Archive · 20 Aug 2026
Khalifa Review: Prithviraj’s Swagger Outshines Its Stale Story
Khalifa is a Malayalam movie about a man named Aamir Ali.
Aamir runs a men’s clothing store and wants to live peacefully.
His father is accused of smuggling gold and is sent to jail.
Aamir believes his family has been treated unfairly, so he enters the criminal world to help them.
The movie has stylish fights, car chases and grand locations.
Prithviraj acts confidently and gives Aamir plenty of swagger.
Mohanlal’s short appearance gives the film an exciting boost near the end.
However, the reviews say the story is familiar, the villains are weak and the movie does not use its stars well enough.
Prithviraj Sukumaran plays Aamir Ali, a fashion-store owner drawn into his family’s criminal legacy.
Aamir enters gold smuggling after his father Younus is accused of smuggling gold and jailed.
Reviews criticize the lengthy first half, repetitive action, car chases and predictable gangster plot.
Prithviraj’s charisma, Mohanlal’s cameo, Jakes Bejoy’s music and the film’s visuals are praised.
The writing, villains, supporting characters and emotional depth are described as weak, earning the film a two-star rating from one review.
- Who
- Prithviraj Sukumaran plays Aamir Ali; Renji Panicker plays his father Younus Ali; Mohanlal, Tovino Thomas and Soubin Shahir appear in cameos. Vysakh directs and Jinu V. Abraham writes.
- What
- Khalifa is a Malayalam gangster drama about Aamir Ali entering gold smuggling and organized crime to protect his family and seek justice for his father.
- Where
- The story is set in a small town in Kerala, with scenes in London and other international locations.
- Why
- Aamir turns to crime after his father is accused of gold smuggling, jailed and treated unjustly.
- Film
- Khalifa
- Lead actor
- Prithviraj Sukumaran as Aamir Ali
- Director
- Vysakh
- Writer
- Jinu V. Abraham
- Central conflict
- Aamir enters gold smuggling after his father is jailed over an accusation of smuggling gold into Kerala.
- Major cameo
- Mohanlal appears as Aamir’s grandfather, Mambarakkal Ahmed Ali, in the epilogue.
- Technical highlights
- The reviews praise Jomon T. John’s cinematography, Mohandas’ production design, Jakes Bejoy’s music and Chaman Chakko’s stunt-sequence editing.
- Review rating
- One review rates the film two stars.
