Eyes First Look: Kani Kusruti and Nikhila Vimal Headline Manu Ashokanâs New Series
The first look of Eyes, the upcoming Malayalam series from Uyare filmmaker Manu Ashokan, has been unveiled, bringing together an intriguing ensemble led by Kani Kusruti, Shruti Ramachandran, Nikhila Vimal, Saniya Iyappan and Dev Mohan. The Sony LIV show, which has been in production since 2024, marks Manu’s return to the director’s chair following his 2021 film Kaanekkaane.
The first-look poster features the five principal actors and comes with the tagline, “Watch, Protect, Defend”. The accompanying caption offers a more unsettling glimpse into the world of the series: “When love turns into obsession, obsession into control, and fear becomes invisible to everyone but you—who protects you?”
While the makers have chosen to keep the plot and genre under wraps for now, the poster appears to hint at a story involving danger, surveillance and the darker side of relationships. Kani Kusruti, who has continued to take on distinctive roles across Malayalam cinema and beyond, seemingly plays a police officer in the series. However, the makers have not yet officially confirmed details about her character.
A reunion for Manu Ashokan and Bobby-Sanjay
Eyes brings Manu Ashokan back together with writers Bobby and Sanjay, with whom he previously collaborated on both his feature films. The writing duo has scripted the series based on a story by Anjana Nayar, adding another layer of anticipation around the project.
Manu made his directorial debut with Uyare, the 2019 Malayalam film starring Parvathy Thiruvothu, Asif Ali and Tovino Thomas. The film, which explored the journey of an aspiring pilot rebuilding her life after a devastating acid attack, was widely appreciated for its performances and sensitive storytelling.
He subsequently directed Kaanekkaane, a relationship drama featuring Tovino Thomas, Aishwarya Lekshmi and Shruti Ramachandran. The film delved into complicated relationships, grief and betrayal, and once again brought Manu together with Bobby-Sanjay.
With Eyes, the filmmaker appears to be venturing into another potentially tense narrative, although the exact nature of the story remains closely guarded.
Kani Kusruti leads an intriguing ensemble
The series boasts a cast that brings together some of the most recognisable contemporary performers from Malayalam cinema. Kani Kusruti, who gained international attention following her performance in Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light, leads the ensemble alongside Shruti Ramachandran, Nikhila Vimal, Saniya Iyappan and Dev Mohan.
The technical crew includes cinematographer Gautham Sankar and composer Ranjin Raj. Eyes is produced by TR Shamsudheen under the banner of Dream Katcher Productions. The series is set to be released not only in Malayalam but also dubbed in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada, giving it a wider audience across South India.
Although production began in 2024, Sony LIV and the makers are yet to announce a premiere date. The newly released first look is therefore the first major glimpse into a project that has been kept relatively low-key during its production.
Manu had announced his third feature film, Junior, in 2025, but there has been no recent update regarding its status. For now, Eyes marks his next major outing, and with Bobby-Sanjay returning to collaborate with him, the series has certainly piqued curiosity among Malayalam OTT audiences.
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