This week's theatre releases: ‘Khalifa’, ‘Bethlehem Kudumba Unit’, ‘7 Dogs’ and more

Not sure what to watch at the cinema this week? From Prithviraj Sukumaran's ‘Khalifa’ to the latest ‘Insidious’ film, here's what is arriving in theatres.

Khalifa (August 20, 2026)

Prithviraj Sukumaran leads ‘Khalifa’, a Malayalam crime thriller set against the dangerous world of international gold smuggling. The film follows a man caught in a ruthless network where money, power, revenge and family legacy are closely tied together. Neil Nitin Mukesh is also part of the cast, alongside Tovino Thomas and Mohanlal.

Directed by Vysakh, the film has received a UA 16+ certificate. ‘Khalifa’ is likely to be one of the week's major Malayalam releases.

Bethlehem Kudumba Unit (August 21, 2026)

If you would rather watch something lighter, ‘Bethlehem Kudumba Unit’ could be the pick. The Malayalam comedy-drama brings together Nivin Pauly and Mamitha Baiju in a story that plays with an unconventional age-gap romance.

Directed by Girish A D, who returns after the success of ‘Premalu’, the film has been positioned as a family entertainer for the Onam season.

7 Dogs (August 21, 2026)

Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt are among the biggest names attached to ‘7 Dogs’, an international action crime thriller. The film revolves around an Interpol agent who joins forces with a member of the 7 Dogs crime syndicate as they take on drug trafficking.

Directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, the film has a large international cast that includes Karim Abdel-Aziz, Ahmed Ezz, Monica Bellucci, Giancarlo Esposito and Martin Lawrence. 

Irumudi (August 21, 2026)

Ravi Teja takes on a very different kind of role in ‘Irumudi’. He plays an alcohol-dependent father with a violent history who has settled into a quieter life with his young daughter. At her request, he decides to take up the 41-day Ayyappa Deeksha, setting the stage for a story that brings together family, faith and his troubled past. The Telugu action drama is directed by Shiva Nirvana.

Insidious: Out of the Further (August 21, 2026)

Horror fans have a new reason to head to the cinema with ‘Insidious: Out of the Further’. The latest chapter in the long-running franchise stars Amelia Eve as Gemma, a young mother who discovers that she can enter The Further, the supernatural realm at the heart of the series. Her mission becomes even more dangerous when she realises she can also bring entities from that world back into reality.

Brandon Perea and Lin Shaye also feature in the film, with Shaye returning as Elise Rainier. Jacob Chase, who directed Come Play, is at the helm. 

Tony (August 21, 2026)

‘Tony’ takes audiences back to the early years of the late chef and writer Anthony Bourdain. Dominic Sessa plays a young Bourdain, following him at the beginning of his culinary journey in Provincetown.

The coming-of-age drama focuses on Bourdain at 19, when he finds himself working in a restaurant kitchen after a difficult period in his life. Antonio Banderas plays the chef who becomes an unlikely mentor to him. The film draws from Bourdain's life and his memoir Kitchen Confidential, with the story set during the 1970s.

Mutiny (August 21, 2026)

For those after a straight-up action thriller, Jason Statham's ‘Mutiny’ arrives this week. Statham plays Cole Reed, a former security specialist who finds himself framed for the murder of his billionaire boss.

With the police and others closing in, Reed goes on the run while trying to work out who was really behind the killing. His search leads him towards a much larger international conspiracy. 

Directed by Jean-François Richet, Mutiny also stars Annabelle Wallis, Roland Møller and Adrian Lester.