Balan - The Boy (2026)

Balan: The Boy is a Malayalam psychological mystery drama about a teenager searching for his missing mother after a turbulent childhood. His search gradually becomes a journey into the hidden parts of his family history, where memories, identities, and old secrets do not always match what he has been told.

Directed by Chidambaram, the film combines family drama with suspense and a coming-of-age perspective. The story moves between different stages of Balan's life, allowing the filmmakers to build mystery through changing relationships and fragmented memories rather than relying only on conventional thriller mechanics.

• Directed and co-written by Chidambaram and Jithu Madhavan.
• Adhisheshan K R and Muhammed Zinaan portray Balan at different ages.
• Tovino Thomas, Farzana Palathingal, Jean Paul Lal, and Beena Antony are among the principal cast.
• The film runs approximately 140 minutes.
• It was screened at the Marché du Film in Cannes before its Indian theatrical release.