# Pokkiri Raja (പോക്കിരി രാജാ) (2010 film)
**Pokkiri Raja** (പോക്കിരി രാജ) is a 2010 Malayalam-language action comedy film directed by Vysakh in his debut and starring [Mammootty](https://www.edgepedia.org/mammootty) as Raja, a man who takes the blame for a murder committed by his father, goes to prison, and later becomes a gangster in Madurai known as Pokkiri Raja or [Madhura Raja](https://www.edgepedia.org/madhura-raja).[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1667852/) • [2](https://tv.apple.com/in/movie/pokkiri-raja/umc.cmc.26n023ooq21i8tk9su3q1nwkd) It was released in Kerala on 7 May 2010 and became one of the biggest commercial hits of that year in [Malayalam cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/malayalam-cinema).[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-details/pokkiri-raja/movieshow/62537539.cms) • [4](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/malayalam/2011/May/23/mainstream-films-cut-a-sorry-figure-255596.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 7 May 2010, Kerala; Malayalam language, India[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-details/pokkiri-raja/movieshow/62537539.cms) |
| Director | Vysakh, in his directorial debut[5](https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/web/pokkiri-raja-rules-boxoffice/) |
| Lead cast | Mammootty as Raja, Prithviraj Sukumaran as Surya, Shriya Saran as Aswathy[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1667852/) |
| Writers | Udaykrishna and Siby K. Thomas (story, screenplay, dialogue)[6](https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movie.php?i=4186) |
| Budget and gross | Made at a total budget of 42.5 million (4.25 crore); gross collection about 165 million (16.5 crore), per director Vysakh[5](https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/web/pokkiri-raja-rules-boxoffice/) |
| Runtime and rating | 2 hours 16 minutes (136 min); UA certificate; IMDb 5.3/10 from about 1.6k votes[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-details/pokkiri-raja/movieshow/62537539.cms) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1667852/) |
| Music | Jassie Gift and Rajamani; lyrics by Kaithapram and Rajamani[6](https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movie.php?i=4186) |
## Spoilers
### Cast and characters
Mammootty plays Raja, who appears as Pokkiri Raja and Madhura Raja after fleeing home; [Prithviraj Sukumaran](https://www.edgepedia.org/prithviraj-sukumaran) plays his younger brother Surya Narayanan; and [Shriya Saran](https://www.edgepedia.org/shriya-saran) plays Aswathy, in what the Watcha Pedia profile identifies as her Malayalam debut.[9](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/pokkiri-raja-2010) • [10](https://pedia.watcha.com/en/contents/mdRy4X4) The supporting cast includes [Nedumudi Venu](https://www.edgepedia.org/nedumudi-venu) as Madhavan Nair, the brothers' father; Siddique as City Police Commissioner Rajendra Babu; Suraj Venjaramoodu as 'Idivettu' Sugunan; Salim Kumar as Manoharan Mangalodayam; Riyaz Khan as Mahendran, Aswathy's fiancé and the Home Minister's son; Vijayaraghavan as Krishnan; and Bindu Panicker as Rugmini, the brothers' sister.[9](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/pokkiri-raja-2010)
### Plot
The plot centers on two brothers who have grown apart, one a gangster who inspires fear and the other a lively young man, and their paths cross as criminal life and the family's reputation become entangled.[9](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/pokkiri-raja-2010) In the opening setup, Madhavan Nair unknowingly kills a teenager, and his eldest son Raja takes the blame and is sentenced to five years in jail.[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1667852/) When Raja is released, his father does not accept him, and he flees the city; after jail, he rescues the daughter of a village landlord in Madurai and becomes that landlord's right hand, known as Pokkiri Raja.[2](https://tv.apple.com/in/movie/pokkiri-raja/umc.cmc.26n023ooq21i8tk9su3q1nwkd) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1667852/) A Filmibeat synopsis adds that the two sons of an idealistic school teacher both turn to rowdyism, one running away to become a big dada while the other stays home as a local dada, and that years later the two meet in a big city without knowing they are brothers.[11](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/pokkiri-raja.html)
## Production
The film was produced by Tomichan Mulakupadam under the banner Mulakuppadam Films, with cinematography by [Shaji Kumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/shaji-kumar), editing by [Mahesh Narayanan](https://www.edgepedia.org/mahesh-narayanan), and art direction by Salu K. George.[6](https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movie.php?i=4186) According to IMDb trivia, the film was initially supposed to have Narain in the lead role; the story was later changed and the lead roles went to Prithviraj Sukumaran and Mammootty.[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1667852/) Pre-release reporting in March 2010 listed Pokkiri Raja, expected on 30 April, as one of Mammootty's big summer releases of the year, alongside B. Unnikrishnan's Pramani.[7](https://malayalam.oneindia.com/news/2010/03/15/mammootty-to-take-a-break.html) The film ultimately reached theaters on 7 May 2010, the same day as Mohanlal's Alexander the Great and Sathyan Anthikad's Jayaram film Katha Thudarunnu.[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-details/pokkiri-raja/movieshow/62537539.cms) • [8](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/news/07-big-release-mollywood-may-7.html)
