It should be the most celebrated Malayalam film event of 2026 — Mammootty and Mohanlal sharing the screen together after nearly a decade. But instead of buzz around the film, the headlines are dominated by a behind-the-scenes standoff that could keep Patriot out of Kerala’s theatres entirely before its April 23, 2026 release.

Patriot Malayalam Film — Key Details

Detail	Info
Film Title	Patriot
Genre	Spy Action Drama
Director	Mahesh Narayanan
Producer	Anto Joseph
Lead Stars	Mammootty & Mohanlal
Supporting Cast	Fahadh Faasil, Nayanthara, Kunchacko Boban, Revathi, Rajiv Menon
Release Date	April 23, 2026
Language	Malayalam
Dispute Party	Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala (FEUOK)
Core Issue	Revenue-sharing percentage disagreement
Status	Threatened blacklist — unresolved as of March 7, 2026

What Is the Dispute Actually About?

According to reports, the makers of Patriot and the Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala (FEUOK) are at odds over the film’s profit-sharing agreement. Producer Anto Joseph stated in the agreement sent to theatre owners that revenue sharing should be 60:40 during the first two weeks of collections.

That’s where things broke down. The president of FEUOK stated that this violated the existing revenue-sharing formula, which allocates 60% to the producer and 40% to the exhibitor in the first week, followed by 55:45 in the second week and 50:50 in the third week. The association stated they will not screen the movie unless the producer agrees to follow the existing revenue-sharing formula.

In plain terms: the producer wants an extra 5% for the second week, and exhibitors are drawing a hard line. A difference that looks small on paper could become a very large problem in practice — especially if Kerala screens go dark for one of the year’s most anticipated Malayalam films.

The Film That’s Worth Fighting Over

Patriot is no ordinary release. The spy action drama marks the reunion of the stalwarts of Malayalam cinema — Mammootty and Mohanlal — after nearly a decade, and also features Fahadh Faasil, Nayanthara, Kunchacko Boban, and Revathi in key roles.

That’s practically every top name in Malayalam cinema packed into one film — making the stakes of this standoff genuinely enormous for both sides.

The ball is firmly in producer Anto Joseph’s court. If a resolution isn’t reached before April 23, one of the most star-studded Malayalam films in years could open to empty multiplexes in its home state.

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FAQs

Q: Why is Patriot at risk of being blacklisted by Kerala theaters?

Kerala’s Film Exhibitors United Organisation (FEUOK) objected to producer Anto Joseph’s proposed revenue-sharing ratio of 60:40 for the first two weeks — arguing it violates the standard formula of 60:40 in Week 1, 55:45 in Week 2, and 50:50 in Week 3, and has threatened to not screen the film until the standard formula is accepted.

Q: When is Mammootty and Mohanlal’s film Patriot releasing?

Patriot is scheduled to release on April 23, 2026, directed by Mahesh Narayanan — but its Kerala theatrical run is currently uncertain due to an ongoing revenue-sharing dispute between the producers and the Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala (FEUOK).