Khalifa X Review: Prithviraj Sukumaran's Malayalam action crime thriller Khalifa arrived in theatres on Thursday, August 20, 2026. Directed by Vysakh, the film opened with early shows across India and overseas.
Soon after the first screenings, viewers who watched the film began posting their initial reactions on social media. X (formerly Twitter) has seen moviegoers share their immediate impressions after attending the opening shows. These early reactions offer an indication of how some viewers have responded to the film on its release day. Here are some of the initial audience reactions shared on X.
It is worth noting that these reactions represent the views of only a section of the audience who attended the early screenings. As these are individual responses shared on social media, they may not reflect the film's overall reception. A broader understanding of the audience response is likely to emerge as more viewers watch the film in theatres over the next few days.
Khalifa is a Malayalam action crime thriller revolving around a notorious gold-smuggling kingpin who inherits a large criminal enterprise from a lineage of gangsters. The story follows his criminal operation, which extends from the Middle East to India.
Prithviraj Sukumaran plays the lead role, while the cast also includes Neil Nitin Mukesh, Indrans, Sanju Sivaram and Shammi Thilakan. Mohanlal appears in a cameo role. The film is part of the 2026 Onam theatrical season and was released on August 20.
Vysakh has directed the film, with Jinu V. Abhraham credited as the writer and producer. Suraj Kumar is also credited as a producer. The production is presented under the Jiinu Abraham Innovation banner.
Jomon T. John ISC has handled the cinematography, while Chaman Chakko is the editor. Jakes Bejoy has composed the music. Mohandas is the production designer, with action choreography handled by Yannick Ben, Chethan D'Souza and Phoenix Prabhu.
Suresh Diwakar serves as co-director, while Mashar Hamsa has handled costumes and Viswanath Aravind is credited with art direction. Amal Chandran has worked on makeup, and Sync Cinema has handled the sound design. The final mix is by M. R. Rajakrishnan.
As Khalifa continues its theatrical run from August 20, audience reactions on social media are expected to develop further. The film's broader reception and box-office performance are expected to become clearer over the next few days.