| Vaazha II: Biopic of a Billion Bros | |
|---|---|
| File:Vaazha II.jpg Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Savin SA |
| Produced by | Vipin Das Harris Desom Sahu Garapati P. B. Anish Adarsh Narayan Icon Studios |
| Written by | Vipin Das |
| Starring |
|
| Music by | Songs: Malayali Monkeys Rajat Prakash Parvatish Pradeep Rzee Muthu Arcado Jazir Muhammed Ashwin Aryan Electronic Kili Background score: A Team |
| Cinematography | Akhil Lailasuran |
| Edited by | Kannan Mohan |
Production company |
|
| Distributed by |
|
Release date |
|
Running time | 163 minutes[1] |
| Country | India |
| Language | Malayalam |
| Budget | ₹10 crore[2][3] |
| Box office | ₹235 crore[4] |
Vaazha II: Biopic of a Billion Bros (lit. 'Plantain II: Biopic of a Billion Bros') is a 2026 Indian Malayalam-language coming of age comedy drama film directed by Savin SA (in his directorial debut) and written by Vipin Das. It is a sequel to Vaazha: Biopic of a Billion Boys (2024).[5] The film stars Hashir H., Alan Bin Siraj, Ajin Joy, and Vinayak V., alongside Vijay Babu, Aju Varghese, Bijukuttan, Alphonse Puthren, and Sudheesh in supporting roles.[6]
Principal photography took place from April to November 2025, shot in Ernakulam, the United Arab Emirates, and Georgia. Vaazha II: Biopic of a Billion Bros was released on 2 April 2026. The film received positive reviews from critics. It was a commercial success and has emerged as the highest-grossing film of all-time in Kerala, highest-grossing Malayalam film of 2026, fifth highest-grossing Malayalam film of all-time and fourth highest-grossing Indian films of 2026. A sequel titled Vaazha III: Biopic of a Billion Girls was announced.
Plot[edit | edit source]
Hashir, Alan, Ajin, and Vinayak are close friends whose behavior and relationships with classmates often place them at odds with their teachers. Tensions escalate after Alan's sister Ashna is caught at a theatre, skipping class, and a teacher named Mujeeb publicly humiliates her before her parents, prompting Alan and Hashir to assault him. The four friends later face further trouble after being caught abusing drugs obtained from a shopkeeper near their school, leading to a violent altercation in which Manoj Sir is accidentally injured. DySP Xavier Alexander later attributes the incident to both parental negligence and Mujeeb's misconduct, and the boys are ultimately allowed to sit for their examinations.
Over time, the friends drift apart. Hashir fails his higher secondary examinations and remains in India, Ajin moves to Dubai to work with his brother Sajin, and Alan and Vinayak leave for the United Kingdom, where they struggle to adapt to life abroad. Despite the distance, they continue to miss one another deeply. The film later focuses on their relationships with their families, particularly their siblings, and ends on an emotional note with the death of Vinayak's father from liver cirrhosis. Sajin convinces Ajin that he didn't want him to suffer like him and they had a worthless father who always claims to be looking after their family only by giving orders and spending leisure at home, whereas their mother is the one who makes the ends meet. In the closing scenes, Hashir breaks up with his lover Shyna as he says she will get somebody better than him and he leaves as a flashback reveals that Hashir, aided by his friends, Ajo, Moosa, Vivek, Abdul and Vishnu had retaliated against Ameen and his brothers after having earlier been assaulted by them at a wedding.
Cast[edit | edit source]
- Hashir H. as Hashir
- Anandhu as young Hashir
- Alan Bin Siraj as Alan
- Ajin Joy as Ajin
- Vinayak V. as Vinayak Rajan
- Diyan Dinu as young Vinayak
- Veda Shankar as Ashna, Alan's sister
- Sasha Isla as young Ashna
- Devaraj as Sajin, Ajin's elder brother
- Bijukuttan as Rajan, Vinayak's father
- Kannan Sagar as Rajan's elder brother
- Angel Maria as Shyna, Ameen's sister and Hashir's love interest
- Sabari as Nashir, Hashir's younger brother
- Aju Varghese as Manoj sir
- Alphonse Puthren as DySP Xavier Alexander
- Sudheesh as Shiyas, Alan's father
- Vijay Babu as Mujeeb sir
- Vinod Kedamangalam as Biju, Sajin and Ajin's irresponsible father
- Aswathy Chandra Kishor as Hashir's mother
- Reena Indrayani as Headmistress
- Arun Kumar as Manu P. Sadashivan aka Kuttettan
- Al Ameen as Ameen
- Nihal Nizam as Nihal
- Nibraz Noushad as Nibraz
- Shahubas as Shahubas
- Aaradhya Sai as Aaradhya, Alan's love interest
- Kudassanad Kanakam as Alan and Ashna's grandmother
- Sreekutti K Nair as Lekha teacher
- Manjusree Nair as School teacher
- Sreenath P. S. as Johnny Sins
- Adarsh Narayan as Binu
- Raveendran as Benny
- Lakshmi Dhanya Saju
- Nidhinya as Alan's mother
Cameos[edit | edit source]
- Siju Sunny as Ajo Thomas
- Amith Mohan Rajeshwari as Vishnu Radhakrishnan
- Joemon Jyothir as Muhammad Al Bin Salim "Moosa" Ibrahim
- Anshid Anu as Vivek Anand
- Anuraj O. B. as Abdul Kalam
- Saaf as B. C. Vishwam
- Meenakshi Unnikrishnan as Maya
- P. B. Anish as Maya's father
- Kottayam Nazeer as Radhakrishnan
- Azees Nedumangad as Thomachan
- Noby Marcose as Ibrahim
- Gibin Gopinath as Vivek's father
- Arunsol as Kalam's father
Production[edit | edit source]
The film was officially announced in August 2024 as a sequel to Vaazha: Biopic of a Billion Boys (2024).[7][8] The project marks the directorial debut of Savin S. A., with Vipin Das returning as writer and producer.
