# One (2021 film)

One is a 2021 Indian Malayalam-language political drama film directed by Santhosh Vishwanath and written by Bobby–Sanjay. The film stars Mammootty in the lead role. Mathew Thomas, Murali Gopy, Siddique, Joju George, Ishaani Krishna, Gayatri Arun and Nimisha Sajayan plays the supporting roles.

## Plot

Kadakkal Chandran is the Chief Minister of Kerala and he undergoes a transformation and tries to do good to the populace by bringing Right to Recall (India) tool against corrupt ministers. Will he be able to politically, morally, and sensitively deal with the "plaguing accountability issue" within the existing circumstances becomes the plot.
Affected by the high handedness of police protecting the CM and the challenges faced by commoners when people of power are traveling, Sanal posts an angry anonymous Facebook post lamenting the situation, which goes viral. Opposition parties make this, into a major political issue leading up to a general strike. There is a serious hunt for Sanal by the government and police. The local MLA and attorney are afraid to take up his case. He is apprehended as he tries to flee to Bengaluru. Later the CM declares that he wanted to meet Sanal in person. Though scared, he goes to the official residence of the Chief Minister. On meeting him, Sanal understands that the CM is a good leader and a wonderful human being after the CM reveals the truth behind Sanal's Facebook post. After initial friction, Sanal gets more close to the CM and they become close friends. The CM gives him an appointment and his life takes a new turn.

## Cast

* Mammootty as Kadakkal Chandran, Chief Minister of Kerala
* Mathew Thomas as Sanal Das
* Joju George as Babychan, Party Secretary
* Murali Gopy as Marampalli Jayanandhan, Leader of Opposition
* Siddique as K.C. Jayakumar, Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
* Ishaani Krishna as Ramya, Sanal's friend
* Gayatri Arun as Seena Das, Sanal's Sister
* Nimisha Sajayan as Lathika Satheesh, Kadakkal Chandran's sister
* Madhu as Vasudeva Panicker, Retd. Professor
* Balachandra Menon as Dr. Sreekar Varma
* Ranjith as Vijaya Mohan, Advocate General of Kerala
* Shankar Ramakrishnan as Shamsudeen IAS, Chief Secretary of Kerala
* Binu Pappu as Chief Minister's gunman
* Mamukkoya as Ibrahim, CM's cook
* Salim Kumar as Dassappan, Seena and Sanal's father
* Jagadish as P. Sugunan, MLA opposition
* Prem Kumar as P. Madhu, MLA opposition
* Rizabawa as R. Bhaskaran, MLA opposition
* Jayan Cherthala as Vishwambharan, Minister for Culture
* Sudev Nair as MP Dinesh Rajan
* Sudheer Karamana as T.M Musaliyar, Minister for Industries
* Alencier Ley Lopez as Kuriakose, Minister for Revenue
* Krishnakumar as DGP Alex Thomas IPS, Vigilance Director
* Mukundan as MLA Kariyavattom Sreekumar
* Jayakrishnan as MLA Tom Mukkadan
* Archana Manoj as MLA Geetha Hariprasad
* Sreeja Das as Celine, MLA Opposition
* Yadhu Krishnan as DYSP Rajesh Menon
* Vivek Gopan as Roshan Alex, Private Secretary to Chief Minister of Kerala
* Shiju as Satheesh Manohar, Lathika's husband
* Meghanathan as K. Ramachandran, Minister for Excise
* Suresh Krishna as MLA Nilamel Rajan
* Balaji Sharma as MLA Chittar Gopalakrishnan
* V.K Baiju as MLA Anil Thomas
* Sadiq as Sameer Kallayi, MLA opposition
* P. Balachandran as Attingal Madhusoodhanan, MLA opposition
* Prasanth as Satheeshan, MLA opposition
* Premjith Lal as T.K Santhosh, MLA opposition
* Nandhu as Councillor Noorudheen
* Dinesh Panicker as SP Ananthan IPS
* Nishanth Sagar as CI Shine Thomas
* Abu Salim as SI Jayakrishnan
* Reshmi Boban as Indira, Dasappan's wife
* Vettukili Prakash as Adv. Padmanabhan
* Subbalakshmi as Ramya's grandmother
* Azees Nedumangad as Binu, Auto rickshaw driver
* Sanjay Padiyoor as Chief Minister's gunman 2
* Riyaz Narmakala as Rajagopal
* Nazeer Latheef as Prof. George Korah
* Anubha George as District Collector, Trivandrum
* K.Laljy as Trivandrum City Police Commissioner
* Kalabhavan Haneef as Thomas, security officer
* Anoop C Mammen as Security officer
* Aaryan Krishna Menon as Jaimon
* Nazmal Ali Ahammed as Muneer, CM's driver
* Viaan Mangalassery as Felix
* Tarun Dhanrajgir as Governor of Kerala
* Dr. Arun Kumar as 24 News Reader
* Poojappura Radhakrishnan as Gopu, hair dresser
* Ashraf Pezhumoodu
* Pooja Mohanraj as Civil Police Officer

## Production

Principal photography began in the month, October 2019.

## Music

Gopi Sundar is the music director of the movie. The film has one song, "Janamanssin", a political anthem, sung by Shankar Mahadevan. Its lyrics were written by Rafeeq Ahamed.

## Release
### Theatrical

The film was originally scheduled to be released on 22 May 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was released on 26 March 2021.

### Home media

Following the theatrical release, the film was released on 27 April 2021 on Netflix.

## Reception
### Critical response

The film received positive reviews from critics.
Sify gave it a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 and wrote, "A relevant political drama ". Indian Express gave it a rating of 3.5 stars out of 5 and wrote, "Mammootty’s political drama is pleasant despite its problems". Times of India gave it a rating of 3 stars out if 5 and wrote, "The portrait of a too-good-to-be-true CM ". Baradwaj Rangan of Film Companion South wrote "The film’s problem is in this utter predictability. The chief minister is so good, so pure and selfless that he becomes a big bore. It’s easier to portray Ravana on screen than Rama."