View source for Bharathanatyam 2 Mohiniyattam

{{Short description|2026 Indian Malayalam-language film}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2026}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Bharathanatyam 2 Mohiniyattam
| image          = Bharathanatyam 2 Mohiniyattam Movie Poster.jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = Krishnadas Murali
| writer         = Krishnadas Murali<br>Vishnu R. Pradeep
| producer       = Lini Mariam David<br>[[Saiju Kurup|Anupama B. Nambiar]]
| starring       = [[Saiju Kurup]]<br>[[Suraj Venjaramoodu]]<br>[[Jagadish]]<br>[[Vinay Forrt]]<br>Baby Jean<br>[[Kalaranjini]]<br>Sreeja Ravi
| cinematography = Bablu Aju
| editing        = Shafeeque V. B.
| music          = Electronic Kili
| studio         = Thomas Thiruvalla Films<br>[[Saiju Kurup|Saiju Kurup Entertainments]]
| country        = India
| language       = Malayalam
| released       = {{Film date|2026|4|10|df=y}}
| runtime        = 155 minutes
| budget         = {{INR|5–6 crore}}<ref name="BB">{{Cite web |date=May 3, 2026 |title='Bharathanatyam 2 Mohiniyattam' OTT release: Streaming platform, date, cast, and crew details |url=https://www.theweek.in/news/entertainment/2026/05/03/bharathanatyam-2-mohiniyattam-ott-release-streaming-platform-date-cast-and-crew-details.html |access-date=2026-05-03 |website=[[The Week (Indian magazine)|The Week]]}}</ref>
| gross          = {{INR|40 crore}}<ref name="BB"/>
}}

'''''Bharathanatyam 2 Mohiniyattam''''' is a 2026 Indian [[Malayalam]]-language [[dark comedy]] [[thriller film]] directed by Krishnadas Murali and co-written by Murali and Vishnu R. Pradeep. A sequel to ''[[Bharathanatyam (film)|Bharathanatyam]]'' (2024), it was produced by Thomas Thiruvalla Films and Saiju Kurup Entertainments. The film stars [[Saiju Kurup]], [[Suraj Venjaramoodu]], [[Jagadish]], [[Vinay Forrt]], Baby Jean, [[Kalaranjini]], and [[Sreeja Ravi]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Saiju Kurup-starrer Mohiniyattam confirms release date |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2026/Feb/22/saiju-kurup-starrer-mohiniyattam-confirms-release-date |website=[[Cinema Express]] |date=22 February 2026 |access-date=13 April 2026}}</ref> The film continues the story of Sasidharan Nair and his extended family. 

It was released theatrically on 10 April 2026 as a [[Vishu]] release. It received positive reviews from critics. The film was a commercial success and emerged as the [[List of Malayalam films of 2026|forth highest grossing malayalam film of 2026]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Saiju Kurup-starrer Mohiniyattam confirms release date |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2026/Feb/22/saiju-kurup-starrer-mohiniyattam-confirms-release-date |website=[[Cinema Express]] |date=22 February 2026 |access-date=13 April 2026}}</ref>

== Plot ==
The movie begins with a recap of the first film. Sashi is a temple committee member who specializes in Gruha Poojas, where the committee performs chaotic rituals to convince homeowners their problems are solved. A key member is Subhash, a man known for interfering in family matters. The story centers on Sashi’s family: his sister Shanti, her husband Ashok ,their mother Saraswathi, their father Bharathan Nair, and Arun Ghosh, who wants to study Visual Communication. There is also Sreelatha, another sister of Sasi who lives in the ancestral home due to financial struggles, and her husband Gopan.

While planning committee activities, Bharathan Nair is injured in an accident and hospitalized. Despite the family's stress, they continue the Gruha Poojas, though Sashi is hesitant while his father is in the ICU. From his hospital bed, Bharathan Nair asks to see the whole family but then reveals he has a second family living in Sreekandapuram.

Shocked, Sashi travels to Sreekandapuram and meets Rukmini Amma. He also encounters a young man, Ajay Ghosh who looks exactly like Arun Ghosh. When Sashi asks why he is there, the man reveals his name is actually Ajay Ghosh. The rest of the first film follows the family’s attempts to keep this secret hidden. The truth is eventually exposed after a coconut falls on Bharathan Nair while he is in his wheelchair, killing him. The film ends with Ajay and Arun Ghosh leaving together on a bike, dismissing Subhash when he tries to interfere.

