Kannur Squad

Kannur Squad is a 2023 Indian Malayalam-language crime thriller film directed by Roby Varghese Raj in his directorial debut and written by Muhammed Shafi and Rony David Raj. The film stars Mammootty alongside Azees Nedumangad, Rony David Raj, Shabareesh Varma with Kishore and Vijayaraghavan in supporting roles. It is produced by Mammootty under the banner of Mammootty Kampany and is based on the real story of a team of police officers who were part of the Kannur Squad, a crime investigation unit, formed by former Kannur SP S. Sreejith IPS.

The film was officially announced in January 2023 under the tentative title Megastar 421, and the title of the film was announced by Mammootty on 11 February 2023 as Kannur Squad. The principal photography began on Dec 27, 2022. The film was shot extensively in North Kerala and North India with locations including Kannur, Kasaragod, Wayanad, Ernakulam, Athirapilly, Thiruvananthapuram, Pala, Wai, Pune, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Belgaum, Mangalore and Coimbatore. The shooting wrapped on Apr 6, 2023 in Wayanad. The music is composed by Sushin Shyam, while the cinematography and editing are handled by Muhammed Rahil and Praveen Prabhakar.

Kannur Squad was released on 28 September 2023 to critical acclaim from critics with praise for its cast performances, direction, script, cinematography and musical score. The film was a major commercial success and earned ₹85 crore worldwide, emerging to become one of the highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time and the fourth highest-grossing Malayalam film of the year.

Plot
2015: ASI George Martin and his team of CPO officers: Jose, Jayan and Shafi, known as the Kannur Squad, head out to search for a political goon, who is in a hideout in the Kannur-Virajpet forest area. They catch him, but coincidentally find the hanged body of a stranger in the forest. With the case proving to be ruled out as a suicide, George believes that the stranger was murdered and sets out to find the real perpetrator. The squad identifies the suicider as Murugan, a lorry driver, and the investigation moves to Coimbatore, where the culprit is revealed to be Murugan's wife Vanaja and her nephew Rakesh, who was actually cheated by Murugan. Shortly after this incident, Jayan is found to have taken a bribe from the sand mafia and the group gets disbanded.

2017: A rich NRI businessman Abdul Wahab was dacoited and murdered in Kasaragod. Unable to find any leads, SP Manu Needhi Cholan assigns the Kannur Squad to investigate the case even though there is the shadow of the bribery scandal and there is a lot of resistance to have the group investigate this crime. The squad begins their investigation, where they capture the suspect Riyas, as he bought two SIM cards and his urine sample was found at the crime scene, and interrogates him. Riyas reveals that he used to work at a hotel in Qatar and had met the hotel owner's sons Ameer Shah and Zulfiqar Ali, who wanted money for their new business.

Riyas reveals that he found that Wahab had bundles of money, while he was working on house maintenance work and had informed Ameer and Zulfiqar, who along with the other two men Hathooda and Bambiha, barged into Wahab's house at night. They find there is no money and brutally kill Wahab, injure his son Ramzan and leave his daughter Farha assaulted by Ameer. The squad later sets out to track down the culprits, where they reach Mumbai for the investigation and learn that Ameer had made a call to Shiju Velayudhan. They track down Shiju's address and capture him. Shiju tells that Ameer and Zulfiqar had left for Bhubaneswar.

However, the squad learns that Ameer and Zulfiqar lied to Shiju about their location and they are presently in Faizabad. The squad reaches Faizabad and is assisted by constable Yogesh Yadav of the UP Police, where they learn that a person named Pawan picked up Ameer and Zulfiqar from the railway station. The squad arrives at Pawan's village in Tikri and learns that Ameer and Zulfiqar are at Hathooda's house, where they arrest Pawan after an intense battle with the villagers. The next morning, Pawan reveals that Ameer, Zulfiqar, Hathoda and Bambiha started committing robberies in order to start an ivory export trade and had set up markets in foreign countries and extended their trading to Kerala, Karnataka and other parts of India. Pawan tells that they are currently at a railway station in Payagpur.

The squad manages to capture Hathoda and Bambiha on the train leaving Payagpur. George directs Jose and Shafi to board the train, fearing that Ameer and Zulfiqar could be on the same train. Later, George and Jayakumar find out that Ameer and Zulfiqar have left from Payagpur to Babaganj and are heading to Nepal, with a possible chance of them being untraced. The squad soon finds Ameer and Zulfiqar's hideout in a forest near the India-Nepal border and an intense fight ensues, where the squad manages to arrest them with the help of Sashastra Seema Bal and bring them back to Kerala thereby completing their mission successfully.

Development
Kannur Squad marks the fourth production of Mammootty Kampany, following Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam (2023). It was also the directorial debut of cinematographer Roby Varghese Raj, who has previously worked in Puthiya Niyamam (2016) and The Great Father (2017). The film was officially announced in January 2023 under the tentative title Megastar 421, and the title of the film was announced by Mammootty on 11 February 2023 as Kannur Squad.

