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Khalifa: The Ruler

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Khalifa
Theatrical release poster
Directed byVysakh
Written byJinu V. Abraham
Produced byJinu V. Abraham
Suraj Kumar
StarringPrithviraj Sukumaran
Neil Nitin Mukesh
Mohanlal
Suresh Oberoi
Indrans
CinematographyJomon T. John
Edited byChaman Chacko
Music byJakes Bejoy
Production
company
Jiinu Abraham Innovations
Distributed byAashirvad Release (Kerala)
Jiinu Abraham Innovations (Overseas)
Release date
  • 20 August 2026 (2026-08-20)
Running time
159 minutes[1]
CountryIndia
LanguageMalayalam
Box office₹50crore[2]

Khalifa[a] is a 2026 Indian Malayalam-language action thriller film[4] directed by Vysakh and written by Jinu V. Abraham, who also co-produced the film along with Suraj Kumar. Intended as the first installment of a two-part series, it stars Prithviraj Sukumaran in title role alongside Neil Nitin Mukesh (in his Malayalam debut), Malvika Sharma, Shammi Thilakan and Indrans in supporting roles, alongside Mohanlal, Tovino Thomas and Soubin Shahir in cameo appearances.

Principal photography began in July 2025 and concluded by June 2026. Filming took place across Kerala, London, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Nepal. The film's cinematography, editing, music, action and choreography are done by Jomon T. John, Chaman Chacko, Jakes Bejoy, Yannick Ben, Chethan D'Souza and Sandy respectively.

Khalifa was theatrically released on 20 August 2026, coinciding with Onam weekend. It received mixed to positive reviews from critics and audiences, with some criticizing its conventional gangster narrative reminiscent of films from the 1980s and 1990s, while Prithviraj's performance, action choreography, and Mohanlal’s cameo appearance received praise.[5][6][7]. The film is an average performer at the box office.

Plot

[edit]

Mambarakal Aamir Ali is a carefree youth in Koduvally, Kozhikode who runs a textile shop and lives with his father, Mambarakal Younus Ali, and mother, Noorjahan. Aamir eventually falls in love with and marries Fiza. Circumstances lead Aamir to join the smuggling racket and become a gold smuggler like his grandfather, Mambarakal Ahmed Ali alias Baba. His actions not only transform his life but also put his family in danger. He becomes a syndicate-level gold smuggler who values his smugglers and avenges his father's death.

Cast

[edit]
  • Prithviraj Sukumaran as Mambaraykkal Aamir Ali
  • Neil Nitin Mukesh as Harris Basheer
  • Malvika Sharma as Fiza Ali: Aamir's wife
  • Shammi Thilakan as Party Secretary Punnavel Raghavan: Harris' ally
  • Indrans as Hamsa: Younus' right-hand; Ahmed Ali's ally
  • Renji Panicker as Mambaraykkal Younus Ali: Aamir's father; Ahmed Ali's son
  • Mohini as Noorjahan Ali: Aamir's mother; Younus Ali's wife. Voice dubbed by Divya M Nair
  • Shivajith as Vinayakan Raghavan: Raghavan's elder son
  • Suresh Oberoi as Seitraj Singh "Seittuji": Ahmed Ali's old friend; Aamir's mentor
  • Sanju Sivram as Samad "Sami": Aamir's best friend
  • Mohan Sharma as Aamir's maternal grandfather
  • Sudheer Karamana as a police officer
  • Pasupathi Raj as Custom Officer Veeraswami: Seittuji's old friend
  • Nisthar Sait as Jail Superintendent
  • James Eliya as Jail Subordinate
  • Rajesh Babu as Judge
  • John Vijay as Union Minister for Civil Aviation Selvam
  • Kyraa Vasudevan as Vyshnavi Ramachandran
  • Master Nafash as Rushin Ali: Aamir's son
  • Shine Varghese as Sudhip: Aamir's right-hand
  • Anand Manmadhan as Rahim: Aamir's ally
  • Tinu Thomas Kannur as Amir's Friend
  • Don Michael as Vivek Raghavan: Raghavan's younger son
Cameo appearances
  • Mohanlal as Mambaraykkal Ahmed Ali alias "Baba": Aamir's grandfather; Younus' father
  • Tovino Thomas as Iver Alexander: Ahmed Ali's assassin
  • Soubin Shahir as Viktor Kennedy: Ahmed Ali's right-hand

Production

[edit]

Development

[edit]

The film along with the title was officially announced in October 2022. However, the shooting was delayed due to Prithviraj's prior commitments to Vilayath Buddha and L2: Empuraan alongside Vysakh's other directorial venture Turbo.[8] The project marked the reunion of Prithviraj and director Vysakh after 15 years, with their last collaboration being Vysakh's debut film Pokkiri Raja (2010). The film was officially launched in July 2025.[9] In December 2025, it was confirmed that Mohanlal would make a cameo appearance.[10] It was also revealed that the film is intended to be the first of a two-part film series, with the second part set to focus on Mohanlal's character, Mambarakkal Ahmed Ali, in a full-fledged role.[11] Neil Nitin Mukesh made his Malayalam debut with the film.[12]

