Patriot first look: Mammootty–Mohanlal lead a star-studded team on a crucial mission

The first look of Patriot, headlined by Mammootty and Mohanlal has been unveiled by the makers on the occasion of Republic Day. Directed by Mahesh Narayanan, the espionage thriller's release date poster features top stars Nayanthara, Rajeev Menon, Fahadh Faasil, and Kunchacko Boban walking on what looks like a motherboard of a system. Mammootty holds a chip that seems to play a major role in the film that hits theatres on April 23, 2026.

A day earlier, the character posters of the stars were revealed and the release date was written in Morse code, prompting audiences to decode it themselves. Each poster carried the tagline “dissent is patriotic”, along with the caption, “In a world full of traitors, be a patriot!”

Patriot marks the much-anticipated on-screen reunion of Mammootty and Mohanlal 17 years after Twenty: 20. The film, which began production in November 2024, wrapped shooting earlier this month. It also stars Darshana Rajendran, Zarin Shihab and Revathy in key roles.

The film's teaser was released in October last year. The over one-minute-long video opened with Fahadh’s commanding voiceover: “There was a time when this nation was controlled by the two of them. Together. Over all these years, what they earned wasn’t just followers. Faith! Trust!” Soon, it cuts to Mammootty’s entry as a poised bureaucrat. His line about introducing a “social score” hinted at a sinister political programme. Then came Mohanlal, stepping in as soldier Rahim Naik, declaring: “There are three of us. Do you think you can stop us, sir?” His arrival led directly to Fahadh’s character as a seemingly corporate shark, before the teaser raced through appearances by Nayanthara, Kunchacko and Darshana, their dialogue circling a mysterious programme called “Periscope”. The teaser ended on Mammootty asking: “Great Indian traitor… or patriot?”, with a fleeting visual of Mammootty and Mohanlal together. Patriot teaser carried a meta charge that celebrates the explosive reunion of Malayalam cinema’s titans, promising a slick, high-stakes thriller.

Produced by Anto Joseph, with CR Salim and Subhash Manuel serving as co-producers, the film was shot across multiple locations, including the UK, Sri Lanka, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Kashmir and Kochi. The technical crew includes cinematographer Manush Nandan and music director Sushin Shyam, with Mahesh also handling the cuts alongside Rahul Radhakrishnan.