Patriot First Look: Mammootty–Mohanlal Reunite for a High-Stakes Espionage Mission

The makers of Patriot unveiled the film’s striking first look on Republic Day, placing Mammootty and Mohanlal at the forefront of a sprawling, star-studded espionage thriller. Directed by Mahesh Narayanan, the release date poster shows Mammootty, Mohanlal, Nayanthara, Fahadh Faasil, Kunchacko Boban and Rajeev Menon walking across what resembles a computer motherboard, hinting at a narrative deeply rooted in systems, surveillance and power. The film is set to hit theatres on April 23, 2026.

Adding an interactive twist to the promotion, the makers had revealed character posters a day earlier, with the release date hidden in Morse code, inviting audiences to decode it themselves. Each poster carried the tagline “Dissent is patriotic” and the line, “In a world full of traitors, be a patriot!”, setting the tone for the film’s ideological and political undercurrents.

Patriot marks the much-awaited on-screen reunion of Mammootty and Mohanlal after 17 years, following their ensemble appearance in Twenty: 20. The film went on floors in November 2024 and wrapped up shooting earlier this month. Alongside the lead duo, the cast includes Darshana Rajendran, Zarin Shihab and Revathy in pivotal roles.

The teaser, released in October last year, offered a glimpse into the film’s scale and ambition. Fahadh Faasil’s commanding voiceover set the stage, describing a time when “the nation was controlled by the two of them,” followed by Mammootty’s introduction as a calm yet menacing bureaucrat proposing a controversial “social score” system. Mohanlal then enters as soldier Rahim Naik, boldly challenging the system, before the teaser races through glimpses of the ensemble cast and a mysterious programme called “Periscope.” The teaser ends with Mammootty posing a chilling question: “Great Indian traitor… or patriot?”

Produced by Anto Joseph, with CR Salim and Subhash Manuel as co-producers, Patriot has been shot extensively across the UK, Sri Lanka, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Kashmir and Kochi. The technical team includes cinematographer Manush Nandan, music director Sushin Shyam, and editors Mahesh Narayanan and Rahul Radhakrishnan. Positioned as a slick, high-stakes thriller, Patriot promises a cinematic event built around the reunion of two of Malayalam cinema’s biggest icons.