The film industry often swings between highs and lows and Lokah actor Tovino Thomas experienced that unpredictability firsthand this year. Fresh off the record-breaking success of Ajayante Randam Moshanam (ARM), the Malayalam star faced a major setback with his next film Identity, which failed to make a mark at the box office despite high expectations. ‘Identity’ Movie Review: Tovino Thomas and Trisha Krishnan Are Serviceable in This Overcooked Thriller (LatestLY Exclusive)

Tovino Thomas’ ‘Identity’ Fails Despite Trisha Krishnan’s Comeback

Directed by Akhil Paul and Anas Khan the duo behind Tovino’s 2020 hit Forensic, Identity was one of the most anticipated Malayalam releases of 2025. The film also marked the return of South superstar Trisha Krishnan to Malayalam cinema after seven years, adding to the buzz. Despite these factors and limited competition at the box office, the movie’s poor creative execution led to its downfall.

Tovino Thomas’ ‘Identity’ Box Office Disaster

While Identity was praised for its technical finesse, the storytelling failed to connect with audiences. As newer films like Jofin T Chacko’s Rekhachithram quickly took over theatres with strong reviews, Identity faded from public attention. According to the Kerala Film Producers’ Association, the action thriller was made on a lavish INR 30 crore budget but managed to earn only INR 10.31 crore from Kerala theatres. Industry tracker Sacnilk reported a worldwide total of just INR 16.9 crore during its theatrical run. The film, which also starred Vinay Rai, Aju Varghese and Shammi Thilakan, was jointly produced by Confident Group and Ragam Movies. Tovino Thomas Birthday: ‘Lucifer’, ‘Minnal Murali’ and More – Here’s Where You Can Watch the Best Malayalam Films of the Actor Online.

Tovino Thomas Bounces Back After ‘Identity’ Flop

Interestingly, this flop came right after Tovino’s biggest solo hit Ajayante Randam Moshanam which grossed over INR 100 crore worldwide and established him as one of Malayalam cinema’s most bankable stars. Despite Identity’s failure, Tovino’s star power remains intact. He went on to feature in Empuraan and Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, two of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time, while also producing Maranamass and leading the acclaimed action drama Narivetta.

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TruLY Score 3 – Believable; Needs Further Research | On a Trust Scale of 0-5 this article has scored 3 on LatestLY, this article appears believable but may need additional verification. It is based on reporting from news websites or verified journalists (Sacnilk), but lacks supporting official confirmation. Readers are advised to treat the information as credible but continue to follow up for updates or confirmations

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 13, 2025 04:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).