Filming began in April 2025 in Thrikkakkara, [9] then shifted to the United Arab Emirates and concluded in Georgia. The 115 day shoot was completely by mid November 2025.[10][11]
Soundtrack[edit | edit source]
The background score was composed by A Team, while the 10 songs were composed by nine composers: Malayali Monkeys, Rajat Prakash, Parvatish Pradeep, Rzee, Muthu, Arcado, Jazir Muhammed, Ashwin Aryan and Electronic Kili. The audio rights were acquired by Think Music.[12] The first single, "Vanilla Chediye", composed by Rajat Prakash, was released on 26 February 2026.[13] The last single, "Kochu Keralam", was composed by Malayali Monkeys on 18 March 2026.[14]
Release[edit | edit source]
Vaazha II: Biopic of a Billion Bros was released in theatres worldwide on 2 April 2026.[15][16][17] The film was distributed by Icon Cinemas in Kerala. The overseas distribution rights were acquired by AP International, Home Screen Entertainment, and Berkshire Dream House.[citation needed]
Home Media[edit | edit source]
The post-theatrical digital streaming rights of Vaazha II were acquired by JioHotstar. The film will begin streaming on the platform from 8 May 2026.
Reception[edit | edit source]
Box office[edit | edit source]
The film grossed ₹5.20 crore from Kerala on its first day.[18] It earned ₹26.50 crore from Kerala in its first weekend (4 days), with a worldwide total around ₹65 crore.[19] In 7 days, the film surpassed ₹100 crore worldwide.[20] In 16 days, it crossed Template:Indian rupee100 crore in Kerala alone, becoming the third and the fastest film to do so.[21] In 18 days, it surpassed ₹200 crore globally, becoming the fifth Malayalam film to do so.[22] In 24 days, it grossed ₹121 crore in Kerala, surpassing Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra to become the highest grossing film of all time in Kerala.[23]
Critical response[edit | edit source]
Vaazha II: Biopic of a Billion Bros received positive reviews from critics. Sreeju Sudhakaran of Rediff gave 4 out of 5 stars and wrote, "Vaazha 2 grows beyond the shadow of its predecessor by refining its tone, strengthening its themes, and delivering more assured emotional beats and performances".[24] Sanjay Ponnappa of India Today gave 4 out of 5 stars and wrote that the film is "more than just a nostalgic trip – it's a heartfelt coming-of-age tale that blends humour, chaos, and emotion with impressive craft.[25]
Gopika I. S. of The Times of India gave 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote that the film is "funnier, quirkier and slick. The theme, the emotions and the ideas resemble Vaazha 1, and at the same time it feels fresh, relatable and compelling in its narrative choices".[26]
Vivek Santhosh of The New Indian Express gave 3 out of 5 stars and wrote, "In the end, Vaazha II feels very much like an Instagram reel expanded into a feature film, filled with humour, life lessons and a fair bit of chaos. It does not quite capture the emotional depth of its predecessor, but thanks to its engaging central performances and consistently amusing moments, it remains a fairly enjoyable watch".[27] Anandu Suresh of The Indian Express gave 3 out of 5 stars and wrote, "While Hashir, Alan, Ajin, and Vinayak (playing characters named after themselves) are perfect in their roles — with Alan being particularly impressive — it's almost impossible to assess their acting potential from this one movie, since they largely portray their public personas, which carry many elements of their real selves".[28]
Sequel[edit | edit source]
On 13 April 2026, writer Vipin Das shared a social media post hinting at a third installment in the series.[29] On 14 April 2026, a sequel titled Vaazha 3: Biopic of a Billion Girls was announced, to be directed by debutant Viswan Sreejith who was the assistant director of Vaazha II. [30]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "Vaazha -II- Biopic of a Billion Bros". Central Board of Film Certification. 30 March 2026. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
- ↑ "When is 'Vaazha 2' coming to streaming? OTT release date, platform, cast and crew details". The Week. 2 May 2026. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
- ↑ Barua, Richa (19 April 2026). "Vaazha 2 Box Office Collection: Low-Budget Film Shocks Trade, Crosses Rs 100 Cr, Amid Big Movie Hype". Asianet News. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
- ↑ "'Vaazha 2' overtakes 'Lokah' to become highest-grossing film in Kerala". OnManorama. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
- ↑ "Vaazha II: Biopic of a Billion Bros movie details". The Times of India. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
- ↑ "Vaazha 2 trailer promises film lacing emotions and nostalgia with humour". Cinema Express. 29 March 2026.