## Box office and reception
**Commercial performance.** [The Indian Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-indian-express) reported in June 2010 that the film was doing brisk business and had lived up to its hype, running at almost all centers where it was released.[5](https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/web/pokkiri-raja-rules-boxoffice/) In the same interview, Vysakh stated the film was made at a total budget of 42.5 million (4.25 crore) and had grossed about 165 million (16.5 crore), with the highest collections recorded in Kochi and [Thiruvananthapuram](https://www.edgepedia.org/thiruvananthapuram).[5](https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/web/pokkiri-raja-rules-boxoffice/) A Rediff half-yearly box office roundup for the first half of 2010 placed Pokkiri Raja at the top of the Malayalam winners, calling it a formulaic masala entertainer that did not demand logic from its viewers but gave a crucial break to both heroes.[12](https://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/2010/jun/22/slide-show-1-south-half-yearly-report-on-best-films-of-malayalam.htm) The Watcha Pedia profile describes it as one of the highest grossing movies in the history of Malayalam cinema.[10](https://pedia.watcha.com/en/contents/mdRy4X4)
**Critical reception.** Ratings were modest. The Times of India gave the film a critic's rating of 3.0/5, writing that a constant stream of laughs in the second half made up for a first half full of yawns, while its users rated it 2.6/5.[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-details/pokkiri-raja/movieshow/62537539.cms) Filmibeat's English page shows a critic score of 3/5 and a user score of 2.5/5.[11](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/pokkiri-raja.html) On IMDb the film holds 5.3/10 from about 1.6k votes.[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1667852/)
**Awards.** Despite its commercial success, the film won nothing at the 43rd [Kerala State Film Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/kerala-state-film-awards). The New Indian Express reported that the biggest hits of 2010, including Pokkiri Raja, could not bag even a single award, even in individual categories like songs and lyrics, while the awards went largely to low-budget films such as Adaminte Makan Abu and Makaramanju.[4](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/malayalam/2011/May/23/mainstream-films-cut-a-sorry-figure-255596.html) IMDb lists one win total for the film.[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1667852/)
## Music
The songs were composed by [Jassie Gift](https://www.edgepedia.org/jassie-gift) and Rajamani, with lyrics by Kaithapram and Rajamani, and background music by Rajamani.[6](https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movie.php?i=4186) Singers included [K. J. Yesudas](https://www.edgepedia.org/k-j-yesudas), [Sujatha Mohan](https://www.edgepedia.org/sujatha-mohan), Prithviraj, Anwar Sadath, Jassie Gift, Vijay Yesudas, and Ananthu.[6](https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movie.php?i=4186) Songs listed on the Malayalachalachithram database include "Kettille Kettille" (in two versions, one sung by Prithviraj), "Chenthengin Ponnilaneer", "Manikkinavin Kothumbu Vallam", and "Maanikyakallin".[6](https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movie.php?i=4186)
## Legacy and availability
The film established Vysakh as a director and later received a sequel, Madhura Raja, with Mammootty and Vysakh teaming up again; Filmibeat's news section carries items on the confirmed Pokkiri Raja sequel and on "Mammootty's Raja 2".[11](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/pokkiri-raja.html) A distinct 2016 Tamil film also titled Pokkiri Raja, directed by Ramprakash Rayappa and starring Jiiva, is a separate work.[13](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pokkiri_raja) As of recent listings, the 2010 film streams in India on Zee5 free with ads.[9](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/pokkiri-raja-2010)
## References
1. [Pokkiri Raja (2010), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1667852/)
2. [Pokkiri Raja, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/in/movie/pokkiri-raja/umc.cmc.26n023ooq21i8tk9su3q1nwkd)
3. [Pokkiri Raja: Showtimes, Review, Songs, Trailer, eTimes, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-details/pokkiri-raja/movieshow/62537539.cms)
4. [Mainstream films cut a sorry figure, The New Indian Express (2011)](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/malayalam/2011/May/23/mainstream-films-cut-a-sorry-figure-255596.html)
5. [Pokkiri Raja rules box-office, The Indian Express (25 June 2010)](https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/web/pokkiri-raja-rules-boxoffice/)
6. [പോക്കിരിരാജ (2010), Malayalachalachithram](https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movie.php?i=4186)
7. [Mammootty to take a break, Oneindia Malayalam (March 2010)](https://malayalam.oneindia.com/news/2010/03/15/mammootty-to-take-a-break.html)
8. [പോക്കിരിയുടെയും അലക്സാണ്ടറുടെയും കഥ തുടങ്ങി, Filmibeat Malayalam (7 May 2010)](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/news/07-big-release-mollywood-may-7.html)
9. [Pokkiri Raja streaming: where to watch movie online?, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/pokkiri-raja-2010)
10. [Pokkiri Raja, Watcha Pedia](https://pedia.watcha.com/en/contents/mdRy4X4)
11. [Pokkiri Raja Malayalam Movie 2010: Release Date, Review, Cast & Crew, Filmibeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/pokkiri-raja.html)
12. [Half-yearly Malayalam BO: Pokkiri Raja rules, Rediff.com Movies (22 June 2010)](https://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/2010/jun/22/slide-show-1-south-half-yearly-report-on-best-films-of-malayalam.htm)
13. [Pokkiri Raja (2016), Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pokkiri_raja)
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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 2010 to 2015*
*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 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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