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Bollywood's Neil Nitin Mukesh joins Prithviraj Sukumaran's 'Khalifa'
15 Jan 2026

Malayalam actor-filmmaker Prithviraj Sukumaran has announced that Bollywood actor Neil Nitin Mukesh will be part of his upcoming movie Khalifa, with a new poster.

The announcement was made on Thursday, January 15, which is also Mukesh's birthday.

Sukumaran's Instagram caption read, "Happy birthday, Neil Nitin Mukesh! Welcome to the Malayalam film industry!"

Mukesh's previous South Indian film ventures
Career highlights

Mukesh has previously worked in the Tamil film industry with his debut in Kaththi (2014) and later starred in the Telugu movie Kavacham (2018).

However, Khalifa will be his first venture into Malayalam cinema, over a decade after his initial foray into South Indian films.

The specifics of Mukesh's role in the Vysakh directorial remain undisclosed.

'Khalifa' features a star-studded cast and crew
Production details

In Khalifa, Sukumaran will play Aamir Ali, a notorious gold smuggler.

Superstar Mohanlal will make a cameo as Ali's grandfather Mambarakkal Ahmed Ali. Comedian-turned-character actor Indrans is also part of the film.

The music is by Jakes Bejoy with cinematography by Jomon T John and screenplay by Jinu Abraham.

The film is likely to hit theaters during Onam 2026.