https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Mirage_%282025_film%29Mirage (2025 film) - Revision history2026-11-09T03:46:43ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mirage_(2025_film)&diff=517786&oldid=prevCollegevidya: Put up some post w/ refs2026-03-18T05:21:34Z<p>Put up some post w/ refs</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|2025 Indian-Malayalam language film}}<br />
{{other uses|Mirage (disambiguation)}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2025}}<br />
{{Infobox film<br />
| name = Mirage<br />
| image = Mirage 2025.jpg<br />
| caption = Theatrical release poster<br />
| director = [[Jeethu Joseph]]<br />
| writer = {{ubl|Srinivasan Abrol|Jeethu Joseph}}<br />
| story = Aparna R. Tarakad<br />
| producer = {{ubl|Mukesh R. Mehta|Jatin M. Sethi|C. V. Sarathi|Vikram Mehra|Siddharth Anand Kumar}}<br />
| starring = [[Asif Ali (actor)|Asif Ali]]<br>[[Aparna Balamurali]]<br>[[Hakim Shahjahan]]<br> [[Hannah Reji Koshy]]<br />
| cinematography = [[Satheesh Kurup]]<br />
| editing = V. S. Vinayak<br />
| music = Vishnu Shyam<br />
| studio = {{Plainlist|<br />
* E4 Enertainment <br />
* [[Saregama]]<br />
* Seven 1 Seven Productions<br />
* Naad Studios<br />
* Bedtime Stories <br />
}}<br />
| distributor = <br />
| released = {{Film date|2025|09|19|df=y}}<br />
| runtime = 150 minutes<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 September 2025 |title=''Mirage'' [M] |url=https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/mirage-10 |access-date=16 September 2025 |website=[[Australian Classification Board]]}}</ref><br />
| country = India<br />
| language = Malayalam<br />
| budget = <br />
| gross = <br />
}}<br />
'''''Mirage''''' is a 2025 Indian [[Malayalam]]-language [[Mystery film|mystery thriller]] film co-written and directed by [[Jeethu Joseph]]. The film stars [[Asif Ali (actor)|Asif Ali]], [[Aparna Balamurali]], [[Hakim Shahjahan]] and [[Hannah Reji Koshy]].<ref name="jan">{{Cite web |date=2025-01-07 |title=Asif Ali, Aparna Balamurali’s film with Jeethu Joseph titled 'Mirage' |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/malayalam/2025/Jan/07/asif-ali-aparna-balamuralis-film-with-jeethu-joseph-titled-mirage |access-date=2025-08-17 |website=[[The New Indian Express]]}}</ref> The film was released on 19 September 2025, and received mixed reviews from critics. <br />
<br />
This movie was a [[box-office bomb]].<br />
<br />
== Plot ==<br />
Abirami ([[Aparna Balamurali]]) is left in turmoil when her fiancé, Kiran (Hakim Shahjahan), mysteriously disappears while travelling to [[Palakkad]]. Prior to vanishing, Kiran was involved with a financial consultancy that seems to be hiding dark secrets. As Abirami searches for clues about his whereabouts, she realizes that the situation is much more complicated than she anticipated<br />
<br />
Desperate to unravel the mystery, Abirami teams up with Aswin ([[Asif Ali (actor)|Asif Ali]]), an online investigative journalist from [[Chennai]]. Together, they chase leads—secret documents, elusive connections, and double identities. In their quest, they uncover that Kiran had a hidden side, possibly entangled in nefarious dealings, and that powerful forces want to keep the truth buried.<br />
<br />
As the layers unravel, Abirami and Aswin find themselves navigating betrayals, unexpected allies, and shocking revelations. The title ''Mirage'' (with the tagline “Fades as you get closer”) reflects how truth and illusion intertwine—the closer they get to the answers, the more things slip away.<br />
<br />
==Cast==<br />
{{Cast listing|<br />
* [[Asif Ali (actor)|Asif Ali]] as Aswin Kumar / Anand Shankar<br />
* [[Aparna Balamurali]] as Abirami / Anjali <br />
* [[Hakim Shahjahan]] as Kiran / Amal<br />
* [[Hannah Reji Koshy]] as Rithika<br />
* [[Saravanan (actor)|Saravanan]] as Rajkumar<br />
* [[Sampath Raj]] as [[Superintendent of police|SP]] Y. Aarumugam [[Indian Police Service|IPS]]<br />
* [[Deepak Parambol]] as Prakash<br />
* Arjun Syam Gopan as Anandu<br />
* Aruvi Madhan as Riyas<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Production==<br />