Filming

[edit]

Principal photography began in July 2025.[8] The first schedule was filmed in London and was completed by August.[13] The film was also shot in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Nepal.[14][15] On 13 January 2026, Mohanlal completed his portion of the shoot in Kochi.[16] The filming was wrapped on 22 June 2026.[17][18] Dubbing was completed by the end of July 2026.[19]

Soundtrack

[edit]
Khalifa
Soundtrack album by
Jakes Bejoy
Released12 August 2026
Studios
GenreFeature film soundtrack
Length33m 13s
LanguageMalayalam
LabelSony Music
ProducersJakes Bejoy
Joel Johns
Agastya Raag
Jakes Bejoy chronology
Thudakkam
(2026)		 Khalifa
(2026)		 I'm Game
(2026)

The film's songs and background score were composed by Jakes Bejoy, thus marking his tenth collaboration with Prithviraj.[20] The first single, "Asalayavale" sung by Sid Sriram and Mohammed Maqbool Mansoor, was released on 20 July 2026.[21] The full album was released on 12 August 2026.[22]

Track listing
No.TitleLyricsSinger(s)Length
1."Asalayavale"MuthuSid Sriram, Mohammed Maqbool Mansoor5:00
2."Mathara"MuthuJakes Bejoy, Shreya Ghoshal, K.C. Balasarangan, Mohammed Maqbool Mansoor4:12
3."Bhranthayal"Unmesh UnnikrishnanJubair Salim, K. S. Harisankar4:51
4."Kissayariyathe"Rafeeq AhamedAnila Rajeev, K.C. Balasarangan4:18
5."Salamathali"MuthuAkhil J. Chand, Mohammed Maqbool Mansoor2:45
6."The Bloodline"Mu.RiJakes Bejoy, JOKER390P, chorus2:23
7."Asalayavale (V2)"MuthuHanan Shah, Fathima Jabbar, Mohammed Maqbool Mansoor5:02
8."The Bloodline"Mu.RiJakes Bejoy, JOKER360P, chorus2:52
9."Rise of Ali"Mu.RiJoel James, JOKER360P, chorus2:30
Total length:33:13

Release

[edit]

Theatrical

[edit]

Khalifa was released worldwide on 20 August 2026 in Malayalam original alongside Tamil, Telugu and Hindi languages, coinciding with Onam weekend and clashing with the Malayalam film Bethlehem Kudumba Unit.[4][23]

Reception

[edit]

Box office

[edit]

The film grossed ₹5.35 crore in India on its opening day and ₹13.2 crore worldwide.[24] Malayalam-speaking regions were the main source of revenue for this film; the Tamil and Telugu versions sold poorly.[24] On its fourth day of release, the film grossed approximately ₹27.68 crore worldwide. The film's box office dropped sharply on its opening day, but remained relatively stable over the weekend, with Sunday's box office almost matching Saturday's.[25]

When the film reached its tenth day of release, its global box office was ₹40 crore.[26] The film grossed ₹50 crore worldwide in its third weekend of release.[2]

Critical response

[edit]

Khalifa received mixed to positive reviews from critics.[27]

Anandu Suresh for The Indian Express rated the film 2/5, describing the film as a surface-level drama with shallow writing, although he praised the film's stunts and visuals.[28]

S. R. Praveen for The Hindu called the film a shoddily written old-school smuggling drama which lacks the "intended emotional pull or the expected thrills".[29]

Gayathri Kallukaran for the Eastern Eye praised the film's visuals, action choreography and background score, but described the film as "a predicable saga" which struggled to deliver a sense of surprise.[30]

Sequel

[edit]

