# 12th Man (film)
**12th Man** is a 2022 Indian Malayalam-language mystery film directed by [Jeethu Joseph](https://www.edgepedia.org/jeethu-joseph) and starring Mohanlal as Chandrashekhar, a suspended police officer drawn into investigating a death at a resort where eleven friends have gathered for a bachelor party.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/12th_man) • [2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/12th-man-movie-review-mohanlal-is-outshined-by-jeethu-josephs-storytelling-7927737/) It premiered directly on the streaming platform [Disney+ Hotstar](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-hotstar) on 20 May 2022.[3](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/12th-man/cast-crew.html) The film should not be confused with *The 12th Man* (2018), a Norwegian World War II survival drama about resistance fighter [Jan Baalsrud](https://www.edgepedia.org/jan-baalsrud).[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_12th_man)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director / producer | Jeethu Joseph; produced by Antony Perumbavoor through Aashirvad Cinemas[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/12th_man) |
| Writers | Screenplay by K.R. Krishna Kumar, from a story idea by Sunir Kheterpal[5](https://www.ottplay.com/news/12th-man-preview-heres-all-we-know-about-mohanlal-and-jeethu-josephs-disney-hotstar-release/14ff8e3e74385) |
| Release | 20 May 2022, direct-to-OTT on Disney+ Hotstar[3](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/12th-man/cast-crew.html) |
| Runtime / certificate | 2h 43m; CBFC U/A[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/12th_man) • [6](https://filmi.ai/film/12th-man-2022/) |
| Lead cast | Mohanlal (Chandrashekhar), with Unni Mukundan, [Sshivada](https://www.edgepedia.org/sshivada), [Anusree](https://www.edgepedia.org/anusree), Saiju Kurup, Anu Sithara, Leona Lishoy, Aditi Ravi, Priyanka Nair, Chandhunadh, Anu Mohan, and Rahul Madhav[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/12th_man) |
| Setting | 80–90% of the film takes place in a single location, a resort[7](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2022/May/19/jeethu-joseph-12th-man-is-nothing-like-the-drishyam-films-31593.html) |
| Audience rating | 6.8/10 on IMDb from about 5,200 user ratings[8](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14986012/ratings/) |
## Spoilers
### Premise and plot
Eleven friends, former classmates, gather at a hilltop resort to celebrate the upcoming wedding of one of their number, Siddharth (Anu Mohan).[2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/12th-man-movie-review-mohanlal-is-outshined-by-jeethu-josephs-storytelling-7927737/) • [9](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2022/05/19/twelfth-man-review.html) The group consists of six women and five men.[9](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2022/05/19/twelfth-man-review.html) When Fida ([Leona Lishoy](https://www.edgepedia.org/leona-lishoy)) proposes a game, the friends place their mobile phones on the table and agree to play every call and message aloud, an exercise in proving they have no secrets.[2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/12th-man-movie-review-mohanlal-is-outshined-by-jeethu-josephs-storytelling-7927737/) • [10](https://www.thenewsminute.com/kerala/12th-man-review-mohanlal-film-has-interesting-premise-let-down-poor-writing-164188) The game exposes concealed information about several lives, and the day ends in a death that turns the group into suspects.[6](https://filmi.ai/film/12th-man-2022/)
Mohanlal's character, Chandrashekhar, is a top cop suspended for beating up a media person while drunk, staying at the same resort as his suspension nears its end.[2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/12th-man-movie-review-mohanlal-is-outshined-by-jeethu-josephs-storytelling-7927737/) He wakes from an alcohol-induced slumber to lead the investigation into the death.[2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/12th-man-movie-review-mohanlal-is-outshined-by-jeethu-josephs-storytelling-7927737/) A large share of the story is told through a structured police interrogation sequence.[9](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2022/05/19/twelfth-man-review.html)
