There was a brief period of uncertainty about the release of the next big film from Malayalam, Patriot, after reports emerged that the censor board had raised objections, including to the name of the main antagonist. It was said that the villain’s name bore a striking resemblance to the name of a popular politician’s son, which the board wanted changed, apart from a few other omissions. The film was reportedly re-submitted after the changes and it has now been cleared with U/A for audiences 16 years and above.
On April 27, leading man Mammootty was among the early birds to announce that the film’s been censored, meaning that it will hit theatres as planned on May 1, 2026. Patriot is one of the most anticipated Malayalam films of the year, not only because of the stellar cast on board, including Mohanlal, Fahadh Faasil, Kunchacko Boban, Nayanthara, Rohini, Darshana Rajendran, among others, but also its plot, which is about the use of surveillance technology. The team describes the story as something they hope will never happen in real life.
In a recent special promotional segment, Mammootty and the rest of the cast and crew of the film had spoken about how their collaboration came together not to make that the talking point, but because the characters demanded their presence. This ensemble cast is not a gimmick, they reiterated.
Advance bookings for the film had not been opened, but now that the censor issue has been resolved, the makers announced that it will begin on April 28 at 9 am. The film is opening with the benefit of a long weekend, and initial indications are that it will have a good first weekend.
