Directed by Vysakh, the Malayalam film *Khalifa* stars Prithviraj Sukumaran as Aamir Ali, a protagonist who enters the underworld of gold smuggling driven by a supposedly emotional premise. According to a review by *The Hindu*, the plot centers on Aamir turning into a master smuggler to clear the financial debts forced upon his honest father by corrupt politicians. Despite this setup, the publication notes that the storyline fails to deliver genuine emotional resonance or gripping thrills, heavily burdened by its resemblance to countless formulaic movies from the 1980s and 1990s. While scriptwriter Jinu Abraham attempts to draw a line between "good" and "bad" smugglers by making the antagonists fellow gold smugglers, the film ultimately recycles an outdated plot that Malayalam cinema has already explored from nearly every conceivable angle.
The review points out that the production struggles with severe writing deficiencies, particularly in the creation of its villains. Antagonists like politician Raghavan, played by Shammi Thilakan, and rival smuggler Harris Basheer, portrayed by Neil Nitin Mukesh, never materialize as formidable opponents because Aamir remains effortlessly ahead of them throughout the runtime. This lack of balanced conflict prevents the narrative from building genuine suspense or dramatic tension. Furthermore, subplots involving Aamir’s associate Samad, played by Sanju Sivram, are developed in a superficial manner, and the inclusion of recent real-world events feels like a symptom of uninspired storytelling. Even the physical commitment of Prithviraj and a few decently choreographed action scenes, alongside a fresh look at smuggling logistics, cannot rescue a weak screenplay plagued by repetitive background scores and excessive slow-motion sequences. Meanwhile, the supporting cast—including Mohini as the mother and Malvika Sharma as the wife—are sidelined with minimal screen time.
Attempts to inject excitement through a heavily publicized superstar cameo ultimately fall flat, as the appearance happens too late in the film to influence the plot or engage the audience. Serving more as an afterthought that hints at a potential sequel, the cameo does little to redeem the project. Given the overall reception of the feature, the review suggests that the creative team will likely think twice before pursuing any follow-up adventures.
At a glance
- Directed by Vysakh, the Malayalam film *Khalifa* stars Prithviraj Sukumaran as Aamir Ali, a protagonist who enters the underworld of gold smuggling driven by a supposedly emotional premise.
- According to a review by *The Hindu*, the plot centers on Aamir turning into a master smuggler to clear the financial debts forced upon his honest father by corrupt politicians.
- Despite this setup, the publication notes that the storyline fails to deliver genuine emotional resonance or gripping thrills, heavily burdened by its resemblance to countless formulaic movies from the 1980s and 1990s.
The update
Directed by Vysakh, the Malayalam film *Khalifa* stars Prithviraj Sukumaran as Aamir Ali, a protagonist who enters the underworld of gold smuggling driven by a supposedly emotional premise. According to a review by *The Hindu*, the plot centers on Aamir turning into a master smuggler to clear the financial debts forced upon his honest father by corrupt politicians. Despite this setup, the publication notes that the storyline fails to deliver genuine emotional resonance or gripping thrills, heavily burdened by its resemblance to countless formulaic movies from the 1980s and 1990s. While scriptwriter Jinu Abraham attempts to draw a line between "good" and "bad" smugglers by making the antagonists fellow gold smugglers, the film ultimately recycles an outdated plot that Malayalam cinema has already explored from nearly every conceivable angle.
The review points out that the production struggles with severe writing deficiencies, particularly in the creation of its villains. Antagonists like politician Raghavan, played by Shammi Thilakan, and rival smuggler Harris Basheer, portrayed by Neil Nitin Mukesh, never materialize as formidable opponents because Aamir remains effortlessly ahead of them throughout the runtime. This lack of balanced conflict prevents the narrative from building genuine suspense or dramatic tension. Furthermore, subplots involving Aamir’s associate Samad, played by Sanju Sivram, are developed in a superficial manner, and the inclusion of recent real-world events feels like a symptom of uninspired storytelling. Even the physical commitment of Prithviraj and a few decently choreographed action scenes, alongside a fresh look at smuggling logistics, cannot rescue a weak screenplay plagued by repetitive background scores and excessive slow-motion sequences. Meanwhile, the supporting cast—including Mohini as the mother and Malvika Sharma as the wife—are sidelined with minimal screen time.
Attempts to inject excitement through a heavily publicized superstar cameo ultimately fall flat, as the appearance happens too late in the film to influence the plot or engage the audience. Serving more as an afterthought that hints at a potential sequel, the cameo does little to redeem the project. Given the overall reception of the feature, the review suggests that the creative team will likely think twice before pursuing any follow-up adventures.
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Source: The Hindu