## Genre and influences
Jeethu Joseph described the film as a mystery rather than a thriller, in the vein of [Agatha Christie](https://www.edgepedia.org/agatha-christie) or [Sherlock Holmes](https://www.edgepedia.org/sherlock-holmes) stories, and specifically a whodunit that unfolds over the course of a day inside a resort.[5](https://www.ottplay.com/news/12th-man-preview-heres-all-we-know-about-mohanlal-and-jeethu-josephs-disney-hotstar-release/14ff8e3e74385) Reviewers placed it in the same tradition: the Indian Express called it a minimalistic locked-room drama that plays out like an Agatha Christie story, with themes of fractured relationships, betrayal, treachery, and scandal.[2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/12th-man-movie-review-mohanlal-is-outshined-by-jeethu-josephs-storytelling-7927737/)
The phone-sharing game is borrowed from the 2016 Italian film *Perfect Strangers*, whose premise the film combines with a Poirot-style investigative procedural.[11](https://www.netflixmovies.com/12th-man-2022) • [12](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/review/2022/May/20/12th-man-movie-review-passable-whodunit-held-together-by-a-few-stimulating-ideas-31619.html) The Cinema Express review noted that where *Perfect Strangers* was a relatively lighthearted relationship drama, *12th Man* leans toward the dark side.[12](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/review/2022/May/20/12th-man-movie-review-passable-whodunit-held-together-by-a-few-stimulating-ideas-31619.html)
## Production
The script, written by Jeethu's friend K.R. Krishna Kumar, was brought to the director a few years before release; Jeethu developed the premise through multiple sittings, and the screenplay took almost two years to complete.[7](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2022/May/19/jeethu-joseph-12th-man-is-nothing-like-the-drishyam-films-31593.html) • [5](https://www.ottplay.com/news/12th-man-preview-heres-all-we-know-about-mohanlal-and-jeethu-josephs-disney-hotstar-release/14ff8e3e74385) The initial idea came from Bollywood producer Sunir Kheterpal, who had worked with Jeethu on *The Body* and produced *Badla*.[5](https://www.ottplay.com/news/12th-man-preview-heres-all-we-know-about-mohanlal-and-jeethu-josephs-disney-hotstar-release/14ff8e3e74385)
Because 80 to 90 percent of the film takes place in one resort, the production could be carried out in a contained atmosphere during the COVID-19 pandemic; the team completed shooting in 25 days, largely with night shoots.[7](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2022/May/19/jeethu-joseph-12th-man-is-nothing-like-the-drishyam-films-31593.html) The shoot took place at GreenBerg Holiday Resorts in Kulamavu, Idukki district, booked out entirely for the production.[11](https://www.netflixmovies.com/12th-man-2022) Rain and mist delayed filming by five days, the first time in Jeethu Joseph's career that one of his films ran past its scheduled dates.[11](https://www.netflixmovies.com/12th-man-2022)
The film marks Jeethu Joseph's third collaboration with Mohanlal, after *Drishyam* and *Drishyam 2*, and reuses key technicians from *Drishyam 2*, including cinematographer Satheesh Kurup and composer Anil Johnson; V.S. Vinayak edited.[13](https://www.ottplay.com/news/jeethu-joseph-and-team-complete-post-production-work-of-mohanlals-12th-man-gears-up-for-ott-release/51c95d1a40388) • [7](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2022/May/19/jeethu-joseph-12th-man-is-nothing-like-the-drishyam-films-31593.html) • [3](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/12th-man/cast-crew.html)
## Reception
Critical response was mixed. The aggregate Filmi Score stands at 55 ("Good") from three reviews, ranging from 38 (The News Minute) to 78 (Times of India).[6](https://filmi.ai/film/12th-man-2022/) Anna Mathews of The Times of India gave 4 out of 5, calling it an entertaining whodunit whose moderate twists keep the viewer glued because they play out believably.[6](https://filmi.ai/film/12th-man-2022/) • [14](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-reviews/12th-man/amp_movie_review/91669767.cms) Cinema Express called it a passable whodunit held together by a few stimulating ideas, praising seamless transitions between past and present while faulting soap-opera-style performances and a [James Bond](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-bond)-inspired score that distracts at key moments.