‘Prathichaya’ Movie Review, Nivin Pauly’s Unruly Journey Of Power, Legacy, Morality And Ambition

Prathichaya has finally been released on JioHotstar on April 24, 2026. The film was released in theatres on March 26, 2026 and is directed by B. Unnikrishnan. The film follows a father’s legacy as it collides with his son’s ambitions in a gripping political thriller. So, if you are planning on watching the film this weekend, here’s what you need to know. Warning: Spoilers ahead!

What is Prathichaya about? 

After a long wait, Nivin Pauly is back with yet another interesting political drama. Titled Prathichaya, the film takes inspiration from several real-life incidents from Kerala’s modern political history. The film shows how a father’s legacy collides with his son’s ambition, raising questions about the price of power. The film challenges conventional definitions of success beyond wealth and titles. The film also has an impeccable cast and fairly engaging characters.

Meet the characters of Prathichaya

Prathichaya features a Chief Minister, who is as righteous as he is corrupt, just to balance out his moral scales of justice; a data giant who exposes the fascism hiding in data harvesting; and an antagonist whose villainy comes not from his build but from a hunger to corporatise every free media outlet. In a film underscored by stilted writing and an old-fashioned treatment of drama, these flourishes never really get their moment in the sun.

Is Prathichaya worth a watch?

Prathichaya focuses most of its time on ‘KN Varghese’ essayed by Balachandra Menon. The morally grey Chief Minister of Kerala is a good person, but won’t step back if he can take advantage of his position as the supreme ruler of the state. His character will make you question his consciousness and how he sleeps at night despite his acts. A question, even his son, ‘John’, played by Nivin Pauly, asks him at some point. However, to no one’s surprise, in the most narcissistic way possible, ‘Varghese’ responds by saying he counts his good deeds while in bed. He was quoted as saying:

“When I do a 100 ‘wrongs’, I also do a 100 ‘rights’. I count my rights as I fall deep into sleep.”

Prathichaya has enough deeply complicated and unclassifiable qualities in the form of ‘KN Varghese’, that make us understand why filmmaker B. Unnikrishnan spends as much time as he does on him. However, it’s safe to say that the audience has been on this ride with Unnikrishnan enough times to know that the film is less about the father and more about the younger son’s ascent to the throne. This brings us to the main arc of the film, where we are subjected to a clichéd introduction of the hero.

‘John’ is a data mogul who is not afraid of using information to his power, with completely avoidable scenes of him hitting on women at parties to some screechingly “savage” music. There is a mandatory ‘Ted Talk-like’ scene to show off the character’s prowess. However, it comes off as confusing rather than empowering. Nonetheless, it shows how John’s profession is actually an important and eventually fascinating part of the film in its second and third acts. Regardless, there must be a better way to introduce characters, because the film’s deep dive into ‘John’s’ profession aptly reflects our country’s troubling relationship with data transparency. 

Things once again take a turn when ‘John’s’ father is accused of sexual assault, leading the ‘Varghese’ family to make an altering decision about whether they want to fight with him or cut things off. Balachandra Menon is especially perceptive in scenes of deep contemplation. Especially when he asks ‘John’, “Do you believe I would’ve done something like this?”, fraught with tension. It is also interesting to note that, having understood his track record, this seems like a question framed for the film’s viewers. Nonetheless, the film doesn’t really hold space for deep introspection between a father and his child.

While it is not clear whether the rhetoric is based on real-life events or just a fictional addition, it is a little unsettling when women-bashing and the manosphere subculture are dominating our algorithms. When ‘John’ takes over his father’s seat after a tragedy, Prathichaya doesn’t immediately idolise him but instead projects an image of innocence and power, smart enough to fool the public. These scenes, while they might have looked novel on paper, lacked the depth the script needed for character development. 

Finally, regarding the film’s villain, Sharaf U Deen leaves us impressed with his portrayal of ‘Ravi Madhavan’. He has an interesting backstory. However, the writing feels slightly underdeveloped, so it takes us a while to connect the dots and realise his place in the larger scheme. The eventual climax between ‘John’ and ‘Ravi’ is robust, but the moments happen too late for the audience to stay hooked. While they are designed to make every revelation feel like a thrilling tug-of-war, the result leaves a lot to be desired.

Are you excited to watch Prathichaya? Let us know.

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