Overview
- Khalifa: The Ruler, which released on Thursday, August 20, 2026, is an Onam‑timed Malayalam action thriller directed by Vysakh that follows Aamir Ali's descent into gold smuggling after his father is framed.
- Critics and early audience posts consistently praised Prithviraj Sukumaran's screen presence, the film's action staging and Jakes Bejoy's score but said the screenplay, emotional stakes and the second half are predictable or underwritten.
- Mohanlal's cameo was repeatedly singled out by viewers as a major theatrical moment that generated strong crowd reaction without changing the consensus on the film's script weaknesses.
- Day‑1 box‑office reporting is inconsistent: one set of trade figures cited Sacnilk data putting worldwide Day‑1 gross near Rs 12.2 crore with about Rs 5.35 crore India nett, while other outlets published much lower India numbers from Sacnilk around Rs 1.88–2.22 crore.
- The film runs about 159 minutes, has a UA 16+ certificate, carries a reported budget near Rs 45–50 crore, and is billed as the first of a planned two‑part story, so weekend footfall and word‑of‑mouth will determine whether it can recover commercially.