The project was officially announced on 6 January 2025.<ref name="jan" /> A [[Puja (Hinduism)|pooja]] ceremony was held on 20 January 2025 in [[Kozhikode]] as part of commencing the shoot with [[principal photography]] commencing the following day.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Menon |first=Akhila |date=2025-01-20 |title=Mirage: Asif Ali, Aparna Balamurali’s film starts rolling |url=https://www.ottplay.com/news/mirage-asif-ali-aparna-balamuralis-film-starts-rolling-major-updates-out/77b9086155459 |access-date=2025-08-17 |website=[[HT Media#Digital businesses|OTTPlay]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-21 |title=Jeethu’s film with Asif, Aparna commences |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/malayalam/2025/Jan/21/jeethus-film-with-asif-aparna-commences |access-date=2025-08-17 |website=[[The New Indian Express]]}}</ref><br />
<br />
==Release==<br />
===Theatrical===<br />
The first look poster of the film was released on 23 June 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-06-24 |title=‘Mirage’: First look of Jeethu Joseph’s next, starring Asif Ali and Aparna Balamurali, out |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/mirage-jeethu-joseph-asif-ali-aparna-balamurali/article69730816.ece |access-date=2025-08-17 |website=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> The second look poster was released on 1 August 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-02 |title=Asif Ali-Aparna Balamurali film Mirage gets second look |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2025/Aug/02/asif-ali-aparna-balamurali-film-mirage-gets-second-look |access-date=2025-08-17 |website=[[Cinema Express]]}}</ref> The film's teaser was released on 17 August 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Krishna |first=Gayathri |date=2025-08-17 |title= Mirage: Teaser of Jeethu Joseph's film hints at another intricate thriller starring Asif Ali & Aparna Balamurali |url=https://www.ottplay.com/news/mirage-teaser-of-jeethu-joseph-film-hints-at-another-intricate-thriller-starring-asif-ali-aparna-balamurali/c042644fbf728 |access-date=2025-08-17 |website=[[HT Media#Digital businesses|OTTPlay]]}}</ref><br />
<br />
''Mirage'' was released theatrically on 19 September 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Joy |first=Prathibha |date=September 11, 2025 |title= Jeethu Joseph on Asif Ali’s Mirage: It was meant to be a Hindi film, but… |url=https://www.ottplay.com/news/jeethu-joseph-on-asif-alis-mirage-it-was-meant-to-be-a-hindi-film-but/9ccddfe521621 |access-date=September 11, 2025 |website=[[HT Media#Digital businesses|OTTPlay]]}}</ref><br />
<br />
===Home media===<br />
The film began streaming on [[SonyLIV]] from 23 October 2025, a month after its theatrical release on 19 September 2025.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mirage OTT release date: When, where to watch Asif Ali, Aparna Balamurali’s thriller online |url=https://www.ottplay.com/news/mirage-ott-release-date-when-where-to-watch-asif-ali-aparna-balamuralis-thriller-online/c7662da8f5677 |website=OTTplay |date=30 September 2025 |access-date=30 September 2025}}</ref><br />
<br />
== Music ==<br />
The film's music was composed by Vishnu Shyam.<br />
{{Track listing<br />
| extra_column = Singer(s)<br />
| title1 = Ilavenal Poove<br />
| length1 = 3:08<br />
| lyrics1 = [[Vinayak Sasikumar]]<br />
| extra1 = [[Najim Arshad]]<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Reception==<br />
===Critical reception===<br />
Gopika Is of ''[[The Times of India]]'' rated the film 2.5 out of 5 stars and wrote that the film "makes it a passable crime thriller at best." She stated that the film has a slow pace, with the plot taking a long time to unfold. She also states that the film "struggles to connect the audience with its characters." She pointed out that the plot has multiple "twists and turns" and a "surprising ending," but many plot points are revealed abruptly without proper foreshadowing, and the numerous twists don't lead to a substantial conclusion. She noted that Aparna Balamurali's acting was "believable" in some points but "lacked intensity." She criticised the dialogues, the word choices and delivery as it "robbed all the intensity it deserved".<ref>{{cite news |last=Is |first=Gopika |date=September 19, 2025 |title=Mirage Movie Review: Jeethu Joseph's magical touch is missing in this crime thriller |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-reviews/miragereview/movie-review/124004620.cms |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=September 20, 2025}}{{Rating|2.5|5}}</ref><br />
