The great pilgrimage to Sabarimala is a great pilgrimage for every devotee in search of the principle that the Lord and the devotee are one. Even when there are painful experiences of stones and thorns on the Kanana path, they overcome it all with a great desire to see Ayyappan in person and cry for refuge and cross the eighteenth step. In the midst of these calls, the Lord himself will appear before them. An eight-year-old girl named Kallu had come down to see her beloved idol Ayyappan with great devotion.The forest did not frighten her, but some men who came into the forest spread a net for her. There, Ayyappan himself took a bow from his quiver and stood guard in front of Malikappuram.

Unni Mukundan starrer Malikappuram tells the story of Kalyani's journey to Sabarimala, known as Kallu. Kallu's biggest wish is to go to Sabarimala and meet Ayyappan. Every day she dreams of Ayyappan.Her father promised to take her to Sabarimala this time. She is accompanied by her playmate Piyush. But Kallu had to end all his hopes in the tests he faced later. Piyush also joined Kallu's great desire. They both traveled to Sabarimala by bus. Little did they know that some with eagle eyes were circling above her.He comes there as an orphan along with Kallu and Piyush. So he became Ayyappan for Malikappuram. But who was he really?

The film is directed by Vishnu Sasisankar, a newcomer who combines devotion, fantasy and thriller mood. This young director has managed to make the film feel good to the audience with a perfect touch.Abhilash Pillai, the screenwriter of thriller films like Night Drive and Patham Valav, has penned the film. Abhilash is to be commended for crafting the story in such a way that it captures Kallu's devotion to the audience. Perhaps, Abhilash Pillai has managed to infuse the story with the right commercial ingredients. The music score by Ranjin Rajin, which conveys the feel of the film exactly, also gives a very good experience.In the first half, the film talks about Kallu's dream, life and family relationships, and the second half shifts into top gear. The filmmakers have managed to make the film like a pilgrimage with the journey to Pampa, Erumeli Pettatullal, Kanana Yatra, climbing the 18th step and seeing Ayyappa.

The soul of the film is the screen presence of Unni Mukundan.Unni Mikundan has been able to instill that faith in the audience through his role of Kallu's Ayyappan. Devanand as Kallu and Shreepath as Piyush are also in the minds of the audience. If Devananda's every change of expression was in a way to make the audience feel like it, Sreepath gained attention through his counters.And Saiju Kurup, Ramesh Pisharati, Sampath Ram, T.G. Ravi, Ranji Panicker, Ajay Vasudev, Alfie Panjikaran and Manohari Joy are also the main characters. Alfie Panjikaran has been able to show a very mature acting style while reaching from Revathi in Shikari Shambhu to Malikappuram.In the first half, the film takes the audience along with Kallu's life, dreams, hopes and trials faced by her family, and in the second half, with the arrival of Unni Mukundan, the film turns it into a new experience by adding the thriller nature and emotionality of Bhakti. Even the lack of rhythm that occurs in the middle is covered with a twist at the end of the film.Visualizing the journey of an eight-year-old girl's wish-fulfillment to meet Ayyappan, it is only natural that the possibilities of devotion come together. But the plus point of the film is that it has been turned into something for all the audience to enjoy.