Saiju Kurup
Sasidharan Nair
Overview
The family's journey to Sreekandapuram to settle the late Bharathan Nair's second wife and son takes a dark turn when an issue from his past resurfaces, leading to an unexpected crime. Forced into a desperate cover-up to protect their future, the family must navigate a treacherous path of secrecy and mounting pressure, determined to overcome any obstacle by any means necessary.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
4 min readThe Family That Buries Together
I didn’t expect to laugh this hard at a film where a man gets smuggled out of a house in a banana bag. Then again, I didn’t expect Bharathanatyam 2: Mohiniyattam to be quite so good at turning familial dysfunction into a contact sport. The movie starts as a gentle road-trip comedy—think Little Miss Sunshine with more coconut oil and fewer Volkswagen vans—before pivoting into a thriller where the real weapon isn’t the knife but the family’s collective ability to rationalize anything.
By the time the credits roll, you’re left wondering whether you’ve just watched a dark comedy or a horror film where the monster is guilt.
Krishnadas Murali, the director, has a knack for making chaos feel lived-in. His previous work (Bharathanatyam, 2023) was a sleeper hit that found its audience on streaming, but this sequel doesn’t just ride that wave—it surfs it with a confidence that borders on recklessness. The film’s first act is a masterclass in tonal whiplash.
One moment, you’re laughing at Baby Jean’s deadpan reactions as the family’s youngest member; the next, you’re wincing as Saiju Kurup’s character, Subhash, makes a decision so morally dubious it could power a season of Succession. The shift isn’t jarring so much as it is inevitable, like watching a car skid toward a cliff and realizing the driver never intended to hit the brakes.
What makes Mohiniyattam work is its refusal to let the audience off the hook. The film’s dark humor isn’t just about the absurdity of the family’s predicament—it’s about how quickly we, as viewers, start rooting for them to get away with it. There’s a scene midway through where Subhash and his half-brother (Jinil Rex) argue over whether to bury a body in the backyard or drive it to the next town.
Audience Opinions
Audience 7.7/10
"A wildly entertaining dark comedy-thriller that tops its predecessor with sharper humor, a confident genre shift, and scene-stealing performances from the family ensemble."
The film is praised as a bolder and funnier follow-up that starts as a warm family drama and then dives into dark, chaotic comedy without losing its emotional core. Viewers single out the smart, eventful screenplay, relentless laughs, and the chemistry between Saiju Kurup, Baby Jean, and the rest of the family as key reasons it feels like one of the year’s most entertaining Malayalam releases. latestnetflix.com's view is that Criticism mainly targets a slow opening stretch, a slightly overlong runtime, and some convenient story turns that not everyone finds fully convincing.
What viewers praise
- Highly effective dark humor The dark comedy, spoof elements, and simple but sharp jokes land consistently, with many people saying they couldn’t stop laughing once it gets going.
- Confident genre shift The move from a seemingly gentle family story into darker, thriller territory is described as smooth, clever, and a big part of the fun.
- Strong ensemble chemistry Saiju Kurup’s lead turn, Baby Jean’s reactions and slang, and the misfit family dynamic are repeatedly highlighted as a major highlight.
- Entertaining screenplay Comments praise the tight story, lack of loose ends, well-timed twists, and eventful second half that keeps things engaging.
- Rewarding sequel Many call it a superior sequel, saying it is leagues funnier and more entertaining than the first film and has clear franchise potential for this family.
Common complaints
- Slow initial stretch Several viewers note that the beginning feels a bit slow or takes time to click before the film becomes fully entertaining.
- Overlong in places A few reviews mention that certain portions feel slightly stretched and could have been trimmed for tighter pacing.
- Convenient storytelling Some comments point out that the plot leans on convenient developments and is not especially strong beneath the humor.
- Split views on part one While many call this an improvement, a minority prefer the first film and feel this entry only really takes off after specific supporting characters appear.
Recommended for
Malayalam dark comedy fans Family-centered thriller lovers Sequel and franchise enthusiasts Comedy with genre-twist seekers Saiju Kurup and Baby Jean fans Feel-good yet twisted movie nights
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsThe trailer borrowed Drishyam, then opened against it
The official trailer for Bharathanatyam 2 Mohiniyattam starts with Saiju Kurup's Sashidharan pitching a film idea to his brother. An uninvited guest dies by accident. The family has to hide the night. Cinema Express said the clip is packed with Jeethu Joseph's Drishyam, not a polite nod. Vinay Forrt is the cop in the frame. The Times of India ran the same read. Theatrical date was 10 April 2026. latestnetflix.com's view is that that listing also put a Drishyam 2 rerelease on the board.
Director Krishnadas Murali had already told Cinema Express what the sequel was for. "We're currently planning to begin shooting in November, with the release expected sometime next year," he said in July 2025, after Saiju wrapped Aadu 3. He co-wrote with debutant Vishnu R. Pradeep. "Mohiniyattam's story will pick up from where Bharathanatyam left off, with the main cast returning." He wanted "a much more eventful film to offer a proper theatrical experience." The 2024 first film had found its crowd after ManoramaMAX and Prime Video, not in halls.
Two months of shoot, then a 150th title card
Thomas Thiruvalla Films and Saiju Kurup Entertainments launched the picture with a pooja in November 2025. Lini Mariam David and Anupama B. Nambiar produced. Principal photography wrapped on 7 January 2026. The makers posted, "WE DID IT!" and thanked the crew for "riding this rollercoaster." New Indian Express listed the new faces. Suraj Venjaramoodu, Jagadish, Vinay Forrt, rapper Baby Jean. Kalaranjini, Sreeja Ravi, and the Rex brothers came back. Electronic Kili scored. Bablu Aju shot it. Shafeeque V. B. cut it. TMDB files the Malayalam original at 2 hours 25 minutes, U/A 13+, comedy and thriller. Cinema Express later called the finished film Saiju's 150th feature.
The logline is a family trip to Sreekandapuram for the late Bharathan Nair's second wife and son, then a crime and a cover-up. Times of India sketched Suraj as Govindaraja, the blackmailer who threatens to expose a temple built on fraud. After opening, The Hindu talked about a "rationalist bent" inside the dark comedy. Cinema Express's own notice, quoted again on the OTT announcement, said the second instalment "is undoubtedly the stronger piece of work."
Netflix while the third title was already on a poster
The film held through Vishu and still had tickets when Patriot, the Mammootty-Mohanlal spy picture, and Vaazha 2 arrived. Cinema Express said it had crossed Rs 25 crore worldwide before the digital date. The Hindu later used the same floor at the Kochi success meet. Wikipedia's box-office line sits higher, at an estimated Rs 52 crore, and its budget note is Rs 5-6 crore. Koimoi, counting India net around day 29, used a Rs 10 crore budget and called it a super hit. The ledgers do not agree. The Malayalam trade still treated the run as a win.
Netflix India started the stream on 8 May 2026. On 28 June, at the Kochi success meet, Saikumar and Kalaranjini unveiled Bharathanatyam 3 Rasaleela. The Hindu and Cinema Express both put the third film in 2028. Krishnadas told Cinema Express he and Pradeep still had only a broad outline. Viewers reading the motion poster have already started a horror-comedy rumor. That remains a rumor. The second dance title is already on the platform.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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