# Oppam (ഒപ്പം)
**Oppam** (ഒപ്പം, transl. Produced by Antony Perumbavoor for Aashirvad Cinemas, it was released in India on 8 September 2016, during the Onam festival, and became one of the year's major Malayalam box-office successes[1](https://www.catchnews.com/regional-cinema/1-year-of-mohanlal-priyadarshan-s-oppam-few-interesting-facts-about-the-biggest-onam-blockbuster-of-malayalam-cinema-history-80657.html).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 8 September 2016 (India), an Onam release; United Kingdom wide release 23 September 2016[2](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Oppam-%28India%29) |
| Lead cast | Mohanlal (Jayaraman), Samuthirakani (Vasudevan), Nedumudi Venu (Justice Krishnamoorthy), Anusree (Ganga), Vimala Raman (Devayani)[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/oppam) |
| Runtime | 157 minutes (2h 37m) per Rotten Tomatoes and The Numbers; IMDb and Box Office Mojo list 2h 23m[2](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Oppam-%28India%29) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5548032/) |
| Box office | Estimated ₹650 million (₹65 crore) worldwide gross; BoxOfficeIndia24 reports ₹60.76 Cr worldwide, ₹31.10 Cr net in India on a ₹7 Cr budget, with a Blockbuster verdict[5](https://www.boxofficeindia24.com/movie/oppam/box-office-collection) |
| Music | Songs by 4 Musics; background score by Ron Ethan Yohann[23](https://www.allmovie.com/movie/oppam-am202365) |
| Awards | Six nominations at the 64th Filmfare Awards South with two wins for the song "Chinnamma Adi"; Asianet Film Awards for Best Film, Best Actor, Best Music Director, and Best Lyricist[6](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/oppam/2030047563/) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and characters
Jayaraman, played by Mohanlal, is blind from birth but has heightened senses of smell, sound, and touch, sharpened by his practice of [Kalaripayattu](https://www.edgepedia.org/kalaripayattu), the ancient martial art of Kerala[7](https://www.moviecrow.com/movie/2777/oppam/story) • [8](https://www.behindwoods.com/malayalam-movies/oppam/oppam-review.html). He works as a lift operator in an apartment building in Kochi and is a trusted friend of the residents, including a retired chief justice, Krishnamoorthy ([Nedumudi Venu](https://www.edgepedia.org/nedumudi-venu)), a man burdened by his past who knows someone holds a grudge against him[9](https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/reviews/oppam-review-mohanlals-blinding-performance-covers-films-flaws/) • [10](https://www.thenewsminute.com/amp/story/features/oppam-review-mohanlal-nails-role-blind-man-well-executed-thriller-49623).
When Krishnamoorthy is murdered by a killer out for vengeance, Jayaraman becomes the only "eyewitness" to the murderer's escape, remembering the killer's smell and voice[9](https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/reviews/oppam-review-mohanlals-blinding-performance-covers-films-flaws/) • [11](https://pulseofcinema.com/en/film/oppam/). He is then charged with the crime on circumstantial evidence and must prove his innocence while protecting the judge's daughter[7](https://www.moviecrow.com/movie/2777/oppam/story) • [12](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/oppam). Samuthirakani plays the antagonist Vasudevan, and Anusree plays a police officer, Ganga[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/oppam). The supporting cast includes [Renji Panicker](https://www.edgepedia.org/renji-panicker), Chemban Vinod Jose, Mamukkoya, Aju Varghese, Siddique, Innocent, and [Kaviyoor Ponnamma](https://www.edgepedia.org/kaviyoor-ponnamma)[13](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/18257/malayalam/oppam/cast-and-crew/).
## Production
**Development and filming.** Mohanlal announced on Twitter in March 2016 that the film had gone on floors; principal photography began on 5 March 2016 in Kochi, with Mohanlal joining the set that day and Vimala Raman a week later[14](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/oppam-mohanlal-priyadarshans-ambitious-project-goes-on-floors-311927-2016-03-05). Shooting wrapped on 14 June 2016[15](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/regional/mohanlal-starrer-oppam-to-release-in-september-2853956/).
