With at least five movies ready for release this Bakrid [a festival of the Muslims], the coming weekend is going to be a rather crowded one at the cinemas for the Malayali audience.

The number may vary however with a few additions or postponements. The Malayalam movies on offer feature superstars to rank newcomers. Here is a look at them:

Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathira Kolapathakathinte Kadha

Director: Ranjith
Cast: Mammootty, Manikyam Maithi, Gowri Munjal

Director Ranjith, who was the producer of the recently released Kerala Cafe, has directed the film with Mammootty in a double role.

Mammootty plays a private investigator named Haridas who is investigating a murder that happened 50 years ago -- a young, beautiful bride was murdered soon after her marriage.

Mammootty's other role is of Ahmed Haji, a rich landlord while Gowri Munjal plays Sarayu, Haridas assistant. Brighty Balachandran makes her debut as Manikyam Maithili.

Director: Lal Jose
Cast: Archana Kavi, Kailas, Rima Kallinga

Director Lal Jose is remaking an old classic by legendary writer M T Vasudevan Nair, which was then directed by Yusuf Ali Kechery. The classic starred Ambika, Sathar and Ravikumar in the lead. Lal Jose has some fresh faces in the cast that include Archana Kavi, Kailash and Suresh.

Also in the cast are Samvrutha Sunil and Rima Kallingal, who was recently seen in Rithu and Kerala Cafe. The director says that he hasn't seen the original and M T Vasudevan Nair has made changes in the original script to suit the current times.

Director: Mahesh P Sreenivasan
Cast: Jayaram, Guinness Pakru, Kaniha

Less than two feet tall, Guinness Pakru (he changed his named from Unda Pakru after finding his place in the Guinness Book) plays Jayaram's father in director Mahesh P Sreenivasan's My Big Father.

Pakru is Kunjumon, an expert cook who is pretty rich now. His son Albie is in search of a bride, who will not laugh at the petite size of his dad. He finds such a girl, played by Kaniha, and the two get married.

Jayaram and Kaniha team up once again in My Big Father, after the super hit film, Bhagyadevatha. Kaniha is also the heroine of Pazhassi Raja, which is still running strong in the theatres.

Directors: Pramod-Pappan
Cast: Namitha, Kalabhavan Mani, Bala

Sizzling siren Namitha makes her entry into Malayalam with Black Stallion. She is playing a bar dancer named Laura, who is chased by a villainous cop, played by Kalabhavan Mani. Bala plays a photographer.

Director duo Pramod-Pappan promises that Black Stallion is going to be a visual spectacle. The film is being released in Tamil and Telugu as well.

Director: Thaha
Cast: Mukesh, Ramesh Pisharody, Sarayu

The storyline of Kappal Muthalali goes like this:  A youth named Bhoominathan is eager to make a fast buck. He does this by starting a resort. While digging for a swimming pool, he finds the remnants of an old ship. Now the archaeological department takes over the land which puts the young man in a tight spot.

Thaha, who made some comedy films like Ee Parakkum Thalika earlier, is directing this laugh riot. Mimicry artist Ramesh Pisharody and Sarayu play the leads in this film.