The second and final installment of the two-part series was announced as Khalifa: The Legacy, starring Mohanlal in the lead role alongside Prithviraj, Soubin Shahir and Tovino Thomas, who are all reprising their roles from the first installment.[31][32] However, due to the lower-than-expected box office performance of Khalifa: The Ruler, the chances of a sequel are slim.[33]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ↑ With the tagline Vengeance will be written in Gold.[3]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "Prithviraj-starrer 'Khalifa' cleared for release with U/A certificate". IANS Live. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  2. 1 2 Robinson, Nithya G (3 September 2026). "ബോക്സ് ഓഫീസിൽ വൻ കുതിപ്പ് നടത്തി 'ഖലീഫ'; ഓഫീഷ്യൽ കണക്ക് പുറത്ത്". Asianet News (in Malayalam). Retrieved 5 September 2026.
  3. ↑ "Khalifa Glimpse: Prithviraj Sukumaran plays a gang boss in first glimpse of Vyshakh's slick action epic". The Indian Express. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  4. 1 2 "'Khalifa': Prithviraj Sukumaran's action thriller to release on this date". The Hindu. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  5. ↑ "Khalifa X review: Prithviraj's style can't save this 'predictable and flat' film". India Today. 20 August 2026. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  6. ↑ "Khalifa Audience Review: Prithviraj Sukumaran's Film is a 'Clichéd, Below-Average' Thriller". MensXP. 20 August 2026. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  7. ↑ "'Khalifa' review: A mostly dull gangster drama heavily reliant on a rousing last-minute superstar cameo to revive it". @theweek. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Prithviraj Sukumaran's 'Khalifa' To Begin Shoot Three Years After First Announcement". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  9. ↑ "Prithviraj Sukumaran-Vysakh film Khalifa begins". Cinema Express. 16 July 2025. Archived from the original on 12 August 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  10. ↑ "'Khalifa': Mohanlal confirmed as Prithviraj Sukumaran's grandfather Mambarakkal Ahmed Ali; 'Before gold there was blood'". The Times of India. 8 December 2025. Archived from the original on 7 December 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  11. ↑ Entertainment Desk (16 August 2026). "Prithviraj says Khalifa 'not an out-and-out actioner,' shares major update on Mohanlal's role". The Indian Express. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  12. ↑ "Neil Nitin Mukesh makes Malayalam debut with Prithviraj-starrer 'Khalifa'". DT Next. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  13. ↑ "Prithviraj Sukumaran completes shooting for his portions in UK schedule of Vysakh's 'Khalifa'". The Times of India. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  14. ↑ "Prithviraj-starrer 'Khalifa' to be shot in Dubai, Nepal, Kerala". Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  15. ↑ "Prithviraj Sukumaran's 'Khalifa' wraps shooting, heads for Onam 2026 release". The Statesman. 23 June 2026. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  16. ↑ "Mohanlal Finishes Filming His Cameo in Prithviraj Sukumaran's Khalifa Part One – According to Reports". Zoom. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  17. ↑ "'Khalifa' UPDATE: Prithviraj-starrer actioner wraps up shoot". The Times of India. 23 June 2026. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  18. ↑ "Prithviraj's Khalifa wraps filming". Cinema Express. 23 June 2026. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  19. ↑ "Mohanlal completes 'Khalifa: Part 1' dubbing, Kavin welcomes twins, and Urvashi returns to Kannada cinema: Top 5 South stories of the day". The Times of India. Retrieved 30 July 2026.
  20. ↑ "Khalifa: Not just Prithviraj, Lokah composer Jakes Bejoy also impresses in banger of a glimpse - 'Next Rs 300 crore loading'". OTTPlay. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  21. ↑ "Malvika Sharma to star in Prithviraj Sukumaran-starrer Khalifa; first single on the way". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  22. ↑ "Khalifa (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Spotify. Retrieved 12 August 2026.
  23. ↑ Gavankar, Vaishnavi (22 June 2026). "Prithviraj Sukumaran wraps shooting of Khalifa; Film to release worldwide on August 20, 2026". MoneyControl.
  24. 1 2 Rani, Gayatri (22 August 2026). "Khalifa: The Ruler box office collection day 1: Prithviraj Sukumaran starrer opens strong with Rs 5.35 cr in India; earns over Rs 13 cr worldwide". Moneycontrol. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  25. ↑ Nambudiri, Sandhya (24 August 2026). "Khalifa: The Ruler Box Office Collection Day 4: Prithviraj Film Holds Steady Over Weekend". NDTV Profit. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  26. ↑ Robinson, Nithya G (30 August 2026). "രണ്ടാം വാരത്തിലേക്ക് പൃഥ്വിരാജിന്റെ 'ഖലീഫ'". Asianet News (in Malayalam). Retrieved 31 August 2026.
  27. ↑ Jhansi (20 August 2026). "Khalifa: Prithviraj Sukumaran's 3rd Disaster in a Row?". M9.news. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  28. ↑ Suresh, Anandu (20 August 2026). "Khalifa review: Prithviraj's actioner is a hollow spectacle that even Mohanlal can't save". The Indian Express. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  29. ↑ S.R. Praveen (20 August 2026). "'Khalifa movie review:Prithviraj Sukumaran stars in a shoddily written old-school smuggling drama". The Hindu. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  30. ↑ Kallukaran, Gayathri (20 August 2026). "'Khalifa' review: Stylish Prithviraj and powerful Mohanlal moment can't fix a predictable saga". Eastern Eye. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  31. ↑ "After 'Khalifa', comes 'Khalifa II: The Legacy'; makers announce Part 2". Kerala Kaumudi. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  32. ↑ "Mohanlal to lead Khalifa 2 - The Legacy; Tovino Thomas, Soubin Shahir join Prithviraj Sukumaran in sequel". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  33. ↑ Sudhakaran, Sreeju (24 August 2026). "Will Khalifa 2: The Legacy Be Made? Because..." Rediff.com. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
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