- ↑ "Vaazha's sequel unveiled: What to expect from 'Vaazha II: Biopic of a Billion Bros'". Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
- ↑ "Vipin Das' Malayalam film 'Vaazha' gets a sequel". The Hindu. 22 August 2024.
- ↑ "'Vaazha II – Biopic of Billion Bros' begins shoot in Ernakulam". The Times of India. 9 April 2025.
- ↑ "It's a wrap for Vaazha II: Biopic of a Billion Bros". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
- ↑ "Vaazha Sequel Wraps Filming After a Marathon Shoot". Filmfare. 18 November 2025.
- ↑ "10 songs. 9 composers. One wild class! #Vaazha2 🎶". Instagram. 24 February 2026.
- ↑ "Let's celebrate the innocence and joy of childhood. 🌴🎶 Vanilla Chediye... the first video song is out now! 🎶🎼". Twitter. 26 February 2026.
- ↑ "Second single releasing tomorrow, 6pm IST! 🎶 Stay tuned!". Twitter. 17 March 2026.
- ↑ "Vaazha 2 release date announced". The New Indian Express. 15 January 2026.
- ↑ "'Vaazha 2: Biopic of Billion Bros' trailer out: Alphonse Puthren 'Premam' reference stands out; Release set for April 2". The Times of India. 29 March 2026.
- ↑ "Vaazha 2 locks release date". Onmanorama. Retrieved 28 March 2026.
- ↑ Dixit, Mohit (3 April 2026). "Vaazha 2 Opening Day Box Office Collections: Malayalam film scripts history, debuts with MASSIVE Rs 5.20 crore in Kerala". Pinkvilla. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
- ↑ Dixit, Mohit (6 April 2026). "Vaazha 2 Box Office Collections: Hashir starrer film wreaks havoc in Kerala, closes first weekend at SUPERB Rs 26.50 crore". Pinkvilla. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
- ↑ Cinema Express Desk (9 April 2026). "Vaazha 2 box office: Hashir and team's film storms past ₹100 crore worldwide, sequel sets new benchmarks in Malayalam". Cinema Express. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
- ↑ "Vaazha 2 box office: Sequel crosses ₹100 crore at Kerala box office in just 16 days, beating Lokah and Thudarum". Cinema Express. 17 April 2026. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
- ↑ "Vaazha 2 box office: Sequel crosses ₹100 crore at Kerala box office in just 16 days, beating Lokah and Thudarum". Cinema Express. 17 April 2026. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
- ↑ "'Vaazha 2' overtakes 'Lokah' to become highest-grossing film in Kerala". @onmanorama. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
- ↑ "Vaazha 2 Review: An Improved, Crowd-Pleasing Sequel That Hits All the Right Notes". Rediff. 4 April 2026.
- ↑ "Vaazha 2 review: Bros, brawls and big feelings, a nostalgic ride that hits home". India Today. 4 April 2026.
- ↑ "Vaazha 2: Biopic of a Billion Bros Movie Review: Quirky, funny and grounded : Vaazha II hits the right notes". The Times of India. 3 April 2026.
- ↑ "Vaazha II Movie Review: A fun ride that needed to slow down at times". The New Indian Express. 3 April 2026.
- ↑ "Vaazha 2 review: Hashir and gang are impressive in a sequel that far outshines its predecessor". The Indian Express. 3 April 2026.
- ↑ "Vipin Das hints at Vaazha 3 announcement with cryptic social media post amid Vaazha 2 dominating box office". Cinema Express. 13 April 2026. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
- ↑ "Filmmaker Vipin Das announces 'Vaazha 3'-Biopic of a Billion Girls'; franchise shifts to female-led story". The Times of India. 15 April 2026. Retrieved 15 April 2026.