# Kooman (film)
**Kooman** (കൂമൻ) is a 2022 Indian Malayalam-language crime thriller directed by [Jeethu Joseph](https://www.edgepedia.org/jeethu-joseph). Its story follows a police constable who finds himself driven by an impulse he cannot control to steal, even as he looks into a puzzling series of deaths occurring near the boundary between Kerala and [Tamil Nadu](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-nadu).[1](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/kooman-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmda5mja1) Asif Ali plays the lead role of Giri, with [Renji Panicker](https://www.edgepedia.org/renji-panicker), Baburaj, Jaffer Idukki, Hannah Reji Koshy, and Pauly Valsan in supporting parts.[2](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/kooman) The film was released in theaters on 4 November 2022 and later streamed on Amazon Prime Video.[3](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Kooman_2022) • [2](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/kooman)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director / writer | Jeethu Joseph; script by K R Krishna Kumar, their second collaboration after *12th Man*[4](https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/news/kooman-the-night-rider-director-jeethu-joseph-says-asif-ali-starring-thriller-will-go-on-floors-end-of-february/) |
| Lead cast | Asif Ali as Giri, a young civil police officer; Renji Panicker, Baburaj, Jaffer Idukki, Hannah Reji Koshy[2](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/kooman) |
| Release | 4 November 2022 (theatrical, India); streaming on Amazon Prime Video[3](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Kooman_2022) • [2](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/kooman) |
| Runtime | About 152 to 153 minutes[1](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/kooman-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmda5mja1) |
| Title meaning | *Kooman* is Malayalam for the owl, a bird active mostly at night; the tagline is "The Night Rider"[5](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/malayalam/interviews/2022/Nov/08/jeethu-joseph-interview-the-filmmaker-on-kooman-ram-dirshyam-mohanlal-36370.html) • [6](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/kooman-teaser-jeethu-joseph-promise-yet-another-engaging-thriller-8223658/) |
| Box office | Worldwide gross ₹140.5 million (₹14.05 crore), India net ₹85.2 million (₹8.52 crore), against a reported budget of ₹50 million (₹5 crore); verdict listed as Hit[3](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Kooman_2022) |
| Audience rating | IMDb 7.3/10 (about 5,400 votes)[2](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/kooman) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and setting
The story takes place in a hilly village on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. A strict police officer relocates there, and subsequent events tied to the local police station turn his life and the lives of many residents upside down; ordinary incidents in the village begin to appear abnormal, and secrets slowly unfold.[2](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/kooman) According to the [British Board of Film Classification](https://www.edgepedia.org/british-board-of-film-classification), the film is a crime thriller about a police constable who finds himself driven by an irresistible compulsion to steal while looking into a puzzling series of deaths occurring along the border.[1](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/kooman-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmda5mja1)
Jeethu Joseph said the film differs from his *Drishyam* series: "If 'Drishyam' is a family drama, 'Kooman' is a true thriller." He explained that the title connects to the story because the cop must catch a thief, and catching the thief requires traveling at night, so the owl name fits a character who becomes vigilant in the dark.[7](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2022/11/06/kooman-needed-young-ordinary-cop-jeethu-joseph-interview.html) • [5](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/malayalam/interviews/2022/Nov/08/jeethu-joseph-interview-the-filmmaker-on-kooman-ram-dirshyam-mohanlal-36370.html)
## Production
The film originated in discussions between Jeethu Joseph and screenwriter K R Krishna Kumar, who had written Joseph's previous film *[12th Man](https://www.edgepedia.org/12th-man-film)*; the two were friends before entering cinema, and *Kooman* was actually the project they had planned to make first.[7](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2022/11/06/kooman-needed-young-ordinary-cop-jeethu-joseph-interview.html) Joseph said the lead character required a young, ordinary civil police officer rather than a muscled one, someone with no muscle power but strong intelligence, and that Asif Ali was the first choice for the role.[7](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2022/11/06/kooman-needed-young-ordinary-cop-jeethu-joseph-interview.html) • [5](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/malayalam/interviews/2022/Nov/08/jeethu-joseph-interview-the-filmmaker-on-kooman-ram-dirshyam-mohanlal-36370.html)
