-experience-says-director-saiju-sreedharan/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27219011/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director | Saiju Sreedharan, a Malayalam film editor of about ten years, in his directorial debut[1](https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/malayalam/exclusive-footage-will-offer-a-different-film-viewing-experience-says-director-saiju-sreedharan/) |
| Genre and form | Found-footage mystery thriller, described by several outlets as Malayalam cinema's first; IMDb calls it the second after *Vazhiye* (2022)[1](https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/malayalam/exclusive-footage-will-offer-a-different-film-viewing-experience-says-director-saiju-sreedharan/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27219011/) |
| Lead cast | Manju Warrier, Vishak Nair, and Gayathri Ashok[1](https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/malayalam/exclusive-footage-will-offer-a-different-film-viewing-experience-says-director-saiju-sreedharan/) |
| Release | Theatrically on 23 August 2024; Hindi-dubbed version released 7 March 2025, presented by Anurag Kashyap[3](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/footage.html) • [4](https://scroll.in/reel/1080009/footage-review-curiosity-leads-to-voyeurism-and-then-peril-for-a-vlogger-couple/) |
| Runtime and certificate | 2 hours 6 minutes (Rotten Tomatoes lists 2h 4m); certified A, restricted to viewers above 18[5](https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/malayalam/footage-malayalam-movie-review/) • [6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/footage_2024) • [7](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2024/08/23/footage-movie-review-malayalam-cinema-vishak-nair-gayathri-ashok-manju-warrier.amp.html) |
| Production | Produced by Bineesh Chandran and Saiju Sreedharan; production companies Cast n' Co Entertainments and Pale Blue Dot Films; distributor Movie Bucket[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/footage_2024) |
| Streaming | Sun NXT and OTTplay Premium from 5 September[8](https://www.ottplay.com/news/footage-ott-release-date-heres-when-and-where-to-watch-manju-warrier-starrer-intriguing-film-online/f406742e3823) |
## Spoilers
### Premise and form
The film is built entirely from footage recorded by its two central characters, an unnamed man (Vishak Nair) and woman (Gayathri Ashok) who are vloggers in a live-in relationship. They document their daily lives for a small set of followers, filming everything from their own intimate moments to a couple making love in an opposite building, and the story is narrated entirely from the point of view of their cameras.[4](https://scroll.in/reel/1080009/footage-review-curiosity-leads-to-voyeurism-and-then-peril-for-a-vlogger-couple/) • [7](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2024/08/23/footage-movie-review-malayalam-cinema-vishak-nair-gayathri-ashok-manju-warrier.amp.html)
The story is set during the COVID-19 pandemic, spanning a year between 2020 and 2021, and centers on a flat in a city. The couple becomes fixated on a mysterious neighbor (Manju Warrier) who behaves suspiciously at their apartment, and one night they follow her, with the events captured separately on each of their cameras.[9](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/review/2024/Aug/23/footage-movie-review-a-technically-sleek-film-thats-refreshing-despite-the-roadblocks) • [4](https://scroll.in/reel/1080009/footage-review-curiosity-leads-to-voyeurism-and-then-peril-for-a-vlogger-couple/) The film's theme is dark, but it does not belong to the horror genre that dominates found-footage cinema in the West.[7](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2024/08/23/footage-movie-review-malayalam-cinema-vishak-nair-gayathri-ashok-manju-warrier.amp.html)
Found footage is a technique in which all or a substantial part of a work is presented as if it were film or video recordings made by characters in the story and later found and shown to the audience.[1](https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/malayalam/exclusive-footage-will-offer-a-different-film-viewing-experience-says-director-saiju-sreedharan/) The film's certification reflects its content: the first shot is an explicit lovemaking scene, and the makers intended it for adults only.[9](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/review/2024/Aug/23/footage-movie-review-a-technically-sleek-film-thats-refreshing-despite-the-roadblocks) • [10](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/movies/why-manju-warrier-saiju-sreedharan-are-releasing-footage-their-malayalam-found-footage-film-in-hindi-article-12955328.html)
