Valathu Vashathe Kallan

Valathu Vashathe Kallan (transl. The thief to the right) is a 2026 Indian Malayalam-language crime thriller film directed by Jeethu Joseph, written by Dinu Thomas Eelan, and produced by Shaji Nadesan. The film stars Biju Menon and Joju George.^[2]

Valathu Vashathe Kallan was released on 30 January 2026 and received mixed reviews from critics.^[3]

Inspector Antony Xavier and his son Philip struggle to rebuild their strained relationship despite attending counselling sessions intended to improve their bond. Philip believes Antony’s ego and harsh behaviour prevent them from becoming close.

Antony dismisses a complaint brought by a young woman who accuses her schoolmate Rajeev of attempting to assault her, arguing that Rajeev’s influential family could claim the allegation is false due to her past relationship with him. Intimidated by the circumstances, the girl’s mother withdraws the complaint. Shortly afterwards, the girl is killed in a road accident, leaving her friend Irene devastated. Determined to seek justice, Irene begins investigating the case herself.

One night Irene goes missing and is later found murdered. An autopsy reveals she was killed by repeated blows from a blunt object. CCTV footage shows Antony interacting with Irene shortly before her death, making him a suspect in the investigation. As new officer Firoz takes charge of the case, Antony’s past actions and associations begin to surface.

Antony discovers that Irene’s father Sam has kidnapped Philip and demands that Antony confess his involvement in Irene’s death. Sam reveals several clues before dying by suicide. During the investigation, Antony learns that Sam had previously sought justice in another case where Antony had helped protect the real killer due to political pressure, further exposing Antony’s compromised ethics.

Antony eventually uncovers the truth: Irene had confronted Philip on the night of her death after interrupting him and Rajeev while they were under the influence of drugs. Enraged, Philip attacked Irene with a rock, killing her. Sam and his wife Theresa had orchestrated the elaborate plan to expose the truth and force Antony to confront his role in raising a violent and unstable son.

In the end, Antony traces Philip to a location near a church graveyard. However, realizing the full consequences of his actions and his son’s crimes, Antony hesitates and stops the search, choosing not to save Philip.

The project was officially announced on 21 April 2025 by Jeethu Joseph.^[4][5] Principal photography began in May 2025 in Kochi with a pooja ceremony.^[6] Filming wrapped on 11 August 2025.^[7]

Valathu Vashathe Kallan was released on 30 January 2026.^[3]

A mixed review in The Hindu wrote: "Part of the film works because of the presence of the two towering performers in Biju Menon and Joju George, who, even when they are not at their best, lend some gravitas to the proceedings. Although Jeethu’s films are not particularly known for their visual or technical aspects, here the darker tone sits well with the theme until the screenplay spoils the game."^[8] Other reviews were also mixed, similarly praising the two lead male actors’ performances but particularly criticising the plot, judged confused. Anandu Suresh of The Indian Express gave 1.5 out of 5 stars, writing "Jeethu Joseph delivers yet another unsatisfactory crime thriller aimed solely at outsmarting the audience".^[9] Vishal Menon of The Hollywood Reporter India said that "For all the credit Jeethu Joseph gets for being the Malayalam master of suspense, one doesn’t realise how often he’s made films that talk about something as soft and subtle as parenting."^[10]

• Valathu Vashathe Kallan at IMDb