The upcoming espionage-thriller, Patriot, directed by Mahesh Narayanan marks the much awaited reunion of Mammootty and Mohanlal.
Although the pair has created significant buzz around the film, in an exclusive conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, Mammootty shared, “The film actually is driven by its content, you can pinpoint certain elements, but still it has a story and it has a plot. We want people to be prepared to watch this movie. We have very strong and bold female characters. This is not a film made on formula, it will be a formula-making film,” insisting that the film is not driven by the star power but its story.
The production, which took about 130 days to complete, occurred in various locations across India and internationally. The actor describes the subject of the film as having an international scale, focusing on a plot that involves incidents the people involved in the film hope never happen in reality. “The plot is the hero, we both know that,” he shared, when asked if there is a single hero in the film.
Despite the long gap, Mammootty described the experience of working with Mohanlal again as routine. “It was normal, nothing special about it,” he said, talking about their first day of filming in Colombo. “We are normal human beings, close friends,” he shared, noting that their off-screen friendship and their families being close made working together seamless.
Regarding their onscreen dynamic he explained, “The two hooligans coming from two sides and shaking hands cannot be because we’re playing friends, it is an entirely different kind of role,” referring to their characters and respective backgrounds within the narrative.
Patriot features an ensemble cast including Mammootty, Mohanlal, Fahadh Faasil, Kunchacko Boban, Nayanthara, Darshana and Revathi. Mammootty shared that the film avoids traditional subplots and focuses on strong storytelling. It is set for a pan-India theatrical release on 1 May, 2026.
