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Unmadham backdrop

Unmadham

31 July 2026Malayalam2h 21m

What critics are saying

Critical reception for 'Unmadham' is mixed, with the film earning cautious appreciation for its intriguing premise and the performances of Kunchacko Boban and Lijomol Jose, while its ambition in blending crime, psychological, and supernatural elements draws selective praise.

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Kiran Das DirectorShahi Kabir Writer
In cinemas now

A police constable reopens a long-forgotten case and experiences an unsettling world.

Critic Consensus

Critical reception for 'Unmadham' is mixed, with the film earning cautious appreciation for its intriguing premise and the performances of Kunchacko Boban and Lijomol Jose, while its ambition in blending crime, psychological, and supernatural elements draws selective praise. Several critics highlight a strong, atmospheric setup and a compelling protagonist as genuine strengths. However, the consensus breaks down sharply over the film's latter half, with multiple reviewers citing a disjointed, chaotic, and ultimately unconvincing resolution as a significant failure. Shahi Kabir's writing is seen as both the film's chief asset and its most glaring liability, praised for novelty but criticized for losing coherence under the weight of its genre-mixing ambitions.

7 reviews · 4 positive · 2 mixed · 1 negative

Praised: Strong atmospheric premise and performancesCriticised: Weak, chaotic final act

AI-generated summary of 7 critic reviews · may contain errors

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Critic Reviews (11)

Updated
Baradwaj RanganTop Critic· Baradwaj Rangan
Not rated
"Kiran Das's 'Unmadham' is a solid thriller, a supernatural whodunit that keeps crossing the lines between the real and the surreal."
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Sajin Shrijith· The Week
9.0
"'Unmadham' successfully combines crime investigation, personal drama, and supernatural elements, leaving the audience to interpret its ambiguous nature until the very end."
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Anna Mathews· Times Of India
7.0
"Despite chaotic second half, Kunchacko-Shahi deliver novel police drama"
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Anandu Suresh· Indian Express
6.0
"Just when I thought Shahi Kabir couldn't impress us with yet another police story, he has proven me wrong, underscoring that there's enough behind the khaki that's unexplored."
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Sanjay Ponnappa· India Today
6.0
"Kunchacko Boban's mystery crime thriller, written by Shahi Kabir and directed by debutant Kiran Das, sets up a strong premise but gets lost in direction in all the chaos towards the end."
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K. R. Rejeesh· NowRunning
5.0
"Unmadham gets off to an intriguing start with a compelling protagonist and an atmospheric premise, but its disjointed writing and implausible latter half undermine its psychological mystery. What begins as an intriguing psychological mystery eventually falters because of superficial storytelling and an unconvincing resolution."
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Vignesh Madhu· New Indian Express
5.0
"Although Unmadham goes beyond these tropes to traverse newer terrains, the film is still short of being consistently engaging, largely because of the writing choices."
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4.0
"A gripping psychological setup and Kunchacko Boban's superb performance are undone by a disappointingly ordinary final act in Unmadham. The film begins with promise, the middle section completely grabs your attention, only to leave you cold with an utterly underwhelming third act."
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Sukanya Shaji· The News Minute
Not rated
"Unmadham is an uneven thriller that is lifted by the performances of Lijomol Jose and Kunchacko Boban, though the film struggles to maintain consistent narrative tension throughout."
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Vishal Menon· HollywoodReporterIndia
Not rated
"A complex story about writer's block, stuck in a shoddy investigation drama."
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S.R. Praveen· The Hindu
Not rated
"Kabir, who is usually on a sure footing, struggles to maintain balance between different genres in Unmadham. The mixing of crime with psychological and supernatural elements works wonders in certain portions. But it also comes across as convenient for the writer in some difficult phases."
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Cast & Crew

Details

Release Date
31 July 2026
Runtime
2h 21m
Language
Malayalam

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