**A new genre for the director.** [Priyadarshan](https://www.edgepedia.org/priyadarshan), who had directed 91 films before this one, said Oppam was the first crime thriller of his career[16](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/regional/oppam-all-set-to-be-our-biggest-success-priyadarshan-3020877/). On the first day of the shoot, Mohanlal told the director he would not act like a typical blind man, refusing to blink or look upward, wanting to play the character as a normal person; the pair had researched at a blind school in Chennai, where Priyadarshan observed that people born blind often have very good senses of sound and direction[17](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2016/Aug/06/still-going-strong-1506104.html).
## Reception and box office
The film opened on 8 September 2016 to strong reviews; Priyadarshan told IANS on release day that it seemed set to be the biggest hit of his career with Mohanlal[16](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/regional/oppam-all-set-to-be-our-biggest-success-priyadarshan-3020877/). Critics praised Mohanlal's performance above all. [The Indian Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-indian-express) called his work as a visually impaired person meticulous and compared it to [Kalabhavan Mani](https://www.edgepedia.org/kalabhavan-mani)'s role in *Vasanthiyum Lekshmiyum Pinne Njanum*, rating the film 3 out of 5[18](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/oppam-movie-review-mohanlal-starrer-ratings-priyadarshan-film-3022189/). The Times of India gave it 3.0/5, noting an engaging first half but calling it not one of the truly gripping thrillers[19](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-reviews/Oppam/movie-review/54171428.cms). Onmanorama rated it 3.5/5 and described it as a carefully crafted film after Priyadarshan's recent Malayalam films had bombed[20](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/oppam-mohanlal-priyadarsan-malayalam-movie-review.html). Anna M. M. Vetticad of Firstpost later called it technically polished with a fantastic performance by Mohanlal, but pointlessly long-drawn-out[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/oppam).
**Commercial performance.** Reported figures differ by tracker. BoxOfficeIndia24 lists a ₹7 Cr budget, ₹31.10 Cr net in India, ₹60.76 Cr worldwide gross, and a Blockbuster verdict[5](https://www.boxofficeindia24.com/movie/oppam/box-office-collection). India Today Malayalam reported a worldwide gross of about ₹650 million (₹65 crore)[21](https://malayalam.indiatoday.in/cinema/photo/collection-record-break-mohanlal-films-283191-2021-06-19), and the film's infobox carries an estimated ₹650 million (₹65 crore). In tracked international markets, The Numbers records $58,794 from the United Kingdom release of 23 September 2016, on 74 screens[2](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Oppam-%28India%29). Catch News described it as the biggest Onam blockbuster in [Malayalam cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/malayalam-cinema) history and Mohanlal's first Malayalam release of 2016[1](https://www.catchnews.com/regional-cinema/1-year-of-mohanlal-priyadarshan-s-oppam-few-interesting-facts-about-the-biggest-onam-blockbuster-of-malayalam-cinema-history-80657.html).
## Awards
At the Asianet Film Awards ceremony of 20 January 2017 it won Best Film, Best Actor (Mohanlal), Best Music Director (4 Musics), and Best Lyricist (B. K. Harinarayanan)[6](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/oppam/2030047563/).
## Legacy and context
The film is one of the later collaborations of the Mohanlal–Priyadarshan pair, whose hits together include *Boeing Boeing*, *Thalavattam*, *Vellanakalude Nadu*, *Kilukkam*, and *Thenmavin Kombathu*[15](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/regional/mohanlal-starrer-oppam-to-release-in-september-2853956/) • [16](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/regional/oppam-all-set-to-be-our-biggest-success-priyadarshan-3020877/). A 2025 academic article in disability studies examined Oppam, alongside [Jeethu Joseph](https://www.edgepedia.org/jeethu-joseph)'s *Neru*, as a Malayalam film in which a visually impaired witness participates in acts of witnessing through hearing, touch, spatial awareness, and memory, challenging sight-centric assumptions about credible testimony[22](https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/228391/beyond-sight-representation-of-visually-impaired-witnesses-in-select-malayalam-films). As of late 2026 the film streams on JioHotstar in India, free with ads[12](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/oppam).
