Prathichaya
2026 film by B. Unnikrishnan
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Prathichaya is a 2026 Indian Malayalam-language political thriller film directed by B. Unnikrishnan.[1] The film stars Nivin Pauly in the title role, while Balachandra Menon, Sabitha Anand, Sharaf U Dheen, Ann Augustine and Harisree Ashokan plays supporting roles.[2] The film was released theatrically on 26 March 2026.[3][4]
| Prathichaya | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | B. Unnikrishnan |
| Written by | B. Unnikrishnan |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Chandru Selvaraj |
| Edited by | Manoj |
| Music by | Justin Varghese |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Sree Gokulam Movies |
Release date |
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Running time | 162 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Malayalam |
The film was produced by Sree Gokulam Movies and RD Illuminations LLP and the music is composed by Justin Varghese.[5] The film develops as a tense father-son drama set against a backdrop of modern political warfare and digital surveillance.
Plot
John Varghese, a tech entrepreneur who attempts to salvage the reputation of his father, a Chief Minister embroiled in a political scandal. As John deploys technology and strategic narratives to influence public perception, he uncovers layers of conspiracy involving political rivals, media manipulation and corporate interests.
Cast
- Nivin Pauly as John Varghese , Chief Minister of Kerala
- Balachandra Menon as K. N. Varghese, Chief Minister of Kerala
- Sabitha Anand as Annamma Varghese
- Sharaf U Dheen as Ravi Madhavan
- Ann Augustine as Nisha Chandrakumar
- Harisree Ashokan as Purushothaman
- Nishanth Sagar as Tobin Varghese
- Saikumar as N. P. Jayadevan
- Maniyanpilla Raju as Minister Ramakrishan
- Neethu Krishna as Rosa Jayadevan
- Vijitha Vijayakumar as Rani Tobin
- Megha Thomas as Thara Vijayan IPS
- Chirag Jani as Sukesh Pandey
- Nandini Gopalakrishnan
- Baby Dhwani as Mariya Tobin
- Vyshakh as Ishaan Tejas
- Aneena as Elizabeth Jacob
- Vishnu Agasthya as Arvind
- Baby Fyza as Aswini Chandrakumar
Release
The film was released theatrically on 26 March 2026.[6][7]
The digital streaming rights of the film is acquired by JioHotstar and began streaming from 24 April 2026.[8][9]
Reception
Critical response
The film received mixed to negative reviews from critics.
Sajin Sreejith of The Week rated 4 out of 5 and wrote "B. Unnikrishnan's best film with efficient turns from Nivin Pauly and Balachandra Menon".[10]
Latha Srinivasan of NDTV gave 2 out of 5 stars and wrote "Prathichaya turns out to be a slow-paced family and political drama with an underwhelming script".[11]
Anandu Suresh of The Indian Express gave 2 out of 5 stars and wrote "Prathichaya is marred throughout by poor performances from the main cast".[12]
S R Praveen of The Hindu reviewed the film as "Not even a whitewash can contemporise this old-fashioned political thriller".[13]
Vignesh Madhu of Cinema Express wrote "A dated political drama lifted by flashes of sharp writing ".[14]
Sanjay Ponnappa of India Today wrote "This Nivin Pauly film needs max patience for minimal pay-off".[15]
Princy Alexander of Onmanorama wrote "B Unnikrishnan-Nivin Pauly film is an emotionally-charged political thriller".[16]