Jeethu Joseph on ‘Mirage’ dropping Bollywood: ‘Couldn’t find a male star for such a role’ - Watch trailer

Director Jeethu Joseph, best known for redefining suspense thrillers with 'Drishyam', 'Memories' has finally unveiled the trailer of his upcoming Malayalam film 'Mirage'.But the film’s journey to the big screen wasn’t as straightforward as one might think. In fact, Jeethu originally planned 'Mirage' as a Bollywood project, but he shelved the idea after failing to find a male lead willing to take on the role.In a candid conversation with Baradwaj Rangan, Jeethu explained why the Hindi version never took off. “I couldn’t find a Bollywood male star for such a role like this in a film that is built around a woman’s perspective,” he admitted. Instead, he turned to Malayalam cinema and found his answer in actor Asif Ali. “I knew Asif would accept the challenge, as he likes experimenting with roles. He agreed at once,” Jeethu shared.The trailer, launched by superstar Mohanlal on Friday, offers a gripping look at the world of Mirage. Running for just over a minute and a half, it introduces Asif Ali as an online investigative reporter who teams up with a determined woman, played by Aparna Balamurali, to solve a mysterious missing-person case. The mood, tone, and pacing hint that Jeethu is once again ready to deliver an edge-of-the-seat thriller.Asif Ali shared the trailer via his Instagram handle and penned a note that read, "Your questions start here. Your answers wait in theaters…. Mirage #Trailer out now!" The post was soon flooded with comments from fans who are eagerly waiting for Jeethu Joseph's magic on screen. One wrote, "Asif Ali is the best in terms of acting after Lalettan He is so natural." Another one wrote, "Waiting."Watch the trailer here'Mirage' also features Hannah Reji Koshy, Sampath Raj, and Deepak Parambol in key roles. Satheesh Kurup will be handling cinematography and Vishnu Shyam is composing the music. The story is penned by Aparna R. Tarakad, while Jeethu co-wrote the screenplay with Sreenivasan Abrol.Meanwhile, fans eagerly awaiting 'Drishyam 3' also got a small update. Jeethu cautioned viewers not to expect another mind-bending puzzle like the second installment, saying, “If people are expecting a heavy intelligent game like part two, they might be disappointed.”