Pallichattambhi, Dijo Jose Antony’s fourth feature, looks like his most ambitious one yet. The teaser, released this week, reveals a period action drama set in what appears to be post-independence Kerala, with Tovino Thomas in a rugged, intense avatar. Fire, physicality, and a clear departure from the contemporary settings Dijo has worked with so far.
This is the first time Dijo and Tovino have collaborated, though the director’s track record makes the pairing interesting. Queen, his 2018 debut, was a surprise hit that dealt with honour-based violence. Jana Gana Mana followed in 2022, a legal thriller with Prithviraj Sukumaran that crossed 50 crore and caught SS Rajamouli’s attention. Malayalee From India came next, with Nivin Pauly. Each film has been tonally distinct, and Pallichattambhi appears to push even further into new territory.
Composer Jakes Bejoy, who has scored all of Dijo’s films, returns here for their fourth collaboration. Their musical partnership has been remarkably consistent: Queen, Jana Gana Mana and Malayalee From India all produced chart-topping tracks. The first single from Pallichattambhi, Kaattuchembakam, has already entered trending charts. It marks Bollywood singer Vishal Mishra’s Malayalam debut, paired with Avani Malhar, and carries lyrics by Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri. This also reunites the Tovino-Jakes-Kaithapram combination that produced the 2025 hit Minnalvala.
The cast includes Vijayaraghavan in a key role, Kayadu Lohar as the female lead, and supporting players Sudheer Karamana, Baburaj and Prashanth Alexander. Kayadu Lohar, who broke through with Dragon in Tamil last year, makes her first appearance opposite Tovino here. The screenplay is by S. Suresh Babu, with Tijo Tomy handling cinematography.
Pallichattambhi is produced by Noufal and Brijeesh under World Wide Films alongside Chanukya Chaithanya Charan’s C Qube Bros Entertainment. The film is set for a worldwide release in five languages on April 10.