Check out the Malayalam releases this week

Traditionally, the summer vacation is the best season for Malayalam cinema. A decent film will have a "safe run" at the box office during this period. No wonder almost every big star makes sure that he comes up with at least one release at this time.

With Red Wine (starring Mohanlal, Fahadh Faasil and Asif Ali) hitting the screens yesterday, the big battle of the year has begun.

Joining the fray on March 22 are two films belonging to entirely different genres, Lijo Jose Pellissery's Amen and Sugeeth's 3 Dots.

Amen

Director: Sugeeth

Cast: Fahadh Faasil, Swati Reddy, Indrajith

Fahadh Faasil, the current sensation in Malayalam films, has two releases on two consecutive days. After Red Wine in which he plays a social activist based in Wyanad, in Amen he plays an altar helper named Solomon.

Lijo Jose Pellissery, who directed two critically appreciated movies, Nayakan and City of God, directs Amen, which has the tagline 'A divine comedy'.

According to the director, the story happens in a somewhat utopian village called Kumarankary. Indrajith plays a priest named Father Vattoli while Swati Reddy of Subramaniapuram fame plays Sosanna.

Amen is produced by White Sands Media. P S Rafeeq has written the screenplay and dialogues, based on the director's story.

Abhinandan Ramanujam wields the camera and Prasanth Pillai scores the music.

Director: Sugeeth

Cast: Kunchacko Boban, Biju Menon, Pratap Pothen

Sugeeth, who shot to fame with the blockbuster hit Ordinary last year, is back with 3 Dots.

The film narrates the tale of three convicts who are trying to settle down after coming out of jail.

The director says that the title suggests a philosophy. "An individual dot signifies the end. But when three dots come in succession, it means continuation," says Sugeeth.

Kunchacko Boban and Biju Menon, who have been acknowledged these days as a successful pair, will have Pratap Pothen for company.

Janani Iyer and Anjana Menon are the heroines. Narain plays the role of a psychologist, who helps the three convicts find jobs after they complete their jail term. When a boy comes into their lives, things take a different turn.

3 Dots is produced by Ordinary Films. Rajesh Raghavan has scripted the film. Faisal Ali is the cinematographer and the music director is Vidyasagar.