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August 1 (ആഗസ്റ്റ് 1) (1988 film)

August 1 (ആഗസ്റ്റ് 1) is a 1988 Malayalam-language political thriller directed by Sibi Malayil, in which a Crime Branch officer races to prevent the assassination of Kerala's newly elected chief minister by a hired professional killer.1 • 2 It stars Mammootty as DySP Perumal, with Sukumaran, Captain Raju, and Urvashi in principal roles.3

Key factDetail
Release21 July 1988 (India)4
Director / writerSibi Malayil; story, screenplay, and dialogue by S.N. Swamy1
Producer / bannerM. Mani, Sunitha Productions; distributed by Aroma Release5
Lead castMammootty as DySP Perumal, Sukumaran as Chief Minister K.G. Ramachandran, Captain Raju as the assassin Nicholas, Urvashi as Valsala6
Music / technical crewMusic by Shyam, cinematography by S. Kumar, editing by V.P. Krishnan5
Runtime2h 25m2
SequelAugust 15 (2011), directed by Shaji Kailas, with Mammootty reprising Perumal3

Spoilers

Plot

After a keenly fought election, M.K.R. (Sukumaran) becomes the new chief minister of Kerala. Disgruntled opponents hire a professional hitman, Nicholas (Captain Raju), to kill him within 15 days, the fifteenth day falling on August 15, Independence Day, the date that gives the film its title's frame.2 • 7 A tip-off brings Crime Branch officer Perumal (Mammootty) into the case, and he must work against the clock to stop a cunning killer who is determined to deliver full value to his clients even after word of the plot leaks.7

Production and crew

The film was produced by M. Mani under the Sunitha Productions banner and distributed by Aroma Release.5 S.N. Swamy wrote the story, screenplay, and dialogue; Shyam composed the music; S. Kumar handled cinematography; V.P. Krishnan edited; K. Krishnankutty was the art director and Gayathri Ashokan handled design.5 The supporting cast included Jagathy Sreekumar, Sreenath, Prathapachandran, Janardhanan, K.P.A.C. Sunny, G.K. Pillai, Mamukkoya, Kollam Thulasi, Innocent, Lissy, Azeez, and Jagadish.6

Reception and legacy

A 2011 Filmibeat review of the sequel described August 1 as a superb film with a credible script and lively characters, and noted that it was said to be inspired by the 1973 film The Day of the Jackal.8 A Kerala9 review of the sequel credited the film's success and popularity in part to Sukumaran's portrayal of the chief minister and to Captain Raju's professional killer, calling both highlights of the movie.9 On IMDb the film holds a rating of 7.4/10 from 521 votes.6

Sequel. A second part, August 15, was released in 2011, directed by Shaji Kailas with a script again by S.N. Swamy and production again by M. Mani under Sunitha Productions.3 • 10 Mammootty returned as Perumal, again assigned to protect a chief minister, this time played by Nedumudi Venu, from a professional killer played by Siddique.9 Reviewers judged the sequel a letdown compared with the 1988 original, faulting its weak story and thin characterization.8 • 9

The film is available for streaming on ZEE5.11

References

  1. August 1 Malayalam Movie, Nowrunning
  2. August 1, Rotten Tomatoes
  3. ആഗസ്റ്റ് 1, Filmibeat Malayalam
  4. August 1 (1988), Filmibeat
  5. ആഗസ്റ്റ്‌ - 1 ? (1988), Malayala Chalachithram
  6. August 1 (1988), IMDb
  7. August 1 - Full Cast & Crew, TV Guide
  8. August 15 - Movie Review: A thriller without kick, Filmibeat
  9. August 15 Malayalam Movie Review, Kerala9
  10. August 15: Mammootty as Perumal, ZonKerala
  11. August 1 Movie (1988), Digit Binge

Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026

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August 1 (ആഗസ്റ്റ് 1) (1988 film)

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