Mumbai | South star Mammootty on Wednesday started shooting for his upcoming film “Bazooka” in Ernakulam, Kerala, the makers announced on Wednesday.

The Malayalam-language crime drama is directed by debutant filmmaker Deeno Dennis, son of veteran scriptwriter Kaloor Dennis.

Mammootty said he was instantly drawn to “Bazooka”, which has a taut script and well-rounded characters.

"It is nice to come across a script that takes you by surprise and grabs your interest instantly. 'Bazooka' is an action film but it is also a game of wits and has strong, well-etched characters.

"I am looking forward to the filming process because I know my character will take me on a very interesting journey,” the 71-year-old actor said in a statement.

Dennis said it is a dream come true moment for him as he always aspired to work with the screen idol.

"I feel thrilled as it is the privilege of a lifetime to direct someone of his stature and experience. Together, all of us are hoping to create movie magic and a film for the ages because Mammootty sir and his fans deserve nothing less than a cinematic milestone,” the director said.

The film is produced by Yoodlee Films, the film studio arm of Saregama India Limited and is co-produced by Theatre of Dreams.

Siddharth Anand Kumar, Sr. Vice President of Films & Events at Saregama India Ltd, said they are looking forward to making a film that will be enjoyed by the audience.

"Our passion for telling stories has led us to explore different formats, genres and languages over the years and this moment is like no other because we are working for the first time with the legendary Mammootty. This is why we took our time to finetune the script and to get all the pre-production details in place perfectly,” Kumar said.

Also starring filmmaker-actor Gautham Menon, “Bazooka” will also be shot in Kochi and Bengaluru.