# Machante Maalakha
**Machante Maalakha** (Malayalam: മച്ചാന്റെ മാലാഖ) is a 2025 Indian Malayalam-language comedy-drama film directed by Boban Samuel, starring [Soubin Shahir](https://www.edgepedia.org/soubin-shahir) as Sajeevan, a state transport bus conductor who marries Bijimol ([Namitha Pramod](https://www.edgepedia.org/namitha-pramod)), a woman who loves him but constantly criticizes his actions.[1](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/machante-malakha-2025) • [2](https://tv.apple.com/in/movie/machante-malakha/umc.cmc.1qen33xef9m975jevprrohbii) It was released in theaters on 27 February 2025 and underperformed commercially while drawing largely negative reviews.[3](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Machante_Malakha_2025) • [4](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/29442/machante-malakha/reviews/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 27 February 2025 (India, theatrical)[3](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Machante_Malakha_2025) |
| Director / producer | Boban Samuel; produced by Abraham Mathew under Abaam Movies[5](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2025/Jan/08/soubin-shahir-and-dhyan-sreenivasans-machaante-maalakha-gets-a-release-date) |
| Lead cast | Soubin Shahir (Sajeevan), Namitha Pramod (Bijimol), with Dhyan Sreenivasan, Dileesh Pothan, Shanthi Krishna, and Manoj K U[1](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/machante-malakha-2025) |
| Writers and music | Story by Jexson Antony, screenplay and dialogues by Ajeesh P Thomas, music by Ouseppachan[5](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2025/Jan/08/soubin-shahir-and-dhyan-sreenivasans-machaante-maalakha-gets-a-release-date) |
| Runtime and certification | About 2 hours 5 minutes (125 minutes on streaming); certified U in India[1](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/machante-malakha-2025) • [6](https://d1f72a6kha0tf8.cloudfront.net/machante-malakha) |
| Box office | India net about ₹8.7 million (₹0.87 crore) and worldwide gross about ₹9.5 million (₹0.95 crore) per Sacnilk[3](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Machante_Malakha_2025) |
| Streaming | Available in India on Amazon Prime Video and ManoramaMax, among other services[1](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/machante-malakha-2025) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and premise
Sajeevan is a K.S.R.T.C. ([Kerala State Road Transport Corporation](https://www.edgepedia.org/kerala-state-road-transport-corporation)) bus conductor who marries Bijimol, a regular passenger on his route. She loves him but frequently criticizes his actions, and his affection for her deepens despite the complaints; over time he comes to see her as the true blessing of his life.[2](https://tv.apple.com/in/movie/machante-malakha/umc.cmc.1qen33xef9m975jevprrohbii) • [7](https://www.primevideo.com/-/fr/detail/0GN7JHY8O2QRIYUH6SQ7H9Z147) After the marriage, Sajeevan moves into Bijimol's household, where he faces indifferent treatment from his wife and her mother Kunjumol ([Shanthi Krishna](https://www.edgepedia.org/shanthi-krishna)), a setup the film presents as a reversal of the usual on-screen dynamic in which the wife suffers in the husband's home.[8](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/review/2025/Feb/27/machante-malakha-movie-review-old-school-familial-tropes-in-a-gender-swapped-bottle) • [9](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2025/02/27/machante-maalakha-movie-review-soubin-shahir-namitha-pramod-malayalam-cinema.html)
Streaming synopses describe the story as a couple experiencing marital difficulties after she donates a kidney to him, a framing that differs from the theatrical synopsis.[1](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/machante-malakha-2025)
## Production
The film was announced as a family entertainer. Its screenplay was written by Ajeesh P Thomas, known for *Vikruthi*, based on a story by Jexson Antony, director of *Oru Second Class Yathra*. The technical team included cinematographer Vivek Menon, editor Ratheesh Raj, and composer Ouseppachan.[5](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2025/Jan/08/soubin-shahir-and-dhyan-sreenivasans-machaante-maalakha-gets-a-release-date) Boban Samuel had previously directed *Janapriyan* (2011), *Romans* (2013), and *Happy Journey* (2014).[5](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2025/Jan/08/soubin-shahir-and-dhyan-sreenivasans-machaante-maalakha-gets-a-release-date) The makers announced the 27 February 2025 release date in January 2025.[5](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2025/Jan/08/soubin-shahir-and-dhyan-sreenivasans-machaante-maalakha-gets-a-release-date)
