Khalifa Reviews: Critics Split Over Prithviraj Swagger and a Thin Story

The first full critic reviews of Khalifa landed within hours of its Onam-season opening on Wednesday, and a clear pattern emerged fast. Prithviraj Sukumaran's screen presence is being praised almost everywhere; the writing underneath it, far less so. NDTV's two-star review summed up the split, arguing that the star owns the screen but the film never quite owns its story.

• NDTV rated Khalifa 2 stars, saying the gangster drama "falls flat" despite Prithviraj Sukumaran's swagger (NDTV, 20 August)
• The Indian Express called the film "a hollow spectacle" that even Mohanlal's presence cannot save (Indian Express, 20 August)
• India Today's review said Prithviraj "walks the walk, but the story stumbles" (India Today, 20 August)
• Multiple reviews single out Mohanlal's second-half cameo as the film's biggest lift (NDTV and Times of India, 20 August)
• Khalifa is directed by Vysakh, written by Jinu V Abraham, with music by Jakes Bejoy and cinematography by Jomon T. John (NDTV, 20 August)
• Warmer notices exist too: Mathrubhumi English called it a feast for action lovers with swagger from both stars (Mathrubhumi English, 20 August)

The Indian Express was harsher still, describing the film as a hollow spectacle that even Mohanlal cannot save, while India Today concluded that Prithviraj walks the walk but the story stumbles. News18's review round-up found the actor "terrific" in what it called an average movie with a weak plot.

What critics agree on

Even the negative reviews converge on the same strengths. Reviewers across NDTV, the Times of India and Cinema Express highlight Mohanlal's second-half cameo as the moment the film briefly becomes what it promised to be — a big-screen reunion of the Lucifer pair. Jakes Bejoy's background score and Jomon T. John's cinematography also draw consistent praise, per NDTV.

The complaints are just as consistent. NDTV's review describes a stretched first half padded with car chases, villains who never feel menacing, and a stale template of gold smuggling and politician-criminal nexus. Per the Indian Express and India Today, the Jinu V Abraham script leans on familiar gangster tropes — family honour, revenge, betrayal — without giving them fresh emotional weight.

Not everyone is unimpressed

The spread of opinion is genuinely wide. Mathrubhumi English called Khalifa a feast for action lovers, crediting both Prithviraj and Mohanlal with real swagger, and Kerala Kaumudi found a powerful Mohanlal moment lifting a predictable saga. Early audience reactions on X mirrored the divide: Cinema Express noted praise for Prithviraj's entry sequence and Jakes Bejoy's score, while News18 and Mid-Day logged criticism of the storyline.

The film stars Prithviraj as Aamir Ali, a small-town Kerala shopkeeper dragged into his family's criminal legacy when his father is jailed in a gold-smuggling case, per NDTV. Directed by Vysakh, it marks the actor's return to mass-action territory after a run of experiments.

Why the reviews matter for its Onam run

Khalifa opened on Wednesday with heavy advance bookings and an Onam-window clash ahead of it, so word of mouth over the first weekend will decide whether the opening translates into a sustained run. Mixed reviews with a celebrated cameo have carried Malayalam mass films before — but the consistency of the criticism aimed at the writing is the number the trade will be watching.

For now, the safest summary comes from the reviews themselves: the swagger is real, the cameo lands, and the story is the argument.

This article is original commentary and analysis by The NE Times. Background facts were referenced from NDTV, The Indian Express, India Today, Times of India, News18, Mathrubhumi English, Cinema Express.