Before Bethlehem Kudumba Unit Drops On OTT, Stream These 2 Nivin Pauly Age-Gap Romances (Photo: Film Posters)
Hyderabad: Romance has often found its way into Malayalam cinema through stories that do not follow a conventional path. Age-gap relationships, in particular, have been explored through different perspectives, from teenage infatuation and young love to relationships with older men and much younger women and vice-versa. Nivin Pauly has been at the centre of three such stories in Ohm Shanthi Oshaana, Premam and Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, although each film holds different premises.
The latest addition, Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, which released worldwide on August 21, is now set to make its OTT debut. The Nivin Pauly and Mamitha Baiju-starrer will begin streaming on JioHotstar from October 2, 2026. The film will be available in Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, Telugu and Kannada. Directed by Girish A.D., the romantic comedy has already had a remarkable theatrical run crossing the Rs 300 crore worldwide gross milestone. With this it has emerged as the highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time.
The film follows Ashley, played by Mamitha Baiju, as she moves with her family to a new neighbourhood in Karukutty. There, she reconnects with Justin, played by Nivin Pauly, an older neighbour with whom she develops a romantic bond. Their age difference becomes one of the unusual elements of the relationship, alongside family emotions, neighbourhood politics and old memories.
With Bethlehem Kudumba Unit heading to JioHotstar, viewers interested in Nivin’s take on unconventional romances can also revisit two of his earlier films.
Ohm Shanthi Oshaana
Released in 2014, Ohm Shanthi Oshaana offers perhaps the most playful version of the age-gap dynamic among the three films. Directed by Jude Anthany Joseph, the film stars Nazriya Nazim as Pooja, a spirited young girl whose teenage crush gradually develops into something deeper. Nivin Pauly plays Giri, an older, laid-back organic farmer who becomes the focus of Pooja’s affection.
The story follows Pooja over several years as she grows up and continues to pursue Giri. Her romantic interest begins when she is young, making the age difference an important part of the film’s central relationship. The film was released on February 7, 2014, and became a major commercial success. It also received recognition at the 45th Kerala State Film Awards, where it won three honours, including Best Popular Film and Best Actress for Nazriya. Ohm Shanthi Oshaana is currently available to stream for free with ads on JioHotstar, and Amazon Prime Video with subscription.
Premam
Then came Premam in 2015, one of Nivin’s most widely remembered films. Written, directed and edited by Alphonse Puthren, the film traces George’s romantic journey from his teenage years into adulthood. What makes Premam particularly interesting in this context is that its romantic relationships do not follow just one age-gap dynamic. During one phase of the story, George falls for Malar, a college lecturer played by Sai Pallavi. Here, the younger man is attracted to an older woman in a position of authority as his teacher.
The film later moves through different stages of George’s life and relationships, eventually bringing him to another romance with a younger woman. Released on May 29, 2015, the film became a major commercial success and was widely praised for its performances, music, cinematography and direction. It also marked Sai Pallavi’s major film debut. Premam is currently available to stream for free on JioHotstar in India.