<br />
S. R. Praveen of ''[[The Hindu]]'' criticises the film's weak screenplay and its over-reliance on excessive and unbelievable plot twists, which drains the film of any impact. He further criticises that instead of a "perfect thriller climax," the film resulted in a complicated and predictable narrative. He also noted that the film fails to maintain an intriguing pace despite approaching the mystery straight away. According to the review, the "dramatic" presentation, "stilted" dialogue, and "obvious" character reveals make the film's twists "almost laughable." He wrote: "The absence of a coherent, believable screenplay and the compulsion to deliver one shocking twist after another drains 'Mirage' of any impact."<ref>{{cite news |last=Praveen |first=S. R. |date=September 19, 2025 |title='Mirage' movie review: Jeethu Joseph drowns the viewer in the mirage of a perfect thriller |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/mirage-movie-review-jeethu-joseph-drowns-us-in-the-mirage-of-a-perfect-thriller/article70069612.ece/ |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=September 20, 2025}}</ref><br />
<br />
Princy Alexander of ''[[Onmanorama]]'' praised the cast performance, stating that Aparna Balamurali and Asif Ali share an "honest and natural chemistry." She notes that the twists were "compelling", while some scenes were "predictable." She also notes that the film's climax is somewhat underwhelming due to an overindulgence in suspense, and the female character's backstory motifs are "repetitive". She felt the background score "blends with the narrative" but found it was a "bit underwhelming." She praised the cinematography as "clean and unfussy." She wrote: "Overall, Mirage works as an engaging watch, with Jeethu delivering his trademark twists. But the burden of expectations and a tendency to overplay surprises hold the film back from becoming truly memorable."<ref>{{cite web |last=Alexander |first=Princy |date=September 19, 2025 |title='Mirage' review: Jeethu Joseph rains down twists in a suspense-packed narrative |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/2025/09/19/jeethu-joseph-thriller-legacy-mirage-movie-review.html |work=[[Onmanorama]] |access-date=September 20, 2025}}</ref><br />
<br />
Anandu Suresh of ''[[The Indian Express]]'' rated ''Mirage'' 1.5 out of 5 stars and criticised the screenplay being "hollow" despite having frequent twists. He states that the film relies heavily on dialogue rather than visual storytelling. Despite having many twists, he points out that none of them are sufficiently surprising or emotionally engaging, which fails to hold the audience's attention. He criticised the weak characterisation of the characters as they seem "flat". He also gave a mixed review of the cast performance. He criticised the cinematography as "weird camera angles," and the music fails to uplift meaningfully. He wrote: "In the Asif Ali and Aparna Balamurali-starer, director Jeethu Joseph has tried to inflate a wafer-thin plot and an equally papery script by slipping in ineffectual twists very frequently."<ref>{{cite news |last=Suresh |first=Anandu |date=September 19, 2025 |title=Mirage movie review: Jeethu Joseph and Asif Ali test the limits of ‘how many twists are too many twists’ |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/mirage-movie-review-jeethu-joseph-and-asif-ali-test-the-limits-of-how-many-twists-are-too-many-twists-10258548/ |work=[[The Indian Express]] |access-date=September 20, 2025}}{{Rating|1.5|5}}</ref><br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
* {{IMDb title|35019435}}<br />
{{authority control}}<br />
[[Category:2025 films]]<br />
[[Category:Indian psychological thriller films]]<br />
[[Category:Indian crime thriller films]]<br />
[[Category:Films shot in Kozhikode]]<br />
[[Category:Films directed by Jeethu Joseph]]</div>Collegevidya