## Reception
**Critical response.** Reviews were largely negative, with critics citing outdated storytelling, regressive themes, and weak execution.[4](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/29442/machante-malakha/reviews/) The Cinema Express review rated the film 1 out of 5, arguing that it swaps gender roles without subverting stereotypes and relies on melodrama and unfunny jokes, and that its women characters are written as one-dimensional antagonists.[8](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/review/2025/Feb/27/machante-malakha-movie-review-old-school-familial-tropes-in-a-gender-swapped-bottle) S. R. Praveen of The Hindu wrote that the film would have been called outdated and regressive even if made in the 2000s.[10](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/machante_malakha) The Times of India also gave 1 out of 5, calling it a tone-deaf relic that revives the old husbands-versus-nagging-wives trope.[11](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-reviews/machantemalakha/amp_movie_review/118634662.cms) The Onmanorama review was more favorable, praising the film for pointing its lens at a male victim of domestic abuse and for performances by Soubin Shahir, Namitha Pramod, Manoj K U, and [Dileesh Pothan](https://www.edgepedia.org/dileesh-pothan), with Shanthi Krishna standing out, while noting that its black-and-white portrayal of the mother-in-law's villainy limited the narrative.[9](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2025/02/27/machante-maalakha-movie-review-soubin-shahir-namitha-pramod-malayalam-cinema.html)
**Box office.** Sacnilk reported an India net collection of about ₹8.7 million (₹0.87 crore) and a worldwide gross of about ₹9.5 million (₹0.95 crore), with daily net collections declining from ₹1.8 million (₹0.18 crore) on opening day to about ₹100,000 (₹0.01 crore) by the tenth day; Sacnilk notes its figures are approximate.[3](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Machante_Malakha_2025) FilmiBeat included the film in its list of first-quarter 2025 Malayalam flops, citing forced humor and a shallow plot.[12](https://filmibeat.com/top-listing/2025-malayalam-movies-first-quarter-report-flop-and-disaster-movies-list-4-4373.html)
## Home media
In India the film streams on Amazon Prime Video, ManoramaMax, and related channels; in the United States it is available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, YouTube, and Google Play Movies.[1](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/machante-malakha-2025) • [13](https://www.moviefone.com/movie/abaam-movies-production-no-13/JqcssQiCcEUnix32fNE8m2/where-to-watch/)
## References
1. [Machante Malakha (2025), JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/machante-malakha-2025)
2. [Machante Malakha, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/in/movie/machante-malakha/umc.cmc.1qen33xef9m975jevprrohbii)
3. [Machante Malakha (2025-02-27) - Review, Rating & Box Office Collection, Sacnilk](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Machante_Malakha_2025)
4. [Machante Malakha Movie Reviews, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/29442/machante-malakha/reviews/)
5. [Soubin Shahir and Dhyan Sreenivasan's Machaante Maalakha gets a release date, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2025/Jan/08/soubin-shahir-and-dhyan-sreenivasans-machaante-maalakha-gets-a-release-date)
6. [Machante Malakha, Moviebuff](https://d1f72a6kha0tf8.cloudfront.net/machante-malakha)
7. [Machante Malakha, Prime Video](https://www.primevideo.com/-/fr/detail/0GN7JHY8O2QRIYUH6SQ7H9Z147)
8. [Machante Malakha Movie Review: Old-school familial tropes in a gender-swapped bottle, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/review/2025/Feb/27/machante-malakha-movie-review-old-school-familial-tropes-in-a-gender-swapped-bottle)
9. ['Machante Maalakha' review, Onmanorama](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2025/02/27/machante-maalakha-movie-review-soubin-shahir-namitha-pramod-malayalam-cinema.html)
10. [Machante Malakha, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/machante_malakha)
11. [Machante Malakha Movie Review: A tone-deaf relic from a past best left behind, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-reviews/machantemalakha/amp_movie_review/118634662.cms)
12. [2025 Malayalam Movies First Quarter Report: Flop & Disaster Movies List, FilmiBeat](https://filmibeat.com/top-listing/2025-malayalam-movies-first-quarter-report-flop-and-disaster-movies-list-4-4373.html)
13. [Machante Malakha - Where to Watch, Moviefone](https://www.moviefone.com/movie/abaam-movies-production-no-13/JqcssQiCcEUnix32fNE8m2/where-to-watch/)
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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 2025*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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