[12](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/review/2022/May/20/12th-man-movie-review-passable-whodunit-held-together-by-a-few-stimulating-ideas-31619.html) [The Indian Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-indian-express) rated it 2 out of 5, finding the narration tedious until Mohanlal's character takes over the investigation and judging the payoff underwhelming.[2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/12th-man-movie-review-mohanlal-is-outshined-by-jeethu-josephs-storytelling-7927737/) The News Minute argued the interesting premise was let down by poor writing.[10](https://www.thenewsminute.com/kerala/12th-man-review-mohanlal-film-has-interesting-premise-let-down-poor-writing-164188) Onmanorama praised the film for telling much of the story through an unusually structured interrogation sequence.[9](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2022/05/19/twelfth-man-review.html)
On IMDb the film holds a 6.8/10 rating weighted from about 5,200 user votes, with the unweighted mean at 7.1 and the most ratings coming from India.[8](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14986012/ratings/)
## The 2018 film of a similar name
*The 12th Man* (2018) is a separate Norwegian adventure-history-drama, directed by Harald Zwart, about the Norwegian resistance fighter Jan Baalsrud, who flees the Gestapo through snowbound [Scandinavia](https://www.edgepedia.org/scandinavia) after a failed anti-Nazi sabotage mission leaves his eleven comrades dead.[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_12th_man) It runs 2h 11m, scored 86% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer from 21 reviews, and earned a Metascore of 70.[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_12th_man) • [15](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-12th-man/critic-reviews/)
## References
1. [12th Man, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/12th_man)
2. [12th Man movie review: Jeethu Joseph's storytelling outshines Mohanlal, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/12th-man-movie-review-mohanlal-is-outshined-by-jeethu-josephs-storytelling-7927737/)
3. [12th Man Cast & Crew, FilmiBeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/12th-man/cast-crew.html)
4. [The 12th Man, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_12th_man)
5. [12th Man preview: Here's all we know about Drishyam duo Mohanlal and Jeethu Joseph's Disney+ Hotstar release, OTTplay](https://www.ottplay.com/news/12th-man-preview-heres-all-we-know-about-mohanlal-and-jeethu-josephs-disney-hotstar-release/14ff8e3e74385)
6. [12th Man review, filmi.ai](https://filmi.ai/film/12th-man-2022/)
7. [Jeethu Joseph: 12th Man is nothing like the Drishyam films, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/interviews/2022/May/19/jeethu-joseph-12th-man-is-nothing-like-the-drishyam-films-31593.html)
8. [12th Man (2022) Ratings, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14986012/ratings/)
9. [Jeethu Joseph's 12th Man review, Onmanorama](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2022/05/19/twelfth-man-review.html)
10. [12th man review: Mohanlal film has interesting premise but is let down by poor writing, The News Minute](https://www.thenewsminute.com/kerala/12th-man-review-mohanlal-film-has-interesting-premise-let-down-poor-writing-164188)
11. [12th Man (2022) on Netflix, NetflixMovies.com](https://www.netflixmovies.com/12th-man-2022)
12. [12th Man Movie Review: Passable whodunit held together by a few stimulating ideas, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/review/2022/May/20/12th-man-movie-review-passable-whodunit-held-together-by-a-few-stimulating-ideas-31619.html)
13. [Jeethu Joseph and team complete post production work of Mohanlal's 12th Man, OTTplay](https://www.ottplay.com/news/jeethu-joseph-and-team-complete-post-production-work-of-mohanlals-12th-man-gears-up-for-ott-release/51c95d1a40388)
14. [12th Man Movie Review: A entertaining, delicious whodunnit, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-reviews/12th-man/amp_movie_review/91669767.cms)
15. [The 12th Man critic reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-12th-man/critic-reviews/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Malayalam films of the 2020s › Malayalam films of 2022 and 2023*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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