# One (2021 film)
**One** (വൺ) is a 2021 Indian Malayalam-language political drama film directed by Santhosh Viswanath and written by the screenwriter duo Bobby-Sanjay, starring [Mammootty](https://www.edgepedia.org/mammootty) as Kadakkal Chandran, a fictional Chief Minister of Kerala.[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/One?id=AE45CCCE7DF5780EMV) It was released theatrically on 26 March 2021 and runs about two and a half hours.[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-reviews/one/movie-review/81708381.cms)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Original title | വൺ (One)[3](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/one-2021) |
| Director and writers | Santhosh Viswanath; screenplay by Bobby-Sanjay[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/One?id=AE45CCCE7DF5780EMV) |
| Lead role | Mammootty as Kadakkal Chandran, Chief Minister of Kerala[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/One?id=AE45CCCE7DF5780EMV) |
| Release | 26 March 2021, theatrical[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-reviews/one/movie-review/81708381.cms) |
| Runtime and certificate | 152 minutes; certified U in India[4](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/movies/one/story.html) |
| Production | Sreelakshmi R, Ichais Productions[5](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/news/2020/May/25/mammoottys-one-to-be-released-theatrically-say-makers-18602.html) |
| Music and crew | Gopi Sundar (music), Vaidy S Pillai (cinematography), Nishadh Yusuf (editing)[6](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/24166/malayalam/one/cast-and-crew/) |
| Streaming | Netflix in India[3](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/one-2021) |
## Spoilers
### Premise
The film follows Kadakkal Chandran, a Chief Minister portrayed as a politician of ideals whose uncompromising attitude toward corruption has earned him many enemies.[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-reviews/one/movie-review/81708381.cms) • [3](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/one-2021) The story begins when, during a hospital visit, police block the surroundings and a young citizen named Sanal (Mathew Thomas) tries to sneak in, is hurt in a confrontation with the police, and posts about it on social media. The post gains traction, and the opposition, which has been waiting for a chance to topple the Chief Minister, seizes the opportunity.[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-reviews/one/movie-review/81708381.cms)
The central political conflict is Chandran's wish to introduce a Right to Recall bill, which would let the electorate remove an elected representative from power when unsatisfied with them. The opposition leader Marampally Jayanandhan ([Murali Gopy](https://www.edgepedia.org/murali-gopy)), who sees politics as a business, opposes the bill, which would also harm corrupt members of the Chief Minister's own party.[7](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/reviews/malayalam/2021/Mar/26/one-movie-reviewinteresting-idea-lacklustre-execution-23624.html) A trailer line states the character's position: "I am not just the chief minister for those 15 lakh people. I am the chief minister for 3.5 crore people of Kerala."[8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/one-trailer-mammootty-promises-an-electrifying-political-nail-biter-7222645/)
## Cast
Mammootty heads a large ensemble. [Joju George](https://www.edgepedia.org/joju-george) plays Baby, the Chief Minister's best friend and party secretary; Murali Gopy plays opposition leader Marampally Jayanandan; Mathew Thomas plays Sanal; Nimisha Sajayan plays Lathika, Chandran's sister; [Salim Kumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/salim-kumar) plays Dasappan; Gayathri Arun plays Seena; and Siddique plays the Speaker of the Assembly. Ranjith appears as Advocate General Vijaya Mohan, Shankar Ramakrishnan as Chief Secretary, Balachandra Menon as a doctor, and Madhu as Vasudeva Panikar.[6](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/24166/malayalam/one/cast-and-crew/) • [9](https://ottasia.com/title/movie/803639/one?country=IN)
## Production and release
The film began shooting in October 2019 and completed its shoot by January 2020, with a theatrical release initially expected by the end of March or early April of that year.[10](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/news/2019/oct/22/mammoottys-bobby-sanjay-film-one-starts-rolling-15073.html) • [11](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/stories/news/2020/Jan/09/mammoottys-one-completed-to-release-by-march-end-16453.html) In May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the makers issued a statement saying they would not release the film on OTT platforms and would wait for a theatrical release once the situation in Kerala settled.[5](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/news/2020/May/25/mammoottys-one-to-be-released-theatrically-say-makers-18602.html)
