Balan (2026) Review – Rating, Verdict & Box Office | Tollybo
Last updated: 18 Jul 2026
Balan(2026)
The Boy
Malayalam · Drama
0 · 19 Jun 2026
Music: Sushin Shyam | DOP: Shyju Khalid | Writer: Jithu Madhavan
Ratings
Our Rating
2.5
📖 Story
Set in Kannur, the story follows a mother who serves a prison sentence along with her young son in a special sub jail. After her release, she begins living under shifting identities, moving from place to place and taking up various jobs to protect her son. When she joins a household as the caretaker of an elderly woman, an inmate from her dark past discovers her whereabouts, unraveling deep-rooted mysteries and triggering a psychological survival challenge as her son uncovers the hidden truth.
Written by Jithu Madhavan and directed by Chidambaram, Balan: The Boy is an unconventional psychological survival thriller that offers a brilliant first half. The screenplay masterfully draws the audience into the world of the characters, building a strong sense of suspense, tension, and unexpected laugh-out-loud moments centered around the mother-son dynamic. The story builds up beautifully to a highly satisfying interval block.
However, the film loses its track significantly in the second half, where the leisurely pacing and a narrative drag test the audience's patience. The track featuring Tovino Thomas is overstretched and lacks structural significance, serving only to delay the proceedings. While the pre-climax delivers a decent twist, it lacks a substantial 'wow' factor and feels highly predictable for regular viewers of the thriller genre.
Sushin Shyam's atmospheric background score works hand-in-hand with Shyju Khalid's superior cinematography to anchor the movie's dark tone. Though the technical execution is top-tier, loose editing in the second half dilutes the tension. Ultimately, a highly engaging first half deserved a tighter, more gripping second half to make the film truly memorable.
Farzana Palathingal: Outstanding and first-rate performance as the enigmatic mother, brilliantly conveying complex emotional layers that transition smoothly from vulnerability to a terrifying edge.
Adhisheshan KR: Remarkable performance as young Balan, conveying both innocence and intelligence effortlessly with highly expressive eye movements and subtle reactions during tense moments.
Muhammed Zinaan: Appears confident and does a commendable job as the grown-up version of Balan, establishing a notable screen presence.
Dolly June: An absolute show-stealer who brings excellent comic relief and laugh-out-loud moments in the role of an eccentric elderly woman.
Tovino Thomas: Delivers a good performance in an extended cameo appearance, though his track is structurally overstretched and slows down the movie's momentum.
Jean Paul Lal: Gives a strong, authoritative, and highly impressive performance as a crooked cop with subtle expressions.
💪 Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- ✓Brilliant, highly engaging, and suspenseful first half
- ✓Powerhouse and emotionally complex performances by Farzana Palathingal and Adhisheshan KR
- ✓Sushin Shyam's atmospheric background score and Shyju Khalid's realistic cinematography
- ✓Intriguing psychological themes and unexpected situational twists in the first half
Weaknesses
- ✕Sluggish pacing and slow narration in the second half
- ✕Overstretched subplots, particularly the unnecessarily prolonged track of Tovino Thomas
- ✕Predictable pre-climax twist that lacks a major 'wow' factor for thriller fans
- ✕Loose editing by Vivek Harshan that fails to trim the dragged portions
🎬 Direction & Writing
Chidambaram delivers a commendable shift in genre from Manjummel Boys, exploring psychological trauma and emotional complexities rather than a standard thriller format. His direction is strong in generating atmospheric tension, but his choice of slow-paced narrative progression and failure to filter out prolonged stretches in the second half weaken the final impact.
- - Superb background music by Sushin Shyam that effectively elevates the underlying suspense.
- - Superior, realistic cinematography by Shyju Khalid utilizing precise camera angles and mood-appropriate color combinations.
- - Strong production design that builds a believable, grounded atmosphere.
- - Improved Telugu dubbing compared to the quality observed in the initial trailer release.
📰 Ratings Sources
| Source | Rating |
|---|---|
| 2.75 / 5 | |
| 2.25 / 5 | |
| 3.00 / 5 |
Our Rating
💰 Box Office Collection
No collection data available yet.
🏛️ Centers & 🏅 Awards
No centers data available.
No awards data available.
😊 Sentiment Breakdown & 🧠 Critics
| Type | Value |
|---|---|
| Positive | Strong appreciation for the high-quality first half, excellent technical aspects, and outstanding lead performances. |
| Neutral | Mixed opinions on the extended cameo of Tovino Thomas and the decent but easily guessable pre-climax twist. |
| Negative | Heavy criticism towards the slow pacing, overly stretched sequences, and loose editing in the second half. |
Critics
Critics labeled the movie as a decent slow-burn psychological thriller backed by phenomenal performances and great technical values. While the first half received heavy praise for its tension and narrative grip, reviewers universally critiqued the sluggish second half and the predictable nature of the climax twist.
Final Box-Office Result
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
When did Balan release in theatres?▾
Balan released on 19 June 2026 (2026).
Is Balan a hit or flop?▾
Balan is declared a FLOP at the box office.
Where to watch Balan online? OTT release date?▾
Balan OTT release date not announced yet.
Who directed Balan?▾
Balan directed by Chidambaram. Produced by Venkat K Narayana, Shailaja Desai Fenn.
Who are the main cast members of Balan?▾
Balan stars Tovino Thomas, Lal Jr..
What is the Tollybo rating for Balan?▾
Tollybo rates Balan 2.5/5. Verdict: FLOP.
Who composed the music for Balan?▾
Music for Balan composed by Sushin Shyam.
What is the genre and runtime of Balan?▾
Balan — Genre: Drama, Language: Malayalam.