The sequel opens with Rukmini Amma’s family moving back to Sreekandapuram into a house purchased by Sashi’s family. The two families are now on good terms. During a ritual at the temple intended to break a curse, Gopan breaks a coconut on his own head.

The story introduces Govindaraja, an elderly man. He and two associates are being extorted for 2.5 crores. Govindaraja, a former friend of Bharathan Nair, visits Rukmini Amma and the rest of the combined family to ask for money. When Sashi claims they have no funds, Govindaraja reveals that Bharathan Nair was a fraud who scammed villagers by building a fake temple. He, Bharathan, and a man named Baby fabricated a legend about Lord Sriram being helped by a goddess named Mohineeswari.

Govindaraja threatens to humiliate the family unless they pay. He has a nephew, Subhash 2, who wants money from him to start a cool bar. Meanwhile, a butcher named Eapen holds a grudge against Govindaraja for a failed travel agency deal involving Eapen’s daughter.

Sashi eventually discovers that the image of the "Goddess" in the fake temple is actually a composite photo of his mother, Saraswathi. Govindaraja continues to pressure them, even suggesting they leave the money in the temple donation box. One day, while Sashi is away, Govindaraja enters the family home and threatens them. A physical fight breaks out. During the struggle, Saraswathi accidentally twists Govindaraja’s neck, killing him.

Sashi returns to find the body. The family tries various ways to dispose of it, including attempting to smuggle it out in banana sacks. However, a suspicious female driver insists on checking the cargo, forcing the family to move the body quickly.

Subhash 2 begins suspecting the family when his uncle goes missing. He stalks them and eventually discovers the truth. However, after realizing his uncle was a selfish man who only cared about his dog, Simba, Subhash 2 decides to team up with the family instead of reporting them.

To dispose of the evidence permanently, the family enlists the help of the original Subhash (Subhash 1) and Eapen the butcher. Eapen, seeking revenge for his daughter, agrees to dismember the body. The remains are hidden in various ways; some are fed to animals, and others are disposed of in different locations. A police officer arrives to investigate the disappearance, focusing on Subhash 2’s house where the "cutting" took place. The family manages to clean the evidence just in time. When the officer notices a missing sack, Ajay and Arun Ghosh distract him, and it is revealed the final remains were hidden in a pressure cooker.

In the final scenes, the family gathers at a river to scatter Bharathan Nair’s ashes, which have been mixed with Govindaraja’s remains. Sashi gives Gopan a large sum of money. A flashback reveals that Sashi and Subhash 2 robbed the fake temple’s donation box to secure the family's future. The family walks away together.

== Cast ==
* [[Saiju Kurup]] as Sasidharan Nair "Sasi"
* [[Suraj Venjaramoodu]] as Govindaraja "Govindan"
* [[Jagadish]] as Eapen (butcher)
* [[Vinay Forrt]] as CI Parthan 
* [[Baby Jean]] as Subhash Jr.
* [[Kalaranjini]] as Saraswathi
* [[Sreeja Ravi]] as Rukmini
* [[Abhiram Radhakrishnan]] as Subhash Sr.
* [[Vijay Babu (actor, born 1976)|Vijay Babu]] as Mohandas 
* Divya M. Nair as Santhi
* Sruthy Suresh as Sreelatha
* Nandu Poduval as Ashokan
* Jinil Rex as Arun Ghosh
* Jivin Rex as Ajay Ghosh
* Swathidas Prabhu as Gopakumar "Gopan"
* [[Balachandran Chullikkad|Balachandran Chullikkadu]] as Sathyan, Temple committee member
* [[Santhosh K. Nayar|Santosh K. Nayar]] as Temple committee member
* Nisthar Sait as Baby, Temple committee member
* Sreerekha Rajagopal as Govindaraja's wife
* [[Salim Hassan]] as Adv. Henry Samuel

