Just four days before the release of Khalifa, Prithviraj Sukumaran and his team dropped the trailer. The film reunites Prithviraj with filmmaker Vysakh, the duo last worked together on the 2010 film Pokkiri Raja. That film starred Mammootty in the lead and was more on the mass drama side with dollops of humour. While that worked back then, it is interesting to see how much the sensibilities of both the actor-director duo have changed over time.
Style Over Substance?
Everything in the Khalifa trailer is uber stylish. In one part, a customs officer refers to Prithviraj's character as a "notorious star smuggler." And he does look like a star here — taking down opponents with air kicks and heavy punches while throwing mass dialogue their way. He is a rich smuggler who deals internationally.
Khalifa is definitely one of those movies where the protagonist has a past that leads him to pursue smuggling. The song Asalayavle, among the first video songs released from the film, hinted at a love story for the protagonist that was not highlighted in the trailer. The trailer focuses on his life of smuggling, with glimpses of his past. We see that his father does not approve of the path he has taken and that he had a normal life in the past. So, what changed? A death? Possibly.
A Two-Part Film
Khalifa will be a two-part film. The trailer revealed that this is part one — yet another franchise for Prithviraj. He is already helming the Lucifer franchise, which has two films released so far, with plans for a third. He also made Jana Gana Mana, which was promised as a two-part film, but the second part has not been discussed since the first was released.
The Verdict
The music by Jakes Bejoy is quite apt for the film, but its actual impact will be determined only once the film releases on the big screen. While the trailer reminds me of the old Prithviraj, it lacks oomph. It has plenty of mass moments, but not enough of the story that draws you into the film. Hopefully, the next few days will see stronger promotion that raises excitement, or else they will have to rely on word of mouth alone.
Khalifa comes after two back-to-back box-office failures for Prithviraj. All eyes are on Khalifa and whether the Onam season brings cheer or disappointment to the star at the box office. The film will be released globally on August 20, clashing with Nivin Pauly's Bethlehem Kudumba Unit at the Kerala box office.