## Production and release
Saiju Sreedharan had worked as an editor on films including *Maheshinte Prathikaram* (2016), *Mayaanadhi* (2017), *Kumbalangi Nights* (2019), *Virus* (2019), *Android Kunjappan Version 5.25* (2019), and *Anjaam Pathiraa* (2020) before directing *Footage*.[1](https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/malayalam/exclusive-footage-will-offer-a-different-film-viewing-experience-says-director-saiju-sreedharan/) He scripted the film with Shabna Mohammed, and also served as editor, producer, and dialogue writer.[11](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2024/Feb/15/saiju-sreedharans-directorial-debut-footage-gets-first-look) • [12](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/saiju-sreedharan/1087363/filmography) Shinoz handled the cinematography.[11](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2024/Feb/15/saiju-sreedharans-directorial-debut-footage-gets-first-look)
Music credits differ between sources: the rock band aswekeepsearching is credited with the original motion picture soundtrack, while [Sushin Shyam](https://www.edgepedia.org/sushin-shyam) is credited with the background score.[11](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2024/Feb/15/saiju-sreedharans-directorial-debut-footage-gets-first-look) • [7](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2024/08/23/footage-movie-review-malayalam-cinema-vishak-nair-gayathri-ashok-manju-warrier.amp.html)
The film was produced by Bineesh Chandran and Saiju Sreedharan, with Rahul Rajeev and Suraj Menon as co-producers, under the banners Movie Bucket, Cast n' Co Entertainments, and Pale Blue Dot Films.[11](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2024/Feb/15/saiju-sreedharans-directorial-debut-footage-gets-first-look) • [6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/footage_2024) A planned May 2024 release was later set for 2 August, and the film reached theaters on 23 August 2024.[11](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2024/Feb/15/saiju-sreedharans-directorial-debut-footage-gets-first-look) • [3](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/footage.html) Manju Warrier acted in and co-produced the film through her joint venture Movie Bucket with Bineesh Chandran.[10](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/movies/why-manju-warrier-saiju-sreedharan-are-releasing-footage-their-malayalam-found-footage-film-in-hindi-article-12955328.html)
**Later releases.** A Hindi-dubbed version, presented by [Anurag Kashyap](https://www.edgepedia.org/anurag-kashyap), was released in cinemas on 7 March 2025.[4](https://scroll.in/reel/1080009/footage-review-curiosity-leads-to-voyeurism-and-then-peril-for-a-vlogger-couple/) The film began streaming on Sun NXT and OTTplay Premium on 5 September.[8](https://www.ottplay.com/news/footage-ott-release-date-heres-when-and-where-to-watch-manju-warrier-starrer-intriguing-film-online/f406742e3823)
## Reception
Critics generally praised the film's technical execution while finding the writing weaker. Cinema Express gave it 3 out of 5, calling it a technically sleek film that falls significantly short in terms of writing but remains worthwhile for the director's command over his craft.[9](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/review/2024/Aug/23/footage-movie-review-a-technically-sleek-film-thats-refreshing-despite-the-roadblocks) The South First also rated it 3/5, noting that the core story bears some resemblance to familiar themes even though the treatment is distinctive.[5](https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/malayalam/footage-malayalam-movie-review/) Onmanorama described the film as well executed and singled out the performances, including Gayathri Ashok's portrayal of a fun-loving, independent vlogger.[7](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2024/08/23/footage-movie-review-malayalam-cinema-vishak-nair-gayathri-ashok-manju-warrier.amp.html)