Rony David Raj and Roby Varghese Raj's father, C. T. Rajan, had earlier produced Mammootty starrer Mahayanam (1988). Rony David Raj and Muhammed Shafi began writing the story on policemen during the COVID-19 lockdown, and the initial draft resembled a documentary. They decided to make it look cinematic and focus on four characters, thereby incorporating different issues related to the police system. They went through several changes and refined the script while preserving its core elements. Over the course of two years, they have done 15 drafts. They approached Mammootty, who was impressed by the script and agreed to produce the film. The film required shooting in various locations across India and required extensive travel and other logistical aspects. Mammootty revealed in an interview that he plays an ASI in the film, which will be the first time this decade that he plays a cop below SI rank. His other police roles were in Christopher (2023) as an ADGP, Puzhu (2022) as an IPS office and Unda (2019) as an SI respectively. The action choreography was created by Supreme Sundar, Rajashekhar, Kanal Kannan, Jolly Bastian, Run Ravi, PC Stunts and Roby Varghese Raj.

Casting
Paragg Mehta was appointed as the casting director which marks his first South Indian film. Lukman Avaran and Arjun Ashokan were initially considered for the role of police officers but both of them had to back out due to conflicting schedules. Prakash Raj and Sathyaraj were approached to play certain characters in the film. Shabeer Kallarakkal was considered for a negative role in the film, but it didn't end up happening as he was busy shooting for King of Kotha (2023). Azeez Nedumangad initially got a call from Mammootty's associate George about playing the police officer in the film. His past collaborations with Mammootty were in Parole (2018), One (2021) and CBI 5: The Brain (2022). Following the narration, he immediately accepted the role as he believed it was a shift from what he had done earlier.

Arjun Radhakrishnan was cast to play the role of Ameer Shah in the film as the psychotic antagonist who is the leader of the North Indian gang to mislead the police. He has earlier played roles in Jhund (2022) and the webseries Rocket Boys. Roby Varghese cast him in this role after seeing him in the films Pada (2022) and Dear Friend (2022). Manohar Pandey, who has appeared in Adipurush (2023) and Gangubhai Kathiawadi (2022) played the role of Pawan who confronts the Kannur Squad with the aid of villagers at Tikri, Uttar Pradesh. Ankit Madhav who originally hails from Pattambi was cast as the constable of the Uttar Pradesh Police, Yogesh Yadav, who became the assistant to George and his team throughout their investigation in North India. For preparing the character, he had conferred with a diction coach and had seen shows that had north Indian policemen. His previous appearances were in several Hindi ads and Hindi shows that made him comfortable speaking the language. Deepak Parambol, who was simultaneously shooting for Chaver (2023) and Kasargold (2023), joined the set and he played the role of Riyas, the character that had significant parts in the principal events of the film.

Filming
The principal photography of the film began on Dec 27, 2022 in Pala. Mammootty joined the film set on Jan 1, 2023. The filming took place in Kannur, Kasaragod, Wayanad, Ernakulam, Athirappilly, Thiruvananthapuram, Pala, Wai, Pune, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Belgaum, Mangalore and Coimbatore. The second schedule began on Feb 14, 2023 in Pune. Prior to Pune, filming took place at Wai. The team had a five-day schedule in Pune, filming in the old city areas, Katraj Tunnel and Pune Camp. The Mumbai schedule was completed in the first week of March 2023. It was followed by a 10-day schedule in Wayanad. After the completion of the Wayanad schedule the team relocated to Kochi for its last schedule shoot at Willingdon Island, Kochi. Some portions of the shooting took place at Maharaja's College, Ernakulam. The entire filming wrapped on Apr 6, 2023 in Wayanad after 91 days of shooting. The post-production began on 16 April 2023 and lasted for 5–6 months. According to Rony David Raj, the film was made at a cost of ₹30–32 crore.

Themes and influences
Kannur Squad is influenced by the police squad that originated in Kannur and came to be known as the Kannur Squad formed by the Kerala Transport Commissioner, ADGP S. Sreejith, who handpicked and groomed the officers while he was SP in the district and was created as an investigation unit. The squad is still operational and has a total of nine members, consisting of Additional SI Mathew Jose, and senior CPOs Raphy Ahmed M A, Vinodkumar P, Manojkumar K, Sunilkumar C, Jayarajan K, Reji Skaria, Rajasekar C K, and led by ASI Baby George.

The film focuses on four police officers, played by Mammootty, Rony David Raj, Shabaresh Varma, and Azeez Nedumangad. Mammooty plays George Martin, who is an ASI, and Rony David Raj, Shabaresh Varma, and Azeez Nedumangad play the driver and the two CPOs. Rony David Raj and Muhammed Shafi (who wrote the story and screenplay of the film) contacted the officers of the Kannur Squad. During their conversations, the officers shared details on different cases they had looked into and investigated. Rony David and Shafi were particularly interested in one case that caught their attention. S. Sreejith later met with Roby Varghese, Rony David and Shafi during the post-production phase.

