# Cold Case (film)
**Cold Case** (കോൾഡ് കേസ്) is a 2021 Malayalam-language investigative thriller with elements of horror, directed by cinematographer Tanu Balak in his directorial debut and written by Sreenath V Nath. It stars [Prithviraj Sukumaran](https://www.edgepedia.org/prithviraj-sukumaran) as police officer ACP Sathyajith and Aditi Balan as investigative journalist Medha Padmaja, who separately investigate a murder case whose trails eventually cross.[1](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2021/Jun/24/cold-case-taught-us-how-to-make-cinema-with-covid-protocols-prithviraj-sukumaran-2320919.html) • [2](https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movie.php?i=6392) The film premiered on Amazon Prime Video on 30 June 2021, a digital release chosen because cinemas in India were closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.[3](https://filmyfocus.com/movies/cold-case)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Language and genre | Malayalam; an investigative crime thriller laced with horror, described by its lead actor as a hybrid genre film[1](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2021/Jun/24/cold-case-taught-us-how-to-make-cinema-with-covid-protocols-prithviraj-sukumaran-2320919.html) |
| Director / writer | Tanu Balak's directorial debut; story, screenplay and dialogue by Sreenath V Nath[1](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2021/Jun/24/cold-case-taught-us-how-to-make-cinema-with-covid-protocols-prithviraj-sukumaran-2320919.html) • [2](https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movie.php?i=6392) |
| Lead cast | Prithviraj Sukumaran as ACP Sathyajith; Aditi Balan as Medha Padmaja[2](https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movie.php?i=6392) |
| Release | Premiered 30 June 2021 on Amazon Prime Video, in more than 240 countries[3](https://filmyfocus.com/movies/cold-case) • [1](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2021/Jun/24/cold-case-taught-us-how-to-make-cinema-with-covid-protocols-prithviraj-sukumaran-2320919.html) |
| Key crew | Music Prakash Alex; cinematography Girish Gangadharan and Jomon T John; editing Shameer Muhammad[2](https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movie.php?i=6392) |
| Production | Anto Joseph Film Company with Plan J Studios; producers Anto Joseph, Shameer Muhammad and Jomon T John[4](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2020/10/31/prithviraj-aditi-balan-movie-cold-case-launched.html) |
| Audience rating | 6.1/10 on IMDb from about 5,200 votes[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13391696/) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and structure
The story runs on two parallel tracks. ACP Sathyajith investigates a murder case that has gone cold and suddenly receives a new lead, a police investigation that progresses through logic, inference and leads; the trigger is a skull found in a discarded package, which forces the police to begin by identifying the victim before establishing motive and culprit.[6](https://www.ottplay.com/interview/prithviraj-dont-listen-to-the-doomsayers-otts-and-theatres-will-coexist/118) • [7](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/malayalam/cold-case/ottmoviereview/83956601.cms) On the other track, Medha Padmaja, a journalist and single mother, moves into a new home with her young daughter and experiences unusual occurrences there.[8](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cold_case) The two investigators work the same case in their own ways and eventually cross paths.[3](https://filmyfocus.com/movies/cold-case)
The film opens with two episodes of exorcism to suggest the possibility of solving crimes through the supernatural, and reviewers described it as part paranormal thriller and part whodunit.[9](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/reviews/malayalam/2021/Jun/30/cold-case-movie-review-stiff-performances-colourless-storytelling-25243.html) • [10](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/25475/malayalam/cold-case/11787/review/)
## Production
The project was officially launched in [Thiruvananthapuram](https://www.edgepedia.org/thiruvananthapuram), with the makers filming under COVID-19 guidelines from the start. It marked Aditi Balan's second Malayalam project after the [Nivin Pauly](https://www.edgepedia.org/nivin-pauly) film *Padavettu*.[4](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2020/10/31/prithviraj-aditi-balan-movie-cold-case-launched.html) The offer reached Prithviraj Sukumaran while India was under the coronavirus lockdown, and after deliberation the team decided to shoot in Trivandrum and Varanasi under COVID-19 protocols, with masking, sanitization and regular testing on set. Sukumaran said the experience showed the industry that filmmaking could continue under the restrictions.[1](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2021/Jun/24/cold-case-taught-us-how-to-make-cinema-with-covid-protocols-prithviraj-sukumaran-2320919.html)
