Malayalam actor Nivin Pauly has publicly expressed frustration over the prolonged production delays affecting Benz, the Tamil film in which he is expected to play the antagonist opposite Raghava Lawrence.
In a promotional interview for his Onam release Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, Pauly said he had been maintaining the same bearded appearance for more than a year because the Benz schedule had not moved forward consistently. He indicated that the delay had complicated his ability to change his look for other projects.
The actor’s comments have drawn attention because Benz is linked to filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj as producer and is directed by Bakkiyaraj Kannan. Pauly’s role marks a major Tamil-cinema appearance for the Malayalam star, while Lawrence leads the project.
Pauly said he had already tried to raise the issue with the team but had not received a clear resolution. No confirmed release date has been announced for Benz in the reports surrounding his remarks.
The public statement places the film’s production status back in the spotlight without confirming a cancellation or casting change. It also highlights the practical impact that an extended shoot schedule can have on an actor working across multiple language industries.
For now, the most concrete update is Pauly’s own account: the actor remains tied to the required appearance while the project continues to face scheduling uncertainty.
