Mohanlal Christmas Releases: Athimanoharam Joins the List

Short answer: Christmas has been a Mohanlal date for more than four decades, from his 1980 debut to his two most recent releases. This year he arrives a day early. Athimanoharam opens in cinemas worldwide on Dec 24, 2026, with two Tamil releases for company.

This guide lists his Christmas releases that we could confirm, plus the December films that are reported as Christmas releases. We have kept other December films out, because a December date is not the same as a Christmas release. Where to watch is as of Nov 2, 2026, checked on each platform's own title page.

Mohanlal Christmas releases: quick facts

Earliest: Manjil Virinja Pookkal, Dec 25, 1980, directed by Fazil
Confirmed Dec 25 releases: Manjil Virinja Pookkal (1980), Manichitrathazhu (1993), Barroz (2024) and Vrusshabha (2025)
Reported Dec 25 releases: Vietnam Colony (1992) and Aaraam Thampuran (1997)
Christmas season films: Drishyam (Dec 19, 2013), Odiyan (Dec 14, 2018) and Neru (Dec 21, 2023)
Directors with two films on the list: Fazil and Jeethu Joseph
This year: Athimanoharam on Dec 24, 2026
Streaming most often on: JioHotstar (as of Nov 2, 2026)

1. Manjil Virinja Pookkal (Dec 25, 1980)

Fazil's film is where the Christmas link begins. It is the film that introduced Mohanlal, and it opened on Christmas Day.

Where to watch: Sun NXT (as of Nov 2, 2026)
Our take: Watch it as history. Seeing where he started makes everything after it on this list hit harder.

The official song videos for this film cannot be embedded, so here is Mohanlal recalling his audition, from Kairali TV:

2. Vietnam Colony (Dec 25, 1992)

Siddique-Lal directed this one, and it is reported as a Christmas Day release.

Where to watch: JioHotstar and ManoramaMAX (as of Nov 2, 2026)
Our take: The easiest film here to put on with family. The Siddique-Lal comedy style has aged better than most of its era.

3. Manichitrathazhu (Dec 25, 1993)

Fazil again, and a Christmas Day release once more. A year after Vietnam Colony, it gave him a second straight Christmas.

Where to watch: JioHotstar (as of Nov 2, 2026)
Our take: If you watch only one film from this list, make it this one. It still works on a first watch, and it rewards a fifth. We have also mapped where Manichitrathazhu was shot.

4. Aaraam Thampuran (Dec 25, 1997)

Shaji Kailas directed this one, which is reported as a Christmas Day release.

Where to watch: JioHotstar (as of Nov 2, 2026)
Our take: Pure star power. This is the Mohanlal of the late 90s mass films, and the songs alone are worth the time.

5. Drishyam (Dec 19, 2013)

Jeethu Joseph's film opened on Dec 19, 2013, the week before Christmas. Mohanlal plays Georgekutty, and the film grew into a franchise.

Where to watch: JioHotstar (as of Nov 2, 2026)
Our take: The best proof that a holiday release does not need to be a holiday film. Our Drishyam movies in order guide covers the rest of the series.

6. Odiyan (Dec 14, 2018)

V. A. Shrikumar directed Odiyan, which opened on Dec 14, 2018. It was reported as his Christmas release that year, though it came well before the day.

Where to watch: not on a major platform we could confirm (as of Nov 2, 2026)
Our take: The most ambitious swing on this list. Go in for the folklore and the scale.

7. Neru (Dec 21, 2023)

Jeethu Joseph directed Neru, reported as a Dec 21, 2023 release, which put it right in the Christmas week.

Where to watch: JioHotstar (as of Nov 2, 2026)
Our take: A courtroom film that keeps him small and patient, and he is better for it. Pair it with Drishyam for a Jeethu Joseph double bill.

8. Barroz (Dec 25, 2024)

Barroz opened on Christmas Day 2024, with Mohanlal directing as well as acting.