Music
The songs and background score are composed by Sushin Shyam, while the lyrics are written by Vinayak Sasikumar. This is Sushin's third collaboration with Mammootty. The first song titled "Mrudhu Bhaave Dhruda Kruthye" was released on Sep 27, 2023. The motto of the Kerala Police 'Mrudhu Bhaave Dhruda Kruthye' serves as the inspiration for the songs' lyrics. The second song titled "Kalan Puli" was released on 6 October 2023.

Theatrical
Kannur Squad was censored with a U/A certificate by the Censor Board prior to its release. The film was released in theatres on Sep 28, 2023. It was distributed in Kerala by Wayfarer Films and the overseas distribution was done by Truth Global Films. It was screened in more than 130 theatres in GCC countries. The film was released in 160 theatres in Kerala on the first day and was screened in over 250 theatres on the second day. The film was screened on over 330 screens on the third day. The film was released in New Zealand and Australia on 6 October 2023. The film expanded its release with additional screenings in European countries including the United Kingdom and Ireland and in the United States, Canada and Singapore.

Home media
Disney+ Hotstar and Asianet had acquired the satellite and post-theatrical digital distribution rights. The film began streaming it from 17 November 2023 and will be streamed in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada languages. The film will also have a delayed OTT release post-pandemic. It was complied with the Kerala Theatre Owners Association's long standing demand for an extended cinema run.

Reception
Kannur Squad received critical acclaim from critics.

Critical response
Sanjith Sidhardhan of OTTPlay gave 4/5 stars and wrote "All departments fire in equal measure in making Mammootty's police procedural a gripping theatrical watch. Kannur Squad also serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by duty-bound police officers, while keeping the audience hooked to the engaging narrative as a team of four cops chase four elusive criminals across the country." Sajin Shrijith of The New Indian Express gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "The most stimulating aspect of the script is how it explores the manner in which its characters handle strong emotions." Sarath Ramesh Kuniyl of The Week gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "Kannur Squad is mind-boggling. It is through such films a layman understands the struggles of the police to crack a case. Not every mission is a success, but they have to stay firm."

Anna Mathews of The Times of India gave 3/5 stars and wrote "On the downside, there are some gory moments that could have been avoided. Muhammed Rahil's cinematography is excellent; wonderfully capturing dramatic moments in small spaces and the grandeur of landscapes. For this alone, the film is worth catching in cinemas." Anandu Suresh of The Indian Express gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Roby Varghese Raj's Kannur Squad, starring Mammootty in the lead role, is undoubtedly a solid police procedural that unfolds at a measured tempo, avoiding excessive dramatisation. However, its notable resemblances to earlier films within the same genre prevent it from being truly fresh." Cris of The News Minute gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Roby Varghese Raj, the director, gives a few cinematic strokes, minimal and essential to the real story of a police squad in Kerala, played by Mammootty and his team of three men."

S. R. Praveen of The Hindu wrote "Despite letting Mammootty indulge in a bit of fan service, director Roby Varghese Raj ensures that the film sticks to the police procedural sans any glamour for the most part." Princy Alexander of Onmanorama wrote "Despite no major twists, the performances of all the actors and the action-oriented sequences in the second half of the movie, make 'Kannur Squad ' engaging." Vishal Menon of Film Companion wrote "When aided by a strong support cast and one seriously menacing villain, Kannur Squad develops into a meticulously detailed procedural that is clever enough to go all guns blazing for its superstar when needed."

Box office
Kannur Squad earned over ₹15 crore domestically and over ₹13 crore from the overseas market, bringing its total to ₹28 crore in its first four days. On its sixth day, the film grossed over ₹42.30 crore with ₹21.90 crore from Kerala and ₹20.40 crore from the overseas. The film has reportedly collected ₹1 crore from Kochi multiplexes. The film collected ₹55.47 lakhs from Aries Plex Theatre, Trivandrum. On its ninth day, it grossed over ₹50 crore becoming the sixth fastest Malayalam film and the second quickest Mammootty starrer to reach the mark.

On its eleventh day, the film grossed over ₹65 crore worldwide becoming one of the top grossing Malayalam films. The film reportedly collected ₹1.71 crore from North America. It grossed ₹32.72 crore from Kerala and over ₹29 crore from the overseas market in 11 days. Kannur Squad earned ₹70 crore by collecting ₹33.50 crore from Kerala within its 15 days of release. The film has reportedly had a successful run in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Grossing over US$3 million, Kannur Squad became the 7th Malayalam film to make its mark on overseas box office revenue.

The film grossed ₹75 crore in the worldwide box office collection after 18 days of its release by collecting ₹42.50 crore domestically. It grossed over US$3.893 million (₹32.40 crore) from overseas with US$3.152 million from the UAE, GCC, US$316K from the European market, US$270K from North America, US$105K from New Zealand and Australia. The film grossed ₹80 crore in 25 days of its release. The film collected £204,523 from the United Kingdom and Ireland. On its theatrical run, the film has collected ₹2.40 crore from the Kochi multiplexes.

The film ran over 50 days in theatres collecting ₹42 crore from Kerala, ₹5.75 crore from other regions of India, ₹34.25 crore from overseas and thereby reaching its gross ₹82 crore from the worldwide box office. Kannur Squad earned ₹100 crore worldwide, becoming one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.