== Production ==
=== Development ===
Following the reception of ''[[Bharathanatyam (film)|Bharathanatyam]]'' on streaming platforms after its theatrical run, a sequel titled ''Mohiniyattam'' was announced in 2025. Krishnadas Murali returned as director, while Saiju Kurup also returned as the lead actor from the first film.<ref>{{cite web |title=Saiju Kurup's Bharathanatyam to get a sequel titled Mohiniyattam |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2025/Jul/09/saiju-kurup-confirms-sequel-to-bharathanatyam-titled-mohiniyattam |website=Cinema Express |date=9 July 2025 |access-date=13 April 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Saiju Kurup's Bharathanatyam to get a sequel titled Mohiniyattam |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/malayalam/2025/Jul/10/saiju-kurups-bharathanatyam-to-get-a-sequel-titled-mohiniyattam |website=The New Indian Express |date=10 July 2025 |access-date=13 April 2026}}</ref>

The film was formally launched in November 2025 with a pooja ceremony.<ref>{{cite web |title=Saiju Kurup-starrer Mohiniyattam, sequel to Bharathanatyam, goes on floors |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2025/Nov/09/saiju-kurup-starrer-mohiniyattam-sequel-to-bharathanatyam-goes-on-floors |website=Cinema Express |date=9 November 2025 |access-date=13 April 2026}}</ref> Reports noted that the sequel would continue from the point where the earlier film ended, with members of the original cast reprising their roles and several new actors joining the franchise.<ref>{{cite web |title=Vinay Forrt joins Bharathanatyam sequel, Mohiniyattam |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/malayalam/2025/Nov/25/malayalamnews2025nov25vinay-forrt-joins-bharathanatyam-sequel-mohiniyattam |website=The New Indian Express |date=25 November 2025 |access-date=13 April 2026}}</ref>

=== Filming ===
Principal photography began in 2025 and wrapped in January 2026.<ref>{{cite web |title=Saiju Kurup's Mohiniyattam shooting wrapped up |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2026/Jan/07/saiju-kurups-mohiniyattam-shooting-wrapped-up |website=Cinema Express |date=7 January 2026 |access-date=13 April 2026}}</ref> Bablu Aju handled the cinematography, while the film was edited by Shafeeque VB.<ref>{{cite web |title=Saiju Kurup's Bharathanatyam sequel Mohiniyattam launched |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2025/Nov/08/saiju-kurups-bharathanatyam-sequel-mohiniyattam-launched |website=Cinema Express |date=8 November 2025 |access-date=13 April 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title='ഭരതനാട്യ'ത്തിന് രണ്ടാം ഭാഗം; 'മോഹിനിയാട്ടം' ഫസ്റ്റ് ലുക്ക് പോസ്റ്ററെത്തി |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/movies/movie-news/2026/02/14/mohiniyattam-movie-first-look.html |website=Manorama Online |language=ml |date=14 February 2026 |access-date=13 April 2026}}</ref>

== Music ==
{{Infobox album
| name         = Bharathanatyam 2 Mohiniyattam
| type         = soundtrack
| artist       = Electronic Kili
| released     = April 2026
| genre        = Filmi
| label        = Think Music
}}

The film's music was composed by Electronic Kili.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mohiniyattam Trailer: Bharathanatyam sequel promises Drishyam-coded comedy |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2026/Mar/29/mohiniyattam-trailer-bharathanatyam-sequel-promises-drishyam-coded-comedy |website=Cinema Express |date=29 March 2026 |access-date=13 April 2026}}</ref> The first single, "Nilavoonjale", was released in March 2026. The song was written by Muthu and sung by Sublahshini.<ref>{{cite web |title=First single 'Nilavoonjale' from Mohiniyattam shows Saiju Kurup and family in a calmer phase after Bharathanatyam |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2026/Mar/22/first-single-nilavoonjale-from-mohiniyattam-shows-saiju-kurup-and-family-in-a-calmer-phase-after-bharathanatyam |website=Cinema Express |date=22 March 2026 |access-date=13 April 2026}}</ref>

{{Tracklisting
|extra_column=Singer(s)
|title1=Nilavoonjaale
|extra1=Sublahshi
|lyrics1=Muthu
|length1=2:55
}}

== Release ==
The film was released in theatres on 10 April 2026, coinciding with the Vishu season.<ref>{{cite web |title=Saiju Kurup-starrer Mohiniyattam confirms release date |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2026/Feb/22/saiju-kurup-starrer-mohiniyattam-confirms-release-date |website=Cinema Express |date=22 February 2026 |access-date=13 April 2026}}</ref> The film's runtime was reported as 155 minutes in theatrical listings.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bharathanatyam 2: Mohiniyattam |url=https://uae.voxcinemas.com/movies/bharathanatyam-2-mohiniyattam-malayalam |website=VOX Cinemas UAE |access-date=13 April 2026}}</ref>

