MovieTimeहिन्दी
Crime · Thriller
Kalamkaval (2025)
कलमकावल
5 Dec 2025144 minMalayalamUA
A Kerala police sub-inspector looks into a string of missing women, and the inquiry pulls in an officer from the Tamil Nadu police. Kalamkaval is a Malayalam psychological crime thriller starring Mammootty and Vinayakan, directed by Jithin K. Jose.
Editorial preview: written from official information, the trailer and public sources — not a full viewing of the film.
Synopsis
A Kerala police sub-inspector looks into a string of missing women, and the inquiry pulls in an officer from the Tamil Nadu police. Kalamkaval is a Malayalam psychological crime thriller starring Mammootty and Vinayakan, directed by Jithin K. Jose.
Kalamkaval 2025 in brief: a missing-women case, two policemen
Kalamkaval 2025 is a Malayalam psychological crime thriller, also marketed under the subtitle The Venom Beneath. It marks the directorial debut of Jithin K. Jose, who co-wrote the script with Jishnu Sreekumar. The film is produced under Mammootty's own banner, Mammootty Kampany.
The setup, as described on Wikipedia, follows a sub-inspector in Kerala's Special Branch who investigates a series of missing women. His inquiry draws in a Tamil Nadu Crime Branch officer, which promises the sort of two-officer, two-state friction that police procedurals often thrive on.
The two leads and the supporting cast
Mammootty and Vinayakan headline the film. Wikipedia lists Mammootty as Stanley Das, the Tamil Nadu officer, and Vinayakan as Jayakrishnan, the Kerala sub-inspector, although some news coverage describes the pairing in the reverse way, with Vinayakan as the cop chasing a killer played by Mammootty. Because accounts differ, we are not going to pin down who is hunting whom.
Rajisha Vijayan, Gayatri Arun, Shruti Ramachandran, Dhanya Ananya and Gibin Gopinath are credited in supporting parts. Mujeeb Majeed composed the score and songs, with the soundtrack released in November 2025.
Release date and OTT: where to watch Kalamkaval
The film opened in theatres on 5 December 2025 after being moved from an earlier announced date of 27 November. It carries a UA 16+ certificate from the CBFC, and the runtime is listed as 144 minutes on Wikipedia, though one other listing says 139.
On streaming, SonyLIV is the platform. Wikipedia gives 16 January 2026 as the start date; one outlet reports it appeared a day early, on 15 January. Check the app for your region's current availability. As with all our previews, we have not watched the film and cannot comment on how it plays.
Who should pick this thriller
A film about missing women and a pursuit across state lines will be dark in subject, and the UA 16+ rating signals that it is not meant for younger viewers. The pairing of Mammootty with Vinayakan is the main draw, as both are known for intense screen presence, though we are speaking of reputation, not of what they do in this film.
If you like slow-burning investigation stories in the Malayalam tradition, with the focus on psychology rather than chases, the premise points that way. Viewers who prefer lighter fare should look elsewhere. Details about the plot's later turns are deliberately left out.
Who will enjoy Kalamkaval?
- Fans of Mammootty and Vinayakan
- Viewers who like investigative crime thrillers focused on psychology
- Adults comfortable with dark subject matter (UA 16+)
Cast
MammoottySI Stanley DasBorn 1951 · Chempu, Kerala
VinayakanSI JayakrishnanBorn 1974 · Ernakulam, Kerala
Rajisha VijayanDivyaBorn 1990 · Calicut, Kerala
Gayatri ArunShinyBorn 1985 · Cherthala, Kerala
Shruti RamachandranDeepaBorn 1990 · Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Gibin GopinathAnandTrivandrum, KeralaPhoto: TMDB
FAQ
Where can I stream Kalamkaval?
SonyLIV. Wikipedia lists 16 January 2026 as the streaming start, though one outlet says it went live a day earlier.
Who directed Kalamkaval and who produced it?
Jithin K. Jose directed it in his debut, co-writing with Jishnu Sreekumar. It was produced by Mammootty Kampany.
When was Kalamkaval released?
Kalamkaval was released on 5 Dec 2025.
Who directed Kalamkaval?
Kalamkaval was directed by Jithin K. Jose.
How long is Kalamkaval?
Kalamkaval runs for 144 minutes.