Director Tanu Balak had worked in film circles for over two decades before the film, helming music videos, cranking the camera for features such as *The Train* and *Of The People*, and working predominantly in advertising.[11](https://www.ottplay.com/interview/prithviraj-joining-cold-case-broadened-its-scope-director-tanu-balak/323)
## Release
With theaters shut in India during the pandemic's second wave, the producers opted for an OTT release. The film premiered on Amazon Prime Video on 30 June 2021, and [Sukumaran](https://www.edgepedia.org/sukumaran) noted it would be available in more than 240 countries; it was his first OTT release.[1](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2021/Jun/24/cold-case-taught-us-how-to-make-cinema-with-covid-protocols-prithviraj-sukumaran-2320919.html) • [6](https://www.ottplay.com/interview/prithviraj-dont-listen-to-the-doomsayers-otts-and-theatres-will-coexist/118) The film remains streamable on Prime Video, and as of mid-2025 it was also available on aha and for rent on Amazon Video in India.[12](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/cold-case)
## Reception
Critical response was divided. The Times of India gave it 3 out of 5, calling it a thriller with a two-pronged approach and praising the gripping early horror sequences, while judging that the two scripted narratives did not really gel.[7](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/malayalam/cold-case/ottmoviereview/83956601.cms) Onmanorama's review was positive, calling it compelling and engaging till the end and singling out Girish Gangadharan's cinematography and Prakash Alex's eerie background score.[13](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2021/06/30/cold-case-prithviraj-aditi-balan-malayalam-movie-review-rating.html) Cinema Express gave 2 out of 5, criticizing stiff performances and calling the film more like a lecture on forensic science than a movie, though it noted supporting turns by Lakshmipriya Chandramouli, Kannan Nair and Srikanth K Vijayan.[9](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/reviews/malayalam/2021/Jun/30/cold-case-movie-review-stiff-performances-colourless-storytelling-25243.html) On IMDb the film holds a 6.1/10 rating from about 5,200 users.[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13391696/)
## Notes
Sources disagree on the runtime: Rotten Tomatoes lists 2 hours 19 minutes, while FilmiBeat lists 45 minutes.[8](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cold_case) • [14](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/cold-case/ott.html) The film carries a U/A certification.[14](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/cold-case/ott.html)
## References
1. ['Cold Case' taught us how to make cinema with COVID protocols: Prithviraj Sukumaran, The New Indian Express](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2021/Jun/24/cold-case-taught-us-how-to-make-cinema-with-covid-protocols-prithviraj-sukumaran-2320919.html)
2. [Cold Case (2021), Malayala Chalachithram](https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movie.php?i=6392)
3. [Cold Case: Cast, Crew, Movie Review, Release Date, Filmy Focus](https://filmyfocus.com/movies/cold-case)
4. [Prithviraj's next with Aditi Balan titled Cold Case, movie launched, Onmanorama](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2020/10/31/prithviraj-aditi-balan-movie-cold-case-launched.html)
5. [Cold Case (2021), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13391696/)
6. [Prithviraj: Don't listen to the doomsayers, OTTs and theatres will co-exist, OTTplay](https://www.ottplay.com/interview/prithviraj-dont-listen-to-the-doomsayers-otts-and-theatres-will-coexist/118)
7. [Cold Case Movie Review: A thriller with a two-pronged approach, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/malayalam/cold-case/ottmoviereview/83956601.cms)
8. [Cold Case, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cold_case)
9. [Cold Case Movie Review: Stiff performances, colourless storytelling, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/reviews/malayalam/2021/Jun/30/cold-case-movie-review-stiff-performances-colourless-storytelling-25243.html)
10. [Cold Case Movie Review, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/25475/malayalam/cold-case/11787/review/)
11. [Prithviraj joining Cold Case broadened its scope: director Tanu Balak, OTTplay](https://www.ottplay.com/interview/prithviraj-joining-cold-case-broadened-its-scope-director-tanu-balak/323)
12. [Cold Case streaming: where to watch movie online?, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/cold-case)
13. [Cold Case movie review, Onmanorama](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2021/06/30/cold-case-prithviraj-aditi-balan-malayalam-movie-review-rating.html)
14. [Cold Case OTT Release Date, FilmiBeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/cold-case/ott.html)
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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 2020 and 2021*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license