===Home Media===

The digital streaming rights of the film is acquired by [[Netflix]] and will start streaming from 8 May 2026.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bharathanatyam 2 Mohiniyattam OTT release: When and where to watch Saiju Kurup’s dark comedy thriller|url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2026/May/03/bharathanatyam-2-mohiniyattam-ott-release-when-and-where-to-watch-saiju-kurups-dark-comedy-thriller |website=Cinema Express |access-date=3 May 2026}}</ref>

== Reception ==
Critical reception was positive. Reviewing the film for ''[[The Indian Express]]'', Anandu Suresh described it as "a worthy sequel" and praised its fresh treatment within an established franchise framework.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mohiniyattam movie review: Saiju Kurup and Suraj Venjaramoodu's lighthearted comedy thriller is a worthy sequel to Bharathanatyam |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/mohiniyattam-movie-review-saiju-kurup-suraj-venjaramoodu-lighthearted-comedy-thriller-worthy-sequel-to-bharathanatyam-10628758/ |website=The Indian Express |date=10 April 2026 |access-date=13 April 2026}}</ref> ''Cinema Express'' called it "a bolder, funnier sequel" that moved the franchise into darker territory with a stronger ensemble.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bharathanatyam 2 Mohiniyattam Movie Review: A bolder, funnier sequel that dances into dark spaces with aplomb |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/review/2026/Apr/10/bharathanatyam-2-mohiniyattam-movie-review-a-bolder-funnier-sequel-that-dances-into-dark-spaces-with-aplomb |website=Cinema Express |date=10 April 2026 |access-date=13 April 2026}}</ref> In ''The Hindu'', the film was noted for its "rationalist bent" within its dark-comedy approach.<ref>{{cite web |title='Mohiniyattam' movie review: A rationalist bent to its dark comedy |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/mohiniyattam-movie-review-malayalam-movie-bharathanatyam-2-krishnadas-murali-bharathanatyam-saiju-kurup/article70847284.ece |website=The Hindu |date=10 April 2026 |access-date=13 April 2026}}</ref>

''Manorama Online'' described the film as one of the stronger recent dark-comedy entertainers in Malayalam cinema, while ''Indian Express Malayalam'' highlighted its shift from the first film's family-comedy tone into a darker comic register.<ref>{{cite web |title=മോഹിനിയാട്ടം റിവ്യൂ: ആദ്യ ഭാഗത്തേക്കാൾ ഒരുപടി മുന്നിൽ; ക്ലീൻ ഡാർക്ക് കോമഡി എന്റർടെയ്‌നർ |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/movies/movie-reviews/2026/04/10/mohiniyattam-malayalam-movie-review-and-rating.html |website=Manorama Online |language=ml |date=10 April 2026 |access-date=13 April 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Mohiniyattam Review: ഇത് 'ഭരതനാട്യ'മല്ല, അതിനും മുകളിലുള്ള ഡാർക്ക് ഹ്യൂമർ കളി; 'മോഹിനിയാട്ടം' റിവ്യൂ |url=https://malayalam.indianexpress.com/entertainment/mohiniyattam-bharathanatyam-2-movie-review-rating-saiju-kurup-11711470 |website=Indian Express Malayalam |language=ml |access-date=13 April 2026}}</ref>

== Sequel ==
During an interview, Saiju confirmed that there would be a sequel.<ref>{{cite web |title=മോഹിനിയാട്ട’ത്തിന് ആദ്യമിട്ടത് ഇംഗ്ലിഷ് പേര്; മൂന്നാം ഭാഗത്തിന് ആ പേരായിരിക്കും: സൈജു കുറുപ്പ് അഭിമുഖം|url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/movies/interview/2026/04/19/saiju-kurup-talks-on-mohiniyattam-success-and-next-part-of-bharathanatyam.html |website=Manorama Online|access-date=3 May 2026}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|37541677|Mohiniyattam}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mohiniyattam}}
[[Category:2026 Indian films]]
[[Category:2026 Malayalam-language films]]
[[Category:Indian comedy thriller films]]
[[Category:Films shot in Kerala]]
[[Category:Films set in Kerala]]
[[Category:Indian sequel films]]