Reviewers repeatedly noted the same strengths and weaknesses. [The Hindu](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-hindu)'s S. R. Praveen wrote that the film lacks the writing to complement its experimentation, while OTTPlay's Sanjith Sidhardhan called it an edgy, immersive thriller that pushes the envelope.[13](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/27895/footage/reviews/) The Scroll review found it a technical feat that marries the voyeurism of shooting with the disturbing qualities of found footage, but judged the 124-minute duration unearned at points and the denouement tame after the build-up, while crediting Nixon George's sound design and the two lead performances.[4](https://scroll.in/reel/1080009/footage-review-curiosity-leads-to-voyeurism-and-then-peril-for-a-vlogger-couple/) Manju Warrier appears only in the latter half, but her character is central to the plot.[7](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2024/08/23/footage-movie-review-malayalam-cinema-vishak-nair-gayathri-ashok-manju-warrier.amp.html)
## Context in Malayalam cinema
*Footage* arrived in a year when Malayalam cinema produced a series of formal experiments, including the black-and-white folk horror *Bramayugam*, the National Award-winning *Aattam*, and *Manjummel Boys*. Cinema Express described it as Malayalam cinema's first mainstream venture into the niche found-footage genre, and its year-end survey listed it among films in which A-listers pushed the envelope.[9](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/review/2024/Aug/23/footage-movie-review-a-technically-sleek-film-thats-refreshing-despite-the-roadblocks) • [14](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/malayalam/features/2024/Dec/31/malayalam-cinema-2024-great-first-half-an-interval-twist-and-a-poignant-ending) Sreedharan's next directorial project, announced before *Footage* released, is *Munpe*, a fantasy love story with [Tovino Thomas](https://www.edgepedia.org/tovino-thomas).[11](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2024/Feb/15/saiju-sreedharans-directorial-debut-footage-gets-first-look)
## References
1. [EXCLUSIVE: 'Footage' will offer a different film-viewing experience, says director Saiju Sreedharan, The South First](https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/malayalam/exclusive-footage-will-offer-a-different-film-viewing-experience-says-director-saiju-sreedharan/)
2. [Footage (2024), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27219011/)
3. [Footage Movie, Filmibeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/footage.html)
4. ['Footage' review: Curiosity leads to voyeurism and then peril for a vlogger couple, Scroll](https://scroll.in/reel/1080009/footage-review-curiosity-leads-to-voyeurism-and-then-peril-for-a-vlogger-couple/)
5. [Footage review: Saiju Sreedharan's experimental mystery thriller excels in technical aspects, The South First](https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/malayalam/footage-malayalam-movie-review/)
6. [Footage (2024), Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/footage_2024)
7. ['Footage' movie review: Manju Warrier, Saiju Sreedharan's film is well executed, Onmanorama](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2024/08/23/footage-movie-review-malayalam-cinema-vishak-nair-gayathri-ashok-manju-warrier.amp.html)
8. [Footage OTT release date, OTTplay](https://www.ottplay.com/news/footage-ott-release-date-heres-when-and-where-to-watch-manju-warrier-starrer-intriguing-film-online/f406742e3823)
9. [Footage Movie Review: A technically sleek film that's refreshing despite the roadblocks, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/review/2024/Aug/23/footage-movie-review-a-technically-sleek-film-thats-refreshing-despite-the-roadblocks)
10. [Why Manju Warrier & Saiju Sreedharan are releasing Footage in Hindi, Moneycontrol](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/movies/why-manju-warrier-saiju-sreedharan-are-releasing-footage-their-malayalam-found-footage-film-in-hindi-article-12955328.html)
11. [Saiju Sreedharan's directorial debut 'Footage' gets first look, The New Indian Express](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2024/Feb/15/saiju-sreedharans-directorial-debut-footage-gets-first-look)
12. [Saiju Sreedharan filmography, BookMyShow](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/saiju-sreedharan/1087363/filmography)
13. [Footage Movie Reviews, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/27895/footage/reviews/)
14. [Malayalam cinema 2024: Great first half, an interval twist, and a poignant ending, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/malayalam/features/2024/Dec/31/malayalam-cinema-2024-great-first-half-an-interval-twist-and-a-poignant-ending)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Malayalam films of the 2020s › Malayalam films of 2024*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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