Marco (2024 film)

Marco is a 2024 Indian Malayalam-language neo-noir action thriller film written and directed by Haneef Adeni and produced by Shareef Muhammed under his Cubes Entertainments banner. It is the standalone spin-off to Mikhael (2019) and also the second installment in the Mikhael Extended Universe, starring Unni Mukundan in the titular role alongside an ensemble cast, including Siddique, Jagadish, Kabir Duhan Singh, Abhimanyu Shammi Thilakan, Anson Paul, Ishaan Shoukath and Yukti Thareja.

The music was composed by Ravi Basrur, while cinematography and editing were handled by Chandru Selvaraj and Shameer Muhammed, respectively. Marco was released worldwide on 20 December 2024, coinciding with Christmas. The film received positive reviews from critics, praising its cast performances (especially Unni Mukundan, Jagadish and Siddique), direction, screenplay, dialogues, making style, music, background scores, action sequences, and production values, with the film's plot and depictions of violence, especially those targeted towards women and children, receiving criticism and becoming the subject of controversy. It was known for its graphic violence and was considered as the most violent Indian film ever made. Nonetheless, it was a commercial success at the box office and emerged as the highest-grossing A-rated Malayalam-language film of all time and one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.

Plot

Victor, a blind person, witnesses the murder of his close friend Wasim. Despite his blindness, Victor identifies the killer by recognising the distinct scent of the killer's perfume and the killer's vehicle, a Land Rover Defender. Victor's identification leads the cops to suspect that the killer is Russell, who conspired with Wasim's elder brother Tariq, to carry out the murder. Tragically, Victor gets captured by Russell, who throws him into a tub of hydrofluoric acid, resulting in his death. Victor's brother George Peter, the patriarch of the Adattu family, one of the prominent crime families in Kochi, is devastated by the loss. Marco Jr, Peter's adopted brother who had been sent to Italy for safety, returns to India after learning about Victor's death. At Victor's memorial service at their local church, Marco vows to avenge Victor's death, declaring his intent to eliminate everyone involved in the heinous act, including Russell, who is present at the scene. Despite Peter's attempts to dissuade him from taking a path of violence, Marco remains resolute.

Meanwhile, Tony Issac, Russell's father and the leader of the Isaac family, a gold smuggling syndicate, manipulates the situation to his advantage and strikes a deal with Peter involving gold biscuits and a ransom, all while plotting further treachery. During Peter's return from the deal, Tony's secretary Devraj ambushes him in his car, revealing the conspiracy and fatally stabbing him. Peter survives, but is hospitalised, further enraging Marco. Peter informs Marco that Tony and Russell were responsible for Victor's death. As Marco sets out for vengeance, Russell reveals his true nature by thrashing Marco and using a chainsaw to severe the left arm of Marco's right-hand man Anwar. An enraged Marco retaliates, bitting off Russell's deputy Jahangir's ear, killing Russell's goons and severely injuring them with the same chainsaw. While preparing to kill Russell, Marco learns that Victor's pregnant wife Isha, is being held captive by Tony. In exchange for her release, Tony demands the Adattu family's entire gold business operations to be transferred in his name.

Marco captures and tortures Dev using phosgene gas. He confesses that Isha is at Tony's guesthouse before dying in an explosion. Marco storms the guesthouse, slaughtering Tony's henchmen brutally to rescue Isha. However, Tony deceives Marco, revealing that Isha is locked in the trunk of Russell's car. Marco and Anwar track Tony down to his farmhouse, where Tony reveals that he is bisexual and attempts to seduce them but Marco cuts off Tony's right hand using a katana and sends it to Russell, disguised as a suitcase containing company documents. In a final trap, Marco rigs Tony's chair with a detonator, which would explode when Tony is lifted off the chair. When the detonator is just about to explode, Tony is hoisted into the air, which triggers the detonator and leaves him mortally wounded. Russell stands helpless outside the warehouse and is unable to do anything but watch as Tony succumbs to his wounds, leading to his death. Meanwhile, Peter kills Tariq by hanging him.