Where to watch: JioHotstar, listed as Barroz: Guardian of Treasures (as of Nov 2, 2026)
Our take: Watch it for what it says about him as a filmmaker. It is a very different kind of Christmas film from the rest of this list.

9. Vrusshabha (Dec 25, 2025)

Nanda Kishore directed Vrusshabha, and Mohanlal announced its Christmas Day date himself, as reported by The Times of India.

Where to watch: not on a major platform we could confirm (as of Nov 2, 2026)
Our take: The most recent entry, and the one to catch up on before Athimanoharam arrives.

The Dec 24, 2026 field: Athimanoharam and company

This Christmas, Mohanlal is a day early. Athimanoharam opens in cinemas worldwide on Dec 24. It is Tharun Moorthy's second film with him after Thudarum, and Ashiq Usman produces.

Mohanlal plays SI T.S. Lovelajan and Meera Jasmine plays Naisy. Tharun calls the film a "police procedural and family drama". We have covered the edit lock and the dubbing.

It will not be alone on the day. Jiiva's Thagappan is also set for Dec 24, with Rajisha Vijayan in the cast, as Jiiva announced on X. Ra Venkat directs it for Lark Studios. Anna Ben's Tamil romantic comedy Coimbatore Mappillaii has an official Dec 24 date too. Kishore Rajkumar directs and stars in it, and it comes from Noise and Grains. That makes two Tamil films with Malayali actresses opening on the same day as the Mohanlal film.

Shah Rukh Khan's King is reported for Dec 24 as well, but we have not seen that date from the makers, so treat it as reported only.

Here is the Thagappan video from Think Music:

The December films we left out

Mohanlal has had plenty of other December releases, and they often get called Christmas films online. Devadoothan (2000), Thanmathra (2005), Evidam Swargamanu (2009), Kandahar (2010), Karmayodha (2012) and Marakkar (2021) all came out in December. We could not confirm a Christmas Day or Christmas week date for any of them, so they are not on the main list. If the makers or a reliable record confirms one, we will add it.

That is also why Drishyam, Odiyan and Neru sit in a separate group. Their dates are known, and none of them is Dec 25.

How to pick a Mohanlal Christmas watch

For a first timer: Manichitrathazhu
For the family: Vietnam Colony
For a thriller night: Drishyam, then Neru
For the mass film mood: Aaraam Thampuran
For his roots: Manjil Virinja Pookkal

FAQs

What is Mohanlal's Christmas release in 2026?

Athimanoharam, directed by Tharun Moorthy, which opens in cinemas worldwide on Dec 24, 2026.

Was Manichitrathazhu a Christmas release?

Yes. It released on Dec 25, 1993.

Was Drishyam a Christmas release?

It opened on Dec 19, 2013, the week before Christmas, so it was a Christmas season release rather than a Christmas Day one.

Which films release with Athimanoharam on Dec 24?

Thagappan and Coimbatore Mappillaii are set for the same day. King is reported for that date but not confirmed by the makers.

Where can I watch Mohanlal's Christmas films?

JioHotstar has Vietnam Colony, Manichitrathazhu, Aaraam Thampuran, Drishyam, Neru and Barroz. Manjil Virinja Pookkal is on Sun NXT, and Vietnam Colony is also on ManoramaMAX. All of this is as of Nov 2, 2026.

Malayalam summary

1980ലെ മഞ്ഞിൽ വിരിഞ്ഞ പൂക്കൾ മുതൽ മോഹൻലാലിന് ക്രിസ്മസ് ഒരു പ്രധാന റിലീസ് തീയതിയാണ്. മണിച്ചിത്രത്താഴ്, ബറോസ്, വൃഷഭ എന്നിവയും ക്രിസ്മസ് ദിനത്തിൽ എത്തി. ഈ വർഷം തരുൺ മൂർത്തിയുടെ അതിമനോഹരം ഡിസംബർ 24ന് ലോകമെമ്പാടും തിയേറ്ററുകളിലെത്തും.

Mohanlal Christmas releases: Athimanoharam joins a long list