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Crime film

Jallikattu (2019): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Jallikattu (2019) movie poster

Jallikattu is a 2019 crime film directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery, starring Chemban Vinod Jose as Kalan Varkey, Antony Varghese and Sabumon Abdusamad. It runs 1 hour 31 minutes and earned $248,800 worldwide on a $404,220 budget. Critics gave it 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, and IMDb users rate it 7.3/10.

IMDb rating
7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes
96%
worldwide gross
$248.8K
Echo Score
81
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Jallikattu (2019) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 31m (91 min)
Genre
Crime
Original language
Malayalam
Budget
$404.2K
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Jallikattu About?

The premise of Jallikattu without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A seemingly ordinary buffalo escapes from its pen in a remote village, triggering a wave of primal chaos. The incident unexpectedly unleashes the villagers' suppressed frustrations and desires, erupting into a frenzied and violent spectacle. The escalating events lead to a visceral exploration of human nature and the dark undercurrents within a seemingly tranquil community.

Jallikattu Themes & Keywords

· 8 tags
  • animal
  • meat
  • darkness
  • raging bull
  • tamilnadu
  • kerala
  • masculinity
  • nihilism
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Cast & crew

Jallikattu Cast & Characters

Chemban Vinod Jose leads the cast as Kalan Varkey, with Antony Varghese as Antony and Sabumon Abdusamad as Kuttachan. Directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery.

From the director

More from Lijo Jose Pellissery

More films directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery: Malaikottai Vaaliban, Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam, Churuli and Ee.Ma.Yau..

Full filmography
Ratings

Jallikattu Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Jallikattu 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, and IMDb users rate it 7.3/10. Our Echo Score gives it 81/100, strongest in sensory experience (95) and weakest in story & flow (60).

81 /100

Jallikattu Echo Score Breakdown

Jallikattu delivers an intense, immersive cinematic experience driven by bold direction and relentless pacing. The film’s visual composition employs crowded images and rhythmic editing that propel viewers through a frenzy of primal chaos. While its narrative occasionally sacrifices coherence and character motivation for raw momentum, the visceral impact remains compelling. In balancing operatic violence with measured moments of naturalism, Jallikattu emerges as a stimulating, if uneven, exploration of human instinct under extreme pressure.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 90

    In terms of art and craft, Jallikattu showcases striking direction and dynamic sequencing that underscore its thematic ferocity. The camera employs flowing handheld shots and precise framing to convey a sense of claustrophobic urgency. Editing is characterized by rhythmic cuts that sustain tension. Production design and set dressing reinforce the rustic, primal setting. Overall, the film’s stylistic boldness commands attention.

  • Character & Emotion 70

    Regarding characters and emotion, Jallikattu offers an exploration of primal impulses through its depiction of men driven by herd mentality. Performances convey raw physicality, though character motivations remain underexplored. Emotional resonance emerges in moments of solidarity and fear, but the narrative prioritizes collective frenzy over individual depth. Consequently, the emotional core feels potent but sparse.

  • Story & Flow 60

    In terms of story and flow, Jallikattu unfolds as an adrenaline-soaked descent that often privileges visceral momentum over narrative cohesion. The pacing accelerates steadily toward a climactic upheaval, sustaining engagement through tension but leaving certain expository threads thin. While originality in its primal transformation is evident, the structural looseness occasionally undercuts thematic clarity. Overall, the plot remains compellingly intense.

  • Sensory Experience 95

    When it comes to sensory experience, Jallikattu overwhelms with its thunderous soundtrack and immersive sound design. Prashant Pillai’s score of chants and drums pulses beneath the imagery, amplifying rhythmic cuts and dense visual tableaux. The film’s transition from naturalistic rural vistas into expressionistic nightmare sequences showcases a bold visual style. The result is an enveloping, almost tactile, audiovisual assault.

  • Rewatch Factor 75

    Regarding rewatch factor, Jallikattu offers moments of exhilarating intensity that may appeal to viewers seeking visceral cinema. The film’s relentless momentum and sensory overload provide a distinctive experience, though the narrative’s structural looseness and emotional sparseness could limit repeat viewings for some. Fans of kinetic filmmaking might revisit certain sequences, but sustained replay value is moderate.

Plot

Jallikattu Plot Summary

What happens in Jallikattu from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Kalan Varkey Chemban Vinod Jose is a rural Kerala butcher who begins each day before dawn, working with his assistant Antony Antony Varghese to slaughter a buffalo and prep its meat for the market. One morning, the bound buffalo breaks free and darts into the surrounding hills, setting off a chain of fear and urgency across the village. As dusk turns to day, a huge haystack blaze wakes everyone up, and the search for the animal becomes a village-wide obsession. The pursuit grows frantic as the buffalo repeatedly slips away, leaving behind a trail of collateral damage: crops trampled at a rubber plantation, a vendor’s cart overturned, and even the local bank and convenience store wrecked.

Full summary

The whole story of Jallikattu, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Jallikattu Box Office & Budget

Jallikattu grossed $248,800 worldwide on a $404,220 budget, 62% of what it cost.

2019 box office

Worldwide gross

$248.8K

62% of its budget back

International
$248.8K
Budget
$404.2K
Videos

Jallikattu Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Jallikattu.

Bande-Annonce de Jallikattu (VOSTF)
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Jallikattu?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who plays the role of Kalan Varkey, the rural Kerala butcher at the center of the story?

Details

Jallikattu Also Known As

11 alternative titles, including “贾利卡图” and “走火入哞”.

Also known as
  • 贾利卡图
  • 走火入哞
  • จาลิกัตตู คนชนวัว
  • Zorn der Bestien
  • Jallikattu: Zorn der Bestien
  • Bhakshakaru
  • Jellykettu
  • ジャッリカットゥ 牛の怒り
  • 잘리카투
  • Zorn der Bestien - Jallikattu
  • 野牛

Seen Jallikattu?

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Movies Like Jallikattu

Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Jallikkattu, Ajagajantharam and Jagame Thandhiram.

FAQ

Jallikattu FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, post-credit scenes and language of Jallikattu, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Jallikattu?

Jallikattu runs 1 hour 31 minutes (91 minutes).

When was Jallikattu released?

Jallikattu was released on October 4, 2019.

Who directed Jallikattu?

Jallikattu was directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery.

More films by Lijo Jose Pellissery

Who is in the cast of Jallikattu?

Jallikattu stars Chemban Vinod Jose as Kalan Varkey, Antony Varghese as Antony and Sabumon Abdusamad as Kuttachan.

How much did Jallikattu make at the box office?

Jallikattu grossed $248,800 worldwide on a budget of $404,220.

How is Jallikattu rated?

Jallikattu has 7.3/10 on IMDb, 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 68% on TMDB and 3.6/5 on Letterboxd.

Does Jallikattu have a post-credit scene?

No. Jallikattu has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is Jallikattu in?

The original language of Jallikattu is Malayalam.

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