## References
1. [1 Year Of Mohanlal-Priyadarshan's Oppam, Catch News](https://www.catchnews.com/regional-cinema/1-year-of-mohanlal-priyadarshan-s-oppam-few-interesting-facts-about-the-biggest-onam-blockbuster-of-malayalam-cinema-history-80657.html)
2. [Oppam (2016) – Box Office and Financial Information, The Numbers](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Oppam-%28India%29)
3. [Oppam, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/oppam)
4. [Oppam (2016), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5548032/)
5. [Oppam Hit or Flop? Box Office Collection, BoxOfficeIndia24](https://www.boxofficeindia24.com/movie/oppam/box-office-collection)
6. [Oppam – Where to Watch and Stream, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/oppam/2030047563/)
7. [Oppam Malayalam Movie – Overview, Moviecrow](https://www.moviecrow.com/movie/2777/oppam/story)
8. [Oppam (aka) Oopam review, Behindwoods](https://www.behindwoods.com/malayalam-movies/oppam/oppam-review.html)
9. [Oppam Review: Mohanlal's Blinding Performance Covers Up The Film's Flaws, Silverscreen India](https://silverscreenindia.com/movies/reviews/oppam-review-mohanlals-blinding-performance-covers-films-flaws/)
10. [Oppam review: Mohanlal nails the role of a blind man, The News Minute](https://www.thenewsminute.com/amp/story/features/oppam-review-mohanlal-nails-role-blind-man-well-executed-thriller-49623)
11. [Oppam (2016): Plot, Cast & Rating, Pulse of Cinema](https://pulseofcinema.com/en/film/oppam/)
12. [Oppam streaming: where to watch movie online?, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/oppam)
13. [Oppam Cast and Crew, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/18257/malayalam/oppam/cast-and-crew/)
14. [Oppam: Mohanlal, Priyadarshan's ambitious project goes on floors, India Today](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/oppam-mohanlal-priyadarshans-ambitious-project-goes-on-floors-311927-2016-03-05)
15. [Mohanlal-starrer Oppam to release in September, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/regional/mohanlal-starrer-oppam-to-release-in-september-2853956/)
16. [Oppam all set to be our biggest success: Priyadarshan, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/regional/oppam-all-set-to-be-our-biggest-success-priyadarshan-3020877/)
17. [Still going strong, The New Indian Express](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2016/Aug/06/still-going-strong-1506104.html)
18. [Oppam movie review: Mohanlal plays a blind man in this cat-and-mouse thriller, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/oppam-movie-review-mohanlal-starrer-ratings-priyadarshan-film-3022189/)
19. [Oppam Movie Review {3/5}, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-reviews/Oppam/movie-review/54171428.cms)
20. ['Oppam' movie review: a hunting game by a classy combo, Onmanorama](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/oppam-mohanlal-priyadarsan-malayalam-movie-review.html)
21. [കളക്ഷൻ റെക്കോർഡുകൾ തകർത്ത മോഹൻലാൽ ചിത്രങ്ങൾ, India Today Malayalam](https://malayalam.indiatoday.in/cinema/photo/collection-record-break-mohanlal-films-283191-2021-06-19)
22. [Beyond Sight: Representation of Visually Impaired Witnesses in Select Malayalam Films, WASET](https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/228391/beyond-sight-representation-of-visually-impaired-witnesses-in-select-malayalam-films)
23. [Oppam (2016), AllMovie](https://www.allmovie.com/movie/oppam-am202365)
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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 2010s › Malayalam films of 2016 to 2019*
*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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