Mammootty-Mohanlal reunion ‘Patriot’ opens to packed houses, fans celebrate after 18 years
Kochi: After 18 years, Malayalam cinema’s biggest stars shared the screen again as Patriot hit theatres on Friday, drawing sold-out crowds across Kerala and setting off early celebrations from fans. The espionage action drama stars Mammootty and Mohanlal and marks their first full-fledged reunion since 2008. The film is directed by Mahesh Narayanan, whose earlier movies include Ariyippu, Malik, Take Off, and C U Soon.
Patriot opened on over 500 screens in Kerala alone, one of the widest releases for a Malayalam film this year. Distributors confirmed that shows for the inaugural day were sold out in advance.
By Friday morning, theatres in Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, and Kozhikode reported housefull boards before the first show. Fans began lining up outside single screens and multiplexes from early hours, many carrying banners, cutouts, and firecrackers.
Fan associations organized special early morning “FDFS” shows starting at 6:30 am. Outside Kavitha Theatre in Kochi, fans performed traditional chenda melam before the first show. In Palakkad and Kannur, motorbike rallies preceded screenings.
