What happens when the alien you befriend turns out to be a total loser back on his own planet? That’s the delightfully absurd hook behind Pluto, the new Malayalam sci-fi comedy starring Neeraj Madhav and Althaf Salim. It’s a film with a clever premise and real laughs, but one that struggles to sustain its own energy.
Pluto : Plot
Pluto follows Vignesh, aka Vicky, a chronically unsuccessful thirty-something living in Kerala who depends financially on his girlfriend Meera. His life flips upside down when he accidentally befriends a stranded alien through a video-game-style “hire a friend” console. Naming the alien Pluto, Vicky hopes his new extraterrestrial buddy has superpowers that could fix his fortunes.
Instead, Pluto turns out to be a failure on his own planet, one that runs on advanced tech and hard liquor rather than any cosmic power. When a local thug, Tiger Thambi, discovers Pluto and sees a payday, Vicky and his friend must protect the alien while finding a way to send him home.
What Works and What Doesn’t
The film’s biggest strength is subverting the typical “powerful alien” trope, turning Pluto into an incompetent, deadpan character who feels more like a reluctant houseguest than a cosmic visitor. This concept plays well against Kerala’s grounded setting, and the chemistry between Neeraj Madhav’s anxious energy and Althaf Salim’s flat delivery carries much of the humor.
However, the film’s pacing stumbles. The first half spends too long setting up the premise, alcohol-based jokes wear thin by the midpoint, and the second half falls into a predictable chase-comedy structure. Supporting characters, including Meera, feel underwritten, and the limited visual effects for alien-tech sequences occasionally undercut the sci-fi tone, a genre that has a long global history of blending comedy with extraterrestrial concepts, as outlined on Wikipedia.
Pluto Review Card
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Rating | 2.5/5 |
| Director | Adithyan Chandrashekar |
| Lead Cast | Neeraj Madhav, Althaf Salim |
| Genre | Sci-Fi Comedy |
| Streaming Platform | Saina Play |
| Theatrical Release | July 30, 2026 |
The Verdict
Pluto is a low-stakes, experimental comedy that lands its best jokes early but loses steam by the finish. It’s a decent one-time watch for fans of quirky Malayalam cinema, even if it doesn’t fully capitalize on its clever setup. For more South Indian film reviews and OTT release guides, check out our entertainment coverage on Technosports.
