On June 20, actor Dileep’s family drama Prince and Family will hit ZEE5 and OTTplay Premium. But before its digital debut, the film’s theatrical run quietly turned heads — especially for an actor who hadn’t tasted box office success in a while.
For Dileep, a name once synonymous with commercial Malayalam hits, this movie wasn’t just another project. It became a rare comeback story in an industry that had seemingly moved on. And it did so without hype, noise, or controversy — just word of mouth and a feel-good story that audiences decided they needed.
Modest Expectations, Surprising Results
When Prince and Family released alongside Asif Ali’s Sarkeet and Sharaf U Dheen’s Padakkalam in May, not many expected it to stand out.
The buzz around it was muted. The director, Binto Stephen, was a newcomer. And Dileep, coming off a string of forgettable films, wasn’t exactly in prime form.
But the tide started turning early.
By the end of its 40+ day theatrical run, the film had grossed ₹25.1 crore worldwide — ₹17 crore in India and ₹6.6 crore overseas — according to data from Sacnilk.
One sentence stands alone: No one saw that coming.
A Long-Delayed Win for Dileep
It’s been nearly eight years since Ramaleela gave Dileep his last blockbuster. In between came titles that hardly moved the needle. Fans drifted. So did producers. And with Kerala’s film ecosystem now heavily leaning on younger, pan-India friendly stars, Dileep’s space in the market had shrunk.
Prince and Family didn’t change that overnight. But it did give the actor a sliver of spotlight — not for nostalgia, but for showing he could still lead a box office winner.
“It’s always been Dileep in our mind for Prince,” director Binto Stephen said in an interview. “We didn’t pitch this to anyone else.”
Sometimes, going with your gut works.
What’s the Movie About, Really?
In the heart of Prince and Family is a simple story: Prince Chakkalakkal, a middle-aged, unmarried man, shoulders his entire household. His unemployed brothers. His aging parents. His own aching loneliness.
Then, a social media influencer steps into his life with a marriage proposal. That’s when things spiral.
Suddenly, Prince and his family are thrown into a spotlight they never asked for — and he learns, in the hardest way, just how destructive viral fame can be.
It’s not a loud or flashy film. There’s no grand villain or melodramatic twist. What the film banks on is emotional honesty, humor, and familiarity. A man looking for love. A family barely held together. Society peering in.
That’s the stuff family audiences love.
The Cast That Kept It Grounded
Dileep anchors the film, but it’s the supporting cast that fills in the emotional gaps. Siddique brings in gravitas as the wise elder. Manju Pillai slips into the role of a no-nonsense matriarch effortlessly. Johny Antony and Dhyan Sreenivasan inject humor without going overboard.
And then there’s Raniya, whose portrayal of the social media influencer is what keeps the story modern.
Here’s a quick look at the cast:
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Dileep | Prince Chakkalakkal |
| Raniya | Influencer & Love Interest |
| Siddique | Prince’s Father |
| Manju Pillai | Prince’s Mother |
| Johny Antony | Comedic Relief, Family Friend |
| Dhyan Sreenivasan | Younger Brother |
The script, penned by Malayalee From India writer Sharis Mohammed, keeps the dialogues fresh but rooted in everyday lingo. There’s a rhythm to it, and it helps that the film never tries to talk down to its audience.
Timing, Competition, and the 40-Day Run
Here’s the thing: Prince and Family didn’t have a huge window. In today’s theatrical ecosystem, 40 days is rare for any film, especially in Malayalam cinema where streaming timelines are getting shorter and shorter.
And yet, with Padakkalam hitting JioHotstar already, and Sarkeet prepping for its OTT debut, Prince and Family stayed put in theatres long enough to matter.
That’s not to say it faced no competition. May wasn’t an easy month.
But family dramas have legs when they work. And word-of-mouth — that old-school marketing tool — still gets the job done.
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The film’s weekday collections were steady even without major spikes.
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Most of the earnings came from Kerala and UAE-GCC regions.
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The weekend jumps, while not record-breaking, showed clear audience retention.
In short: people didn’t rush to see it, but they didn’t ignore it either.
What’s Next for the Film and Dileep?
The OTT release on June 20 is expected to boost viewership further. With a ZEE5 debut in both Malayalam and Tamil, the film could find new audiences beyond the diaspora.
Whether it becomes a streaming hit remains to be seen. But the signs are decent — especially with Tamil family dramas already doing well on ZEE5.
For Dileep, this might not be a full-blown comeback. But it’s a chapter that finally ends on a high. And it opens a door — just a crack — for what’s next.
Producers are reportedly eyeing similar family-centric projects for him, minus the bigger budgets. And industry insiders believe his future, if anything, lies in playing to the strengths that made Prince and Family click: middle-class stories, flawed characters, a touch of humor, and just enough heart.
Let’s not forget — the actor’s had a rough few years both on and off-screen. For now, he’s back doing what audiences used to love him for.
