May 12, 2026 8:00pm IST
Babil Khan to Play Migrant Worker in Debut Malayalam Film ‘Gandhi Bazar’
Last seen in the OTT film “Logout,” actor Babil Khan is set to make his Malayalam debut with “Gandhi Bazar.” The shoot of the film directed by Babu Janardhanan will commence on May 19 in Siliguri, West Bengal, with the remaining portions to be filmed in Kerala. Describing the film’s tone, the filmmaker says, “‘Gandhi Bazar’ blends multiple genres. It seamlessly combines romance, investigative drama and thriller elements, while also carrying moments of situational humor that emerge organically through the narrative.”
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Elaborating on the title, Babu says “Gandhi Bazar” refers to a well-known Sunday market in Perumbavoor, a town that has, over the years, become one of Kerala’s largest hubs for migrant laborers. “The area has large migrant settlements from states such as West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam and Uttar Pradesh. ‘Gandhi Bazaar’ itself represents a living space where migrant workers gather on Sundays to eat, shop, meet friends, watch films, send money home and briefly escape the hardships of their work lives,” he explains. “The title becomes symbolic of the world the film is exploring, the emotional and social realities of migrant laborers in Kerala.”
Babil, who has been a part of projects like “Qala” and “The Railway Men,” will play a migrant worker in “Gandhi Bazar.” Babu says, “Like many who migrate to Kerala in search of better work opportunities and living conditions, Babil Khan’s character arrives carrying hope, vulnerability and unspoken dreams of a better life. The story unfolds through his experiences and journey in Kerala.”
The filmmaker adds that Babil’s performance in “The Railway Men” convinced him to cast the actor. “I realized later that he is the legendary actor Irrfan Khan’s son. As someone who has always deeply admired Irrfan sir, that realization felt incredibly special, almost as if the stars had aligned unexpectedly,” he says.
Alongside Babil, the cast of “Gandhi Bazar” includes Aparna Balamurali, Deepak Parambol, Nikhil Nair, Johny Antony, Jagadish, Sudheer Karamana, Unni Raja, Athmiya and Jayashankar. The movie is produced by Anilkumar Sivadas under the Gurukripa Productions banner with music by Nandhagopan V.
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