Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Khalifa will begin its first shows at 9:00 AM on 20 August 2026, with the makers officially confirming a uniform opening time across Kerala, other Indian markets and overseas territories. Directed by Vysakh and written by Jinu Abraham, the big-budget entertainer is arriving worldwide as a Major Onam 2026 theatrical release.
The makers have confirmed that no shows will begin before 9:00 AM, with the first screenings in Kerala, outside Kerala and international markets scheduled to start from the same time.
Fans in Kerala can look forward to special fan shows beginning at 9:00 AM on Thursday, 20 August, while advance ticket booking in the state opens today at 4:00 PM.
| Khalifa Movie Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Movie | Khalifa |
| Worldwide Release Date | 20 August 2026 |
| First Show | 9:00 AM |
| Kerala Advance Booking Opens | 16 August 2026 at 4:00 PM |
| Lead Actor | Prithviraj Sukumaran |
| Character | Mambarakkal Aamir Ali |
| Mohanlal | Mambarakkal Ahmed Ali |
| Director | Vysakh |
| Writer | Jinu Abraham |
| Producers | Jinu Abraham, Suraj Kumar |
| Banner | Jinu Innovations |
| Co-Producers | Sijo Sebastian, Sreelal Soolapani |
| Music | Jakes Bejoy |
| Cinematography | Jomon T. John |
| Editor | Chaman Chakko |
Khalifa First Show Starts at 9:00 AM on 20 August
The makers of Khalifa have officially announced 9:00 AM as the first-show time worldwide.
The decision applies to screenings in Kerala, other Indian markets and overseas territories. According to the announcement, the film’s theatrical screenings will not begin before 9:00 AM.
In Kerala, the much-awaited Prithviraj Sukumaran film will open with fans shows from 9:00 AM on 20 August.
The coordinated worldwide opening adds to the anticipation surrounding Khalifa, which is one of the major Malayalam movies arriving during the Onam 2026 season.
Khalifa Kerala Advance Booking Opens Today at 4:00 PM
Advance ticket booking for Khalifa in Kerala opens today, 16 August, at 4:00 PM.
Moviegoers will be able to book tickets in advance through leading online ticket-booking platforms, including BookMyShow, District and TicketNew, as bookings become available for participating theatres.
With the first shows beginning at 9:00 AM on release day, fans are expected to show strong interest in the opening-day screenings.
Khalifa Trailer Releases Today
The Khalifa trailer will also be released today, adding another major update ahead of the movie’s worldwide theatrical arrival.
The promotional campaign has positioned Khalifa as one of the prominent Malayalam theatrical attractions for Onam 2026.
The film arrives with the tagline “Revenge Will Be Written in Golden Letters”, with Prithviraj Sukumaran playing the central character Mambarakkal Aamir Ali.
Prithviraj Sukumaran as Mambarakkal Aamir Ali
Prithviraj Sukumaran leads Khalifa as Mambarakkal Aamir Ali, a character at the centre of the film’s large-scale narrative.
The movie unfolds against the backdrop of gold smuggling and has been conceived as a big-budget entertainer with a stylish presentation and an expansive canvas.
Khalifa also reunites Prithviraj Sukumaran and director Vysakh after Pokkiri Raja, adding further interest to the project.
Writer Jinu Abraham has previously collaborated with Prithviraj on films including Adam Joan, London Bridge, Masters and Kaduva.
Mohanlal as Mambarakkal Ahmed Ali
One of the major attractions of Khalifa is Mohanlal’s special appearance as Mambarakkal Ahmed Ali.
The character has an important connection to the larger world of Khalifa. The story of Mambarakkal Ahmed Ali is planned to be explored further in the second part, with Mohanlal set to take the lead role.
The presence of Prithviraj Sukumaran and Mohanlal within the same cinematic world adds another major element to the film’s appeal.
Khalifa Cast
Khalifa also marks the Malayalam cinema debut of Bollywood actor Neil Nitin Mukesh and Telugu actor Malvika Sharma.
The supporting cast includes Indrans, Renji Panicker, Mohini, Sanju Sivram, Shivajith, Sudeep, Shammi Thilakan, Vaishnavi, Rushin and Anand Manmadhan, Don Michael among others.
The combination of established Malayalam actors and performers from other industries gives the film a large ensemble cast suited to its expansive storyline.
Khalifa Filmed Across London, Dubai, Kerala and Nepal
Khalifa was filmed across several locations in London, Dubai, Kerala and Nepal, reflecting the scale of the story.
The international locations form part of the visual world created for the movie, which combines its gold-smuggling backdrop with a large-scale commercial narrative.
The film brings Vysakh and Prithviraj together again after Pokkiri Raja, while also continuing the creative association between Jinu Abraham and Prithviraj.
Khalifa Technical Crew
Jomon T. John handles the cinematography of Khalifa, with Jakes Bejoy composing the music and Chaman Chakko handling the editing. Mohandas serves as production designer.
The wider technical team includes co-director Suresh Divakar, executive producer Shine Varghese, costume designer Mashar Hamsa, art director Viswanath Aravind and makeup artist Amal Chandran.
Sync Cinema handles sound design, while Jabir Sulaim provides additional music. M. R. Rajakrishnan handles the final mix, with Renny Divakar and Vinosh Kaimal serving as production controllers.
Sreek Varier is the colourist, Aesthetic Kunjamma handles poster design, Color Planet handles DI, Prasanth Nair (3DS) oversees VFX and Sinet Xavier handles still photography. Promotions and marketing are handled by Vipin Kumar Pophatio, with Sabari serving as PRO.
Khalifa Worldwide Release on 20 August 2026
Khalifa will release worldwide on Thursday, 20 August 2026, as part of the Onam theatrical season.
The first shows will begin simultaneously from 9:00 AM across Kerala, other Indian markets and overseas territories, while Kerala advance booking opens at 4:00 PM on 16 August.
With the trailer arriving ahead of release, advance bookings opening and the worldwide first-show timing now confirmed, the countdown has entered its final stage for the Prithviraj Sukumaran–Vysakh–Jinu Abraham film Khalifa.
Stay tuned to Kerala TV for Khalifa advance booking updates, first-show details, trailer updates, release information and the latest Malayalam cinema news.
