Patriot Movie: Mammootty and Mohanlal’s Big Reunion — Cast, Box Office, Reviews and OTT

For Malayalam film fans, few announcements have generated as much excitement as the Patriot movie. Directed by Mahesh Narayanan, the 2026 thriller brought Mammootty and Mohanlal together on screen for the first time in many years — and surrounded them with one of the most star-studded casts in Malayalam history, including Fahadh Faasil, Kunchacko Boban, Nayanthara and Revathi.

Released on 1 May 2026, the film had huge expectations. Here is everything you need to know about its cast, story, box office performance, reviews and OTT release.

Patriot Movie Cast and Characters

Actor	Character
Mammootty	Dr. Daniel James
Mohanlal	Colonel Rahim Naik
Fahadh Faasil	Shakthi Sundaram
Kunchacko Boban	Michael Devassy
Nayanthara	Adv. Lathika Padmanabhan
Revathi	Nalini Ramakrishnan
Darshana Rajendran	Jyothi Kurian
Rajiv Menon	Defence Minister J.P. Sundaram

Story and Themes

Without revealing spoilers, Patriot is a political thriller centred on state surveillance, power and the cost of patriotism. Mammootty’s Dr. Daniel James and Mohanlal’s Colonel Rahim Naik find themselves on intersecting paths as a larger conspiracy unfolds, while Fahadh Faasil, Kunchacko Boban and Nayanthara play key figures in the political drama around them. The film raises uncomfortable questions about privacy, national security and who watches the watchers.

Mahesh Narayanan is known for socially conscious thrillers such as Take Off, C U Soon, Malik and Ariyippu, and Patriot continues his interest in how ordinary people are caught in the machinery of power.

Why the Mammootty–Mohanlal Reunion Mattered

Mammootty and Mohanlal have dominated Malayalam cinema for over four decades. In the 1980s, they acted together often, in films such as Padayottam, Adiyozhukkukal and Karimpinpoovinakkare. Later, as each became a superstar in his own right, joint films became rare events — the 2008 multi-starrer Twenty:20 was one of the last major ones. Seeing them share screen space again in a serious thriller, rather than a nostalgia piece, was a major draw for fans of both stars.

Both actors came into the film on a high. Mammootty had just won the Kerala State Film Award for Bramayugam, and Mohanlal had received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and delivered back-to-back hits in 2025. Read our profiles of Mammootty and Mohanlal.

Patriot Box Office Performance

The Patriot movie grossed approximately ₹80 crore worldwide. While that made it one of the top five Malayalam grossers of 2026 at the time of writing, it was considered an underperformance relative to the film’s scale, star power and pre-release buzz. In a year dominated by Drishyam 3, Vaazha II and Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, it struggled to maintain momentum after the opening weekend. See our full Malayalam box office 2026 report.

What the Critics Said

Reviews were mixed. Critics broadly praised Mahesh Narayanan’s ambition and the rare opportunity to see so many major stars in one frame, and several appreciated the film’s willingness to address surveillance and state power. The Hindu described it as engaging and even brave on those issues. Others felt the screenplay did not match the scale of the cast, with The Indian Express criticising what it saw as mediocre writing. Many viewers felt the stars’ screen time was spread too thin across a crowded narrative.

What worked

• The rare and genuinely exciting star ensemble.
• A bold subject that is relevant in the age of data and surveillance.
• Polished technical execution and strong individual scenes.

What did not

• A screenplay that many felt was uneven.
• Limited development for some of the major characters.
• A runtime that tested audience patience.

Patriot OTT Release

ZEE5 acquired the streaming rights, and the Patriot movie began streaming on ZEE5 from 5 June 2026. As with many ensemble films, viewers who skipped it in theatres have been giving it a second chance online, where its political themes have sparked fresh discussion. See our guide to where to watch Malayalam movies online.

Patriot in Mahesh Narayanan’s Filmography

Mahesh Narayanan began as one of Malayalam cinema’s most respected editors before turning director with Take Off (2017), based on the evacuation of Indian nurses from Iraq. He followed it with C U Soon, the lockdown-era screen-life thriller; Malik, an epic crime drama with Fahadh Faasil; and Ariyippu, a quiet drama about migrant workers that travelled to international festivals. Patriot is by far his biggest film in scale, and it shows him moving into large-canvas political cinema while retaining his interest in real-world issues.

The Lesson of Patriot

The Patriot movie is a reminder that in today’s Malayalam film market, star power alone does not guarantee a blockbuster. Audiences are rewarding films with tight scripts and clear emotional hooks — sometimes from completely new faces. That said, bringing Mammootty and Mohanlal together in a serious, issue-driven thriller was a bold creative choice, and the film will likely be revisited as a unique chapter in the careers of both legends.

Should you watch Patriot?

If you are a fan of either superstar, the answer is yes — seeing Mammootty and Mohanlal share the frame again is reason enough. Viewers who enjoy political thrillers with a message will also appreciate its themes. Just go in expecting an ensemble drama rather than a two-hero mass entertainer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The Patriot movie may not have become the record-breaker fans hoped for, but it remains a fascinating event film. For full details, see Patriot on Wikipedia.