**Crew and companies.** The film was produced by Listin Stephen under Magic Frames and Allwin Antony under Ananya Films.[4](https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/news/kooman-the-night-rider-director-jeethu-joseph-says-asif-ali-starring-thriller-will-go-on-floors-end-of-february/) • [8](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/kooman/cast-crew.html) Satheesh Kurup handled cinematography, V S Vinayak the editing, and Vishnu Shyam composed the music, with lyrics by Vinayak Sasikumar.[4](https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/news/kooman-the-night-rider-director-jeethu-joseph-says-asif-ali-starring-thriller-will-go-on-floors-end-of-february/) • [8](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/kooman/cast-crew.html) A first-look poster was released in October 2022, followed by a teaser on 21 October and a trailer ahead of the November release.[9](https://www.nowrunning.com/kooman-first-look-released/143840/story.htm) • [6](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/kooman-teaser-jeethu-joseph-promise-yet-another-engaging-thriller-8223658/)
## Release and reception
*Kooman* opened in theaters on 4 November 2022 with a UA certificate in India and a runtime of about 2 hours 33 minutes.[10](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-details/kooman/movieshow/95145565.cms) According to Sacnilk's compiled figures, the Malayalam version earned ₹85.2 million (₹8.52 crore) net in India, with a strong second week (₹23 million (₹2.30 crore) on day 14) lifting the total; the worldwide gross reached ₹140.5 million (₹14.05 crore), and the site lists the verdict as Hit.[3](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Kooman_2022) In the United Kingdom the film received a 12A certificate for moderate violence, injury detail, suicide references, and threat, and grossed £7,945.[1](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/kooman-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmda5mja1) • [11](https://saltypopcorn.co.uk/movies/kooman)
The film later streamed on Amazon Prime Video, where it holds an IMDb rating of 7.3/10.[2](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/kooman) A Hindi-dubbed version was released on the Ultra Play platform on 30 April 2025.[3](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Kooman_2022) Reviewers and audiences have generally highlighted the first half and the film's night-time cinematography, with the nowrunning review calling it a mostly compelling thriller built on Jeethu Joseph's signature twists.[12](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/26230/kooman/11927/review/) A later Indian Express retrospective was more critical of the climactic twist, arguing that the director's tendency toward jarring final reveals backfired in this film.[13](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/jeethu-joseph-director-proved-strong-script-can-make-audiences-overlook-films-most-obvious-flaws-10245583/)
## References
1. [Kooman, British Board of Film Classification](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/kooman-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmda5mja1)
2. [Kooman streaming, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/kooman)
3. [Kooman (2022) box office, Sacnilk](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Kooman_2022)
4. [Kooman – The Night Rider: Director Jeethu Joseph says Asif Ali-starring thriller will go on floors end of February, Silverscreen India](https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/news/kooman-the-night-rider-director-jeethu-joseph-says-asif-ali-starring-thriller-will-go-on-floors-end-of-february/)
5. [Jeethu Joseph Interview: The filmmaker on Kooman, Ram, Drishyam, Mohanlal, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/malayalam/interviews/2022/Nov/08/jeethu-joseph-interview-the-filmmaker-on-kooman-ram-dirshyam-mohanlal-36370.html)
6. [Kooman teaser: Jeethu Joseph promises yet another engaging thriller, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/kooman-teaser-jeethu-joseph-promise-yet-another-engaging-thriller-8223658/)
7. ['Kooman' needed a young ordinary cop: Jeethu Joseph, Onmanorama](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2022/11/06/kooman-needed-young-ordinary-cop-jeethu-joseph-interview.html)
8. [Kooman Cast & Crew, FilmiBeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/kooman/cast-crew.html)
9. ['Kooman' first look released, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/kooman-first-look-released/143840/story.htm)
10. [Kooman movie details, Times of India eTimes](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-details/kooman/movieshow/95145565.cms)
11. [Kooman 2022 info and UK box office, SaltyPopcorn](https://saltypopcorn.co.uk/movies/kooman)
12. [Kooman Review: Trademark Jeethu Joseph twists make this a mostly compelling thriller, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/26230/kooman/11927/review/)
13. [Jeethu Joseph: The director who proved that a strong script can make audiences overlook even a film's most obvious flaws, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/jeethu-joseph-director-proved-strong-script-can-make-audiences-overlook-films-most-obvious-flaws-10245583/)
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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 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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