Desperate for revenge, Russell seeks help from his elder brother, Cyrus, who is a ruthless and psychotic butcher. They launch an attack on the Adattu mansion during Isha's labour, and begin slaughtering the family. Despite Peter and Marco's valiant efforts, Cyrus and Russell kill all the members of the family, including the children, Marco's wife Maria. Cyrus mercilessly cuts open Isha's stomach and leaves with her newborn child while severely injuring Marco, Peter and Peter's wife. Gravely injured, Marco and Peter are left to mourn their family's deaths. Peter urges Marco to avenge not only Victor, but the entire family. Marco adopts a striking and fearsome appearance and confronts Cyrus and Russell at their factory. Marco fights through their henchmen in a bloody showdown, where he kills Russell by ripping his rib cage using a crowbar and takes out his heart with his bare hand. In a climatic encounter with Cyrus, who holds the newborn child over a pool of acid, Marco decapitates him and rescues the child before pushing him into the acid. Marco completes his path of vengeance and leaves the factory with the child, while paying the ultimate price in the suffering and loss of his family.

In a post-credit scene, which takes place some time after the film's events, Marco spends time with Victor's child in a beach until a platoon of cars arrive and suddenly take the child away.

Cast

Production

Development

In October 2023, Cubes Entertainments announced Marco in which Unni Mukundan will play the lead role, with the film written and directed by Haneef Adeni. Mukundan played a similar but antagonistic character of the same name in the 2019 film Mikhael starring Nivin Pauly. The film was expected to commence in February 2024. The film is produced by Shareef Muhammed under his Cubes Entertainments banner. In February 2024, it was reported that filming will commence in April 2024. Ravi Basrur joined the project in March 2024 to compose the music for the film. Prior to this, he was earlier announced to be part of Prithviraj Sukumaran's period epic Kaaliyan. On 28 April 2024, the filmmakers confirmed that the film will start shooting in the first week of May 2024. The film has Chandru Selvaraj as the cinematographer, Shameer Muhammed as the editor, and Kalai Kingson as the action choreographer. On the teaser's launch, Shareef Muhammed assured that the film will not compromise its content, even though its teaser was edited for a much wider reach, and to comply with the CBFC's certification process for movie trailers. The makers announced that the film would be released in the Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada languages alongside its original Malayalam language.

Casting and filming

Grandson of Thilakan and son of actor Shammi Thilakan, Abhimanyu was cast in his maiden Malayalam film. Actors Siddique, Jagadish and Kabir Duhan Singh were signed for major roles. Yukti Thareja, known for her appearance in the T-Series song "Lut Gaye" opposite Emraan Hashmi, made her debut in Malayalam cinema by joining the film on 20 May 2024, which was confirmed by the filmmakers via her Instagram account. Debutante Durva Thaker joined the project earlier. Riyaz Khan joined the cast in July 2024.

The first schedule was held in May 2024 in Munnar. The second schedule was wrapped by July 2024 in Kochi. The principal photography was wrapped by 28 August 2024 after nearly 100 days of shooting.

Music

The film's music along with the background score was composed by Ravi Basrur. The music rights of the film were acquired by Sony Music. The first single, titled "Blood", was released on 22 November 2024. A second version of the song, sung by Santhosh Venky, was released on 25 November 2024 due to criticism of the first version from the audience. The second single titled "Marpapa" was released on 29 November 2024. The film's original soundtrack was released on 21 December 2024, while a separate album containing the film's background score was released by Sony Music India on 27 December 2024.

Track listing

Background score

Release

Theatrical

Marco was released on 20 December 2024, coinciding with the Christmas weekend. Apart from the original Malayalam language, it was released in the Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, and Kannada languages. The film received an A certification from the Central Board of Film Certification due to its extreme bloody violence. For the same reason, Marco became the first Indian action film and fifth Indian film in general to receive an R21 rating by the IMDA in Singapore. The film premiered at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in South Korea on 5 July 2025. It also premiered in Germany at the Fantasy Filmfest in September 2025.