Khalifa

Name: Khalifa
Director: Vysakh
Genre: Action
Released: 2026-08-20
Rating: 2.5
Cast: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Mohanlal, Indrans

Directed by Vysakh

TezScore50/100 Mixed Early coverage · 2 scored of 3 Indian-media reviews How TezScore works

159 min 20 Aug 2026

IMDb

Synopsis

Khalifa

A man becomes entangled in a complex world of revenge, heritage and influence amid gold smuggling operations.

Director: Vysakh
Release: 20 Aug 2026 · Week recap
Run time: 159 min
Language: Malayalam

Cast & crew

Prithviraj Sukumaran Cast

Mohanlal Cast

Indrans Cast VY Vysakh Director JA Jakes Bejoy Composer JI Jinu V. Abraham Writer CH Chaman Chakko Editor JO Jomon T. John Cinematographer

Reviews

Indian-media reviews, grouped by reception.

Critics' consensus

Mixed

Across 3 available source-linked Indian-media reviews for Khalifa, reception is mixed. The 2 scored reviews average 50/100.

Best forViewers looking for action and thriller in Malayalam cinema.

Reception Order

All 3 reviews shown

Times of India Anjana George

★★★★★ ★★★★★ 3/5 2026-08-20

The result is a film caught between two ambitions: exposing systems of power and celebrating the charismatic men who manipulate them. It may not be the political thriller it aspires to be, but it succeeds as a stylish, star-driven spectacle.

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The Indian Express

★★★★★ ★★★★★ 2/5 2026-08-20

Pretty much every frame in director Vysakh's Khalifa exudes opulence. A hollow spectacle, Khalifa might even make one wonder where it all went wrong, particularly since, in retrospect, it would appear that the story had pretty much all the elements for a serviceable mass entertainer.

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The Hindu

2026-08-20

However, the narrative lacks the intended emotional pull or the expected thrills. The similarity to umpteen films released in the 1980s and 90s adds to the movie's dullness.

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