Mollywood Times
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Abhinav Sunder Nayak
Written by	Ramu Sunil
Produced by	Ashiq Usman
Starring	Naslen
Cinematography	Viswajith Odukkathil
Edited by	Nidhin Raj Arol Abhinav Sunder Nayak
Music by	Jakes Bejoy
Production company	Ashiq Usman Productions
Distributed by	Central Pictures AP International Home Screen Entertainment
Release date	5 June 2026 (2026-06-05)
Running time	167 minutes
Country	India
Language	Malayalam
Box office	₹19 crore[1]

Mollywood Times is a 2026 Indian Malayalam-language psychological dark comedy film directed by Abhinav Sunder Nayak and written by Ramu Sunil. The film stars Naslen as an aspiring filmmaker, who wants his debut film to be remembered forever, but has to address several problems throughout the journey.^[2] The cast also includes Roshan Shanavas, Sangeeth Prathap and Sharaf U Dheen. The film marked the second instalment in the Success Trilogy after Mukundan Unni Associates.

Mollywood Times was released on 5 June 2026 in theatres worldwide. The film was inspired by The Fountainhead.^[3]

Vineeth Madhavan, a young man from Kuttikkanam, dreams of becoming the greatest horror-film director in the Malayalam film industry. Despite repeated warnings from his father about the limitations and harsh realities of the film world, Vineeth remains determined to achieve his ambition and believes he can revive the industry through his unique vision.

His journey begins with making short films and gradually progresses toward directing a feature film. As he enters the competitive world of Malayalam cinema, he encounters industry politics, creative conflicts, questions of authorship, and the challenges of maintaining artistic integrity. Vineeth's unwavering self-belief drives him forward but also contributes to personal and professional setbacks.

The film follows his struggles against a system he perceives as resistant to originality, while exploring themes of ambition, obsession, individualism, creative ownership, and the sacrifices required in the pursuit of artistic success. Ultimately, Vineeth is forced to confront both the realities of the film industry and the consequences of his own uncompromising ideals.^[4]

The film was announced on 4 May 2024 through Instagram.^[5] The production officially began with a traditional Pooja ceremony held at Anchumana Devi Temple, Kochi on 14 July 2025.^[6][7]

Principal photography took place at Kuttikkanam, Vagamon^[8] of Idukki district, and Kochi.

Mollywood Times
Soundtrack album by Jakes Bejoy
Released	May 2026
Genre	Filmi
Length	7:56
Label	Sony Music

The music is composed by Jakes Bejoy and the lyrics are penned by Vinayak Sasikumar and Adhri Joe.

On June 18, the CBFC filed a case against the makers of Mollywood Times. Allegations were made by the officials of regional CBFC officials regarding certain scenes and dialogues which violated censorship guidelines. The case was filed against the film producer, director and distributors.^[9][10][11]

The film was initially scheduled to be released in late 2025 but was delayed until 14 May 2026, and then to 5 June 2026.^[12] The film received a U/A 16+ certification from the Central Board of Film Certification.

The film's streaming and satellite rights have reportedly been acquired by JioHotstar and Asianet. The film started streaming on JioHotstar from 3 July 2026.^[13]

Sreeju Sudhakaran of Rediff.com rated the film 4/5 stars and wrote, "If you enjoy dark comedies, have even a passing understanding of the film industry, or simply recognise the absurdities of the world around you, then Mollywood Times emerges as one of the sharpest and most compelling love-hate letters written to Malayalam cinema, applauds Sreeju Sudhakaran."^[14]

Sajin Shrijith of The Week rated the film 4/5 stars and wrote, "Just like his debut Mukundan Unni Associates, Abhinav Sunder Nayak's new film distinguishes itself with its strong cynical outlook and rich detail, setting it apart from more optimistic narratives about aspiring filmmakers."^[15]

Vivek Santhosh of The New Indian Express and Cinema Express rated the film 3.5/5 stars and wrote, "Powered by an outstanding Naslen at the centre, Abhinav Sunder Nayak's sprawling, unabashedly cynical take on cinematic aspirations offers an impressively provocative, if overstuffed, examination of how success often depends on far more than talent."^[16][17]

T. Maruthi Acharya of India Today rated the film 3.5/5 stars and wrote, "Mollywood Times movie review: Director Abhinav Sunder Nayak's Mollywood Times follows Vineeth Madhavan from cinephile boyhood to the bruising realities of filmmaking. The film turns that journey into a reflection on obsession, compromise and the dream of reaching Friday."^[18]

Anna Mathews of The Times of India rated the film 3/5 stars and wrote, "So the ideas are compelling, but the storytelling begins to feel muddled, particularly in the second half. The several hurdles that come in the way of Vineeth’s dreams are solely from Mollywood's peculiar manner of functioning and it gets tiresome. ... Also, the film strangely seems never-ending; you almost wonder if it might be as long as Dhurandhar! But while it could do with some major cutting at the writing stage, and sometimes the flow seems slow, the film travels along unpredictable paths and keeps the audience engaged and amused."^[19]

Vishal Menon of The Hollywood Reporter India described the film as an "inescapist cinema at its brutal best" and wrote, "Mollywood Times is a film that lives up to its tagline of being 'A Hate Letter To Cinema', and it's clearly the work of an eccentric filmmaker who finds a special reservoir of pleasure in pain."^[20]

S. R. Praveen of The Hindu wrote, "Marketed as a 'hate letter to cinema', Mollywood Times would have worked better as an exposé of the dark underbelly of the film industry if not for the stretched phases that make it a bloated work."^[21]

Swathi P. Ajith of Onmanorama wrote, "Mollywood Times is an earnest exploration of ambition and obsession within the world of filmmaking. It raises several interesting ideas and benefits greatly from Naslen's committed performance. Yet while the film has plenty on its mind, it never quite delivers the emotional and thematic impact its story seems to be aiming for. What remains is an engaging, well-acted drama that offers thoughtful observations about creative ambition, even if its most powerful moments ultimately stay just out of reach."^[22]

Anandu Suresh of The Indian Express rated 2.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "just as Vineeth Madhavan's (Naslen) obsession with becoming 'the best' filmmaker in his field leads to his downfall, Mollywood Times's obstinacy in being a one-of-a-kind film might have cost the dark comedy dearly, as its focus shifts solely to this mission after a point, overlooking its soul."^[23]

Latha Srinivasan of NDTV rated the film 2.5/5 stars and wrote, "Mollywood Times presents a philosophical look at the film industry and how ambitions alone are not enough to make you successful."^[24]

Sunny Singh of The Sunday Guardian wrote "Mollywood Times is an uncompromising, aggressively unique piece of filmmaking that takes enormous risks. It doesn't feature the flawless, airtight narrative continuity of Mukundan Unni Associates, and its darker, preachy tone means it won't be everyone's cup of tea."^[25]