
About the Movie
## Pappachan on the Run: A Flawed Tale of Ambition and Absurdity
Pappachan Olivilaanu is a Malayalam-language comedy-drama film released in 2023, written and directed by Sinto Sunny. The story is set in the hilly village of Mamalakunnu and centers on Pappachan, a farmer and jeep driver portrayed by Saiju Kurup. Yearning for the respect his father Meesha Mathachan (Vijayaraghavan), a famed hunter, enjoyed, Pappachan consistently resorts to boastful tales and promises—most infamously, claiming he will hunt down a wild buffalo. However, his schemes repeatedly backfire, and a particularly egregious lie drives him into hiding to evade both the police and forest department, plunging the film into a farcical chain of events.
The ensemble cast features Aju Varghese, Srinda, Jagadish, Darshana Sudarshan Nair, Alexander Prasanth, Johny Antony, Kottayam Nazeer, and others, all contributing to the comedic tapestry of village life and its eccentricities. Principal photography commenced in January 2023 near Kothamangalam, with notable technical contributions from Ouseppachan (music), Sreejith Nair (cinematography), and Rathin Radhakrishnan (editing). The movie was released on 4 August 2023 after an initial delay from its intended July launch.
Upon release, Pappachan Olivilaanu received mixed to negative reviews. Critics pointed to weak writing, underwhelming narrative, and lackluster execution as primary flaws, citing that, despite a cast filled with proven comedians and character actors, the film failed to match the quality or charm of classic Malayalam family comedies. Viewer ratings and critic scores consistently reflected a sense of disappointment, marking it as a misfire within the genre.
Cast
Saiju Kurup
Puthenveetil Pappachan / Pothu Pappachan
Johny Antony
Lalappan
Darsana Sudarshan
Cicily
Kottayam Nazeer
Xavier
Jolly Chirayath
Eliamma
Pappachan Olivilaanu: Watch Full Movie