Padakkalam

''Padakkalam'' () is a 2025 Indian Malayalam language supernatural fantasy comedy film written and directed by Manu Swaraj featuring Suraj Venjaramoodu, Sharaf U Dheen and Sandeep Pradeep in lead roles.

''Padakkalam'' was released in theatres on 8 May 2025. The film became a commercial success at box office.

Plot

Jithin, Ramsad, Nakul, and Kannan are four students pursuing their BTech degrees at Shri Kartika Thirunal College of Engineering. Before one of Prof. Shaji’s classes, Jithin’s girlfriend Jeevika confronts him about their relationship, prompting Jithin to write down his feelings on a piece of paper. The class is suddenly interrupted by a student strike questioning the credentials of the current Head of Department (HoD). In the confusion, Prof. Shaji unknowingly takes Jithin's note with him to the staff room.

Prof. Renjith, a popular and charismatic faculty member, intervenes in the strike and publicly supports the idea of appointing Shaji as the new HoD. However, Renjith secretly possesses an ancient artifact, which he uses to control Shaji and manipulate him into getting into a public altercation. This leads to Shaji losing his candidacy, and Renjith becoming the new HoD.

Jithin accidentally witnesses Renjith using the artifact while trying to find the note Shaji took, and reveals the truth to his friends. While researching about the artifact, they learn that a person can control anyone using it, just by applying their opponent's blood to the dice used for the game. They hatch a plan to steal the artifact to stop Renjith. The boys successfully steal the artifact, but Renjith discovers the theft. As revenge, he begins to possess Jithin, whose blood was accidentally left on a dice which Renjith recovered. Renjith begins to torment him, ruining his reputation as well as his studies. Kannan learns that the only way to free Jithin from Renjith’s possession is to complete a game using the artifact, which requires a special lock currently in Renjith’s possession.

The group attempts to 3D-print the lock in their college’s CAD lab, but the printed version fails to open the artifact. Ramshad attempts to retrieve the original locket but fails, as Shaji gets to it first, but he ends up convincing Shaji to team up against Renjith. Jithin and Shaji begin playing the game, but Renjith interrupts them. In the chaos that follows, a three-way body swap occurs between Jithin, Shaji, and Renjith. Jithin ends up in Shaji's body, Shaji ends up in Ranjith's body and Ranjith ends up in Jithin's body.

It is revealed that Renjith, while trying to possess Jithin, had also been unknowingly controlling Shaji’s body as well and gets him into trouble, which leads to his wife Shobha leaving him, pushing him into a suicidal state. However, after the body swap, Shaji begins to enjoy Renjith's life and refuses to return the dice needed to reverse the body swap. Meanwhile, Renjith (in Jithin’s body) continuously gets Jithin into trouble as a form of blackmail. Jithin (in Shaji’s body) discovers that drinking alcohol affects Shaji (now in Renjith’s body), giving them a small leverage. Things take a turn when Shobha, unaware of the body swap, reveals her pregnancy to Jithin (in Shaji’s body). This emotional revelation causes a change of heart in Shaji, who agrees to end the game. But Jithin learns that Renjith has a medical condition that could be fatal, and that he intends to stay in Jithin's body. This leads to an altercation as Jithin and Shaji try to finish the game while Renjith tries to stop them. Shaji subdues Renjith by drinking alcohol, which affects Renjith (in Jithin's body), and allows Jithin to escape with the artifcat. He and Shaji then try to finish the game, but Renjith tries to once again stop them. Jithin manages to finish the game, returning everyone to their own bodies, and Shaji (in Renjith's body) jumps out of a high window at the last moment to ensure Renjith is stopped once and for all.

Jithin, now with a better life view, talks to Jeevika and they amicably part ways, while Shaji reconciles with Shobha and his unborn child. Renjith is left injured and unconscious due to the fall and the doctor reveals it is unclear when or whether he will wake up. The boys finally return to their normal college life after an adventure of a lifetime and by destroying the artifact. During the credits, the doctor suddenly calls the boys and tells them that Renjith has gone missing from the hospital.

Cast

*Suraj Venjaramoodu as Professor Shaji K K
*Sharaf U Dheen as Professor Renjith
* Sandeep Pradeep as Jithin, ECE student
*Saaf as Kannan, Jithin's friend
*Arun Ajikumar as Nakul, Jithin's friend
* Arun Pradeep as Ramzad, Jithin's friend
*Niranjana Anoop as Jeevika, Jithin's love interest
* Pooja Mohanraj as Shobha, Shaji's wife
* Ishan Shoukath as Lijo, Jithin's rival
*Shaju Sreedhar as Professor
*Luckgith Saini as Praveen
* Nahas Hidhayath as Shaji's brother in law (Cameo Apperance)
* Vijay Babu as Doctor (special Apperance)
* Indrajith as Narrator (voice appearance)

Release

Theatrical

''Padakkalam'' released theatrically in India on 8 May

It released in Oman and Bahrain on 15 May 2025. It was also released in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 23 May 2025.

Home media

The film began streaming on JioHotstar from 10 June 2025.

Reception

Critical response

Latha Srinivasan of ''Hindustan Times'' rated 2/5 stars and wrote "Padakkalam is a decent attempt by director Manu Swaraj to give the audiences a clean campus supernatural fantasy comedy but it is the poor writing that lets down the film." Anandu Suresh of ''The Indian Express'' rated 1.5/5 stars and wrote "Despite having a fascinating plot, the Suraj Venjaramoodu and Sharaf U Dheen-starrer is let down completely by aimless writing." Vishal Menon of '' The Hollywood Reporter India'' wrote "'Padakkalam' takes a few outrageous steps to give us a plot that goes beyond the basic setup-payoff pattern of most body-swap comedies."

References

External links

{{IMDb title, tt32919734

2020s Malayalam-language films
Supernatural fantasy films
Films about body swapping