Verdict: Pradhama Drishtiya Kuttakkar is a tightly written police procedural that trades big twists for moral grey areas, and mostly succeeds. It runs a little long in the middle, but strong performances keep it engaging.
Pros:
Parvathy Thiruvothu delivers a restrained, convincing performance as a grieving cop finding her footing
The writing keeps morality ambiguous instead of offering easy heroes and villains
Vijayaraghavan and the supporting cast add real weight to the police station scenes
Cons:
The pacing dips in the second half for some viewers
A few plot turns feel familiar if you have watched other Malayalam investigative thrillers
Pradhama Drishtiya Kuttakkar released in theatres on 11 September 2026, and it has quickly become one of the more talked-about Malayalam releases of the month.
Directed by Shahad Nilambur, the film brings together Parvathy Thiruvothu, veteran actor Vijayaraghavan, and a strong supporting cast including Mathew Thomas, Sidharth Bharathan, and Unnimaya Prasad.
The film had been building quiet anticipation since its first look poster dropped last year, mostly because of Parvathy’s first-ever cop role in Malayalam. Now that it is out, early reactions from critics and moviegoers suggest the wait was largely worth it, even if not everyone is fully won over.
The story follows Aleena, played by Parvathy, who joins the police force on compassionate grounds after losing her husband, also a cop. She is thrown into a new police station where colleagues Divya, Dasan, and Sreenath are all dealing with their own personal struggles.
When a case lands on their desk, the film slowly peels back layers of guilt, morality, and how ordinary people in uniform handle extraordinary pressure. It is less about a single mastermind and more about how flawed, everyday officers stumble through a situation that spirals beyond their control.
Early buzz on social media and ticketing platforms points to a largely positive but not universally rapturous response. Many viewers are praising the writing for avoiding the usual “genius detective” trope and instead keeping the police characters believable and imperfect.
Parvathy’s performance is being singled out repeatedly as the film’s strongest asset, with several people calling it one of her most grounded roles yet. Vijayaraghavan also gets consistent praise for adding gravity to his scenes.
On the flip side, a section of the audience feels the film takes its time to get going, and that the middle stretch could have been trimmed. A few viewers who have watched a lot of similar Malayalam cop thrillers in recent years say some plot beats feel familiar rather than fresh.
Overall sentiment, though, leans favourable, with more people calling it a solid watch than a skippable one. If you enjoy slow-burn police dramas that care more about character than spectacle, this one is likely to work well for you.
Those looking for a fast paced, twist heavy thriller might find the pacing a bit of a test. Given the positive word of mouth around the performances and writing, it is a reasonable pick for a theatre watch, though it will hold up just as well on streaming if you prefer to wait.
Disclaimer: This review is based on publicly available audience reactions and discussions on X at the time of writing. Individual opinions may vary.
Kadir is a box office reporter and film analyst from Hojai, Assam, and the founder of Tenvow.com. Since 2015, he has been into box office reporting. With a focus on box office collections, OTT trends, and movie analysis, Kadir delivers accurate, data driven insights into the business of films.