The release was later set for 4 March 2021, then postponed while waiting for the Kerala government to lift restrictions on night shows; the trailer came out on 10 March 2021.[8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/one-trailer-mammootty-promises-an-electrifying-political-nail-biter-7222645/) Mammootty announced the final date himself on 22 March 2021, writing that "Kadakkal Chandran to take charge from March 26th," and the film reached cinemas on 26 March 2021, a week after his horror-mystery *The Priest* had opened.[12](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/after-the-priest-mammootty-announces-the-release-date-of-one-7239517/) It later streamed on Netflix in India.[3](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/one-2021)
## Reception
Critical response was mixed. The Times of India gave it 3.0 out of 5, calling it a portrait of a "too-good-to-be-true" Chief Minister and a mass movie offering a handful of good moments, best described as a one-time watch.[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-reviews/one/movie-review/81708381.cms) The Cinema Express review, rated 2.5 out of 5, found the initial portions promising but judged that unnecessary distractions marred the drama, while praising the dialogue-driven confrontations between Mammootty and Murali Gopy and the finale in the old Assembly Hall.[7](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/reviews/malayalam/2021/Mar/26/one-movie-reviewinteresting-idea-lacklustre-execution-23624.html) Samayam Malayalam also rated it 2.5 out of 5, describing the selfless Chief Minister as a figure that exists only in dreams.[13](https://malayalam.samayam.com/malayalam-cinema/movie-review/mammootty-murali-gopy-and-joju-george-starrer-one-movie-review-rating-in-malayalam/amp_moviereview/81699361.cms) Onmanorama called it more of a populist film than a political thriller.[14](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2021/03/26/mammootty-one-movie-review-rating-release.html)
The film received one Filmfare recognition: a 2022 Filmfare Award nomination in the Malayalam film industry category for Best Supporting Actress.[15](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/one/2030183953/)
## References
1. [One, Google Play Movies listing](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/One?id=AE45CCCE7DF5780EMV)
2. [One Movie Review: The portrait of a too-good-to-be-true CM, The Times of India (26 March 2021)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-reviews/one/movie-review/81708381.cms)
3. [One (2021), JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/one-2021)
4. [വണ് movie page, FilmiBeat Malayalam](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/movies/one/story.html)
5. [Mammootty's One to be released theatrically, say makers, Cinema Express (25 May 2020)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/news/2020/May/25/mammoottys-one-to-be-released-theatrically-say-makers-18602.html)
6. [One Cast and Crew, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/24166/malayalam/one/cast-and-crew/)
7. [One Movie Review: Interesting idea, lacklustre execution, Cinema Express (26 March 2021)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/reviews/malayalam/2021/Mar/26/one-movie-reviewinteresting-idea-lacklustre-execution-23624.html)
8. [One trailer: Mammootty promises an electrifying political nail-biter, The Indian Express (10 March 2021)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/one-trailer-mammootty-promises-an-electrifying-political-nail-biter-7222645/)
9. [One (2021) streaming guide, OTTASIA](https://ottasia.com/title/movie/803639/one?country=IN)
10. [Mammootty's Bobby-Sanjay film One starts rolling, Cinema Express (22 October 2019)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/news/2019/oct/22/mammoottys-bobby-sanjay-film-one-starts-rolling-15073.html)
11. [Mammootty's One completed; to release by March end, Cinema Express (9 January 2020)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/stories/news/2020/Jan/09/mammoottys-one-completed-to-release-by-march-end-16453.html)
12. [After the success of The Priest, Mammootty announces the release date of One, The Indian Express (22 March 2021)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/after-the-priest-mammootty-announces-the-release-date-of-one-7239517/)
13. [വണ് review, Samayam Malayalam (26 March 2021)](https://malayalam.samayam.com/malayalam-cinema/movie-review/mammootty-murali-gopy-and-joju-george-starrer-one-movie-review-rating-in-malayalam/amp_moviereview/81699361.cms)
14. [Mammootty's One movie review: Populist plot, lofty idealism, Onmanorama (26 March 2021)](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2021/03/26/mammootty-one-movie-review-rating-release.html)
15. [One, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/one/2030183953/)
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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 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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