The Plot: In a psychedelic, dystopian Vennila (a fictional district in northern Kerala), a memory-wiping cult has convinced the populace that emotions are a virus. Mammootty, in a career-defining role as a silent "Memory Smuggler," hides forbidden feelings inside antique urulis (bronze vessels). Vinayakan plays a neural-surgeon-turned-warlord who feeds on harvested nostalgia.
₹85 crore (worldwide) 2. "Kali Yuga 2.0" (Released: February 13, 2026) Director: Lijo Jose Pellissery Cast: Mammootty, Vinayakan, Darshana Rajendran released movies malayalam sci-fi 2026
Producer Santhosh Kuruvilla notes: "For years, producers said ‘Malayalis don’t buy tickets for spaceships.’ But 2026 proved that if you tell a human story—even one set on Mars or inside a server—we will come. We just want the naadan soul to remain intact." The Plot: In a psychedelic, dystopian Vennila (a
₹45 crore (but trending heavily on OTT) 3. "Njan AI" (I, AI) (Released: March 27, 2026) Director: Geetu Mohandas Cast: Tovino Thomas, Asif Ali, Aishwarya Lekshmi ₹85 crore (worldwide) 2
As of April 2026, two more Malayalam sci-fi films are slated for a Diwali release—one involving parallel universes (starring Prithviraj) and a cyberpunk musical (starring an ensemble of newcomers).
Why It Worked: This is the "Her" of Malayalam cinema—quiet, heartbreaking, and deeply philosophical. The film’s central question— Can you love a ghost made of code? —has sparked heated debates on social media. Aishwarya Lekshmi’s cameo as the AI’s voice (uncredited) is haunting.
Why It Worked: The film brilliantly juxtaposes the cold vacuum of space with the humid, crowded chaos of suburban Kochi. Fahadh’s trademark micro-expressions shine as he negotiates with a rogue AI that sounds eerily like a passive-aggressive Malayali bureaucrat. A tight, claustrophobic thriller that asks: What if your Alexa decided to unionize?