The makers of Nivin Pauly's Prathichaya have unveiled the film’s first poster through social media. It features a symbolic visual: Balachandra Menon’s character is seen walking down a grand staircase from the top, while Nivin’s character ascends from the bottom on the same steps. The imagery hints at a possible power shift or ideological clash at the heart of this political drama, written and directed by B Unnikrishnan.

Prathichaya marks the first collaboration between Nivin and Unnikrishnan. The project is produced by Gokulam Gopalan under the banner Sree Gokulam Movies in association with RD Illuminations LLP. The ensemble cast also includes Sharaf U Dheen, Ann Augustine, Nishanth Sagar, Harisree Ashokan, Saikumar, Vishnu Agasthya, Chiraang Jani, Neethu Krishna and Sabitha Anand, among others. From the trailer released earlier, Balachandra Menon appears to portray the state’s Chief Minister.

Prathichaya has been shot across multiple locations, including Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, the Himalayas, St Petersburg and Dubai, suggesting a story that unfolds on a broad canvas. The technical crew includes cinematographer Chandru Selvaraj, music composer Justin Varghese, editor Manoj and production designer Shajie Naduvil. Though an official confirmation is awaited, unconfirmed reports suggest that the film is likely to hit theatres on March 19, potentially clashing with big releases such as Aadu 3, Dhurandhar 2 and Toxic.

Nivin, meanwhile, is busy shooting for Girish AD’s Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, a rom-com also starring Mamitha Baiju.