Prithviraj-starrer Khalifa's makers reveal Shine Varghese's character in film
Chennai, Aug 11
The makers of director Vysakh, who is directing the eagerly awaited revenge thriller 'Khalifa', featuring actor Prithviraj in the lead, on Tuesday revealed actor Shine Varghese's look and disclosed that he played a character called Sudhip in the film.
Taking to his social media timelines to share Shine Varghese's first look poster from the film, actor Prithviraj wrote, "Shine Varghese as Sudhip. @Shine_T_Varghese Character Poster #5. #KHALIFA In cinemas from 20th August 2026!"
The makers have already revealed that actress Mohini plays a character called Noorjahan while Kyraa Vasudevan plays Vyshanavi in the film, which will have Master Nafash playing Rushin. Actor Shammi Thilakan plays a character called Raghavan in the film.
For the unaware, the unit of the film had wrapped up its shooting in June this year. The 'Khalifa' unit had gone to Dubai earlier this year to shoot some important sequences in the film.
The film is among the most eagerly awaited action entertainers of the year. Some days ago, the film had hit the headlines when Prithviraj had shared a younger looking picture of himself in the film on Instagram. He had written, "AAMIR - The story that was...! #KHALIFA."
Prithviraj plays a character called Aamir Ali in the film. The actor had shared a glimpse video of Khalifa on his birthday last year.
He had then said, "A revenge forged by a lineage that spans generations! Next Onam.. Aamir Ali will write his vengeance in gold! #KHALIFA - The Ruler."
The Khalifa Glimpse that he shared began with a voice on a news bulletin announcing that police and customs officials had unearthed a multi million dollar gold smuggling racket operating out of the middle east. The racket, audiences were informed, was being carried out through networks in London, Nepal and Kerala.
An old man gets interrogated by a customs official called Panicker, who tells the person being questioned that his colleague Aamir is finished and that he can be hauled to jail wherever he sets foot in India. Panicker tries to intimidate the person being questioned, by citing the COFEPOSA act.
The glimpse video then showed the interrogated person replying, "Do you know how the COFEPOSA came into being?" Some scintillating action scenes of which Prithviraj was a part followed this part of the Glimpse video.
The interrogated person then goes onto explain how the COFEPOSA act came into being. "Up north, there was Sukur Naren Bakhia and Haji Mastan.Down south, it was Mudaliar and Mambaraykkal Ahmed Ali. The four of them were a nightmare for Mrs Gandhi.That is what led her to pass the COFEPOSA Act in Parliament in 1974. And even then, using the COFEPOSA, she couldn't keep Ahmed Ali behind bars for even half an hour. Aamir is the grandson of that very same Ahmed Ali." He then, in a challenging tone, asks the official to nab Aamir, saying that it is then that he'll witness the real fireworks like the one in the Uroos festival at the Mambaram mosque.
The video gave the impression that the film would be a gripping thriller with some edge-of-seat chase and stunt sequences in it.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally a proper gold smuggling story! 🌟 The COFEPOSA angle and the historical context with Sukur Narayan Bakhia and Haji Mastan shows the makers have done their homework. Hope the movie lives up to this brilliant concept. Shine Varghese as Sudhip looks intense - great casting choice as always.
Waiting since the glimpse video dropped on Prithviraj's birthday! The dialogue about Ahmed Ali and how COFEPOSA came into being gave me goosebumps. Vysakh knows how to make an entry scene memorable. Shine Varghese deserves more such powerful roles - he's been underutilized so far. 🔥
The Dubai shoot and the gold smuggling storyline feels like something we've not seen in Malayalam cinema recently. But I hope they don't glorify smuggling. There should be a clear message about why such activities destroy families and economies. But as pure entertainment and revenge drama, looks promising! 🤞
The cast is stacking up nicely - Prithviraj as Aamir Ali, Shine as Sudhip, Shammi Thilakan as Raghavan, Mohini as Noorjahan. The names themselves sound so raw and authentic to the story. Prithviraj's mass dialogues in the glimpse were pure fire! Onam 2026 can't come soon enough!
I wish makers would stop teasing us for two years! First the glimpse, then posters, then more posters... 😅 But honestly, the quality of this production seems top-notch.
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