Kattalan (transl. Forest dweller) is a 2026 Indian Malayalam-language action thriller film written and directed by Paul George, and produced by Shareef Muhammed under the banner of Cubes Entertainments. The film is a standalone spin-off and the third installment in the Mikhael Extended Universe, following Mikhael (2019) and Marco (2024) and stars Antony Varghese, Sunil, Kabir Duhan Singh, Jagadish, Dushara Vijayan and Hanan Shaah. In the film, two powerful crime bosses, Maari and Eddy, control rival ivory smuggling networks and are engaged in a bloody war for dominance, with law enforcement trying to bring both empires down. However, corruption and violence keep both empires alive. Antony, known as "Kattalan" (The Hunter), is introduced as a feared hunter who kills elephants for their tusks and works within this criminal ecosystem.
The music is composed by Ravi Basrur and B. Ajaneesh Loknath. A promo song too was composed by Nihal Sadiq which does not feature in the movie. with the background score composed by Basrur, cinematography by Renadive, and editing by Shameer Muhammed.
The film was officially announced on 2 March 2025. Principal photography took place from 28 September 2025 to 24 February 2026 in Thailand, Vagamon, Kollam, Colombo, Dhanushkodi, Tirunelveli and Rameswaram.
It was released on 28 May 2026 in the standard, Dolby Cinema, IMAX and EPIQ formats. The film received mixed to negative reviews from critics and grossed ₹15 crore on a budget of ₹50 crore, becoming a box-office bomb.
Contents
Plot
The film is set against the rugged and unforgiving landscape of Aanakolli, a remote hamlet situated along the dense forest border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Initially plagued by recurring, fatal wild elephant attacks that leave the local population entirely terrified, the desperate villagers seek the assistance of a notorious hunter named Maari. While Maari successfully hunts down the rogue tuskers and positions himself as the village’s saviour, he uses the opportunity to seize absolute control over Aanakolli. He cuts off the settlement's ties with the outside world, relocates other hunters and their families into the territory, and establishes a brutal criminal syndicate centred around illegal elephant poaching and ivory trafficking.
Two decades after seizing the territory, Maari rules over Aanakolli as the feared kingpin of a massive ivory smuggling cartel, commanding a vast network of henchmen to enforce his will. However, total dominance over the lucrative "white gold" market remains elusive due to a bitter, long-standing rivalry with his primary competitor, Eddy. Following a severe fallout between the two rival cartels, Eddy and his influential associates launch a violent campaign to dismantle Maari's empire. To protect his turf and strengthen his syndicate's armed resistance, Maari forms an alliance with George D'Peter—the head of the Adattu family and elder brother of the famous gangster Marco—who sends Antony, a highly skilled and fearless ruffian, to reinforce Maari's operations.
Upon entering the Aanakolli syndicate, Antony quickly earns the trust of the local hunting families and aggressively rises through the criminal ranks by leading high-stakes counter-operations against Eddy's faction. As the turf war escalates into brutal, blood-soaked clashes deep within the wilderness, Antony witnesses the severe exploitation and suffering inflicted upon both the local villagers and the forest ecosystem. It gradually becomes evident to the syndicate that Antony harbors his own hidden, alternative agenda for infiltrating Maari's inner circle.
The narrative builds toward a series of massive, hyper-stylised combat sequences as Antony navigates betrayals from within the cartel. Antony systematically dismantles Maari's operations from the inside, revealing that his true allegiance lies with the preservation of the land and a personal vendetta against Maari's tyranny. In the film's climax, a final, violent confrontation leaves Maari's empire in ruins, exposing Antony's direct structural connection to the broader Mikhael Cinematic Universe, setting up a larger war over the control of the forest's illicit trade.
Production
Development
On 22 August 2025, the production of Kattalan began with a traditional pooja ceremony held at Chakkolas Pavilion in Kochi, Ernakulam. The event was attended by the film’s cast and crew, as well as members of the film industry.
Filming
The principal photography began on 28 September 2025 and wrapped on 24 February 2026. Majority of filming took place in Thailand and Kothamangalam. The film was shot entirely with Sony's VENICE 2 8K cameras.
Marketing
Antony Varghese plays the lead role in Kattalan. The marketing for the film began with the release of the first look poster on 11 October 2025. Further promotional activities and updates about the cast and production continued in the following months leading up to the scheduled release.
Music
The songs featured in the film were composed by B. Ajaneesh Loknath and Ravi Basrur while the background score was composed by Ravi Basrur, under the label of T-Series. The first single "Majako Mallika" was released on 14 February 2026, which the original Malayalam version received an average response while the Telugu version became a hit. A promo song titled Hunter Anthem composed by Nihal Sadiq was also released though it is not included in the film.
Release
Kattalan was released on 28 May 2026 in its original Malayalam language alongside versions in the Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi languages in the standard, Dolby Cinema, IMAX, and EPIQ formats.
Home Media
The film’s post-theatrical streaming rights have been acquired by manoramaMAX. The film premiered on ManoramaMAX on August 13.
