Mahesh's Revenge) is a 2016 Indian Malayalam-language comedy drama film directed by Dileesh Pothan, in his directorial debut and produced by Aashiq Abu.

The film stars Fahadh Faasil in the title role alongside a supporting cast including Aparna Balamurali, Anusree, Alencier Ley Lopez and Soubin Shahir.

Maheshinte Prathikaaram's development began in 2013 when Pothan was working as an associate director for Abu (who was directing Idukki Gold, co-written by Pushkaran).

Jimsy, a young college student, visits the studio to have a glamour photograph taken since she wants to participate in Vanitha's cover competition.

The idea for a film was developed; it was decided to set and shoot it in Idukki, since they believed it was a good location for a story about people living in the countryside.

[5] In August 2014, Fahadh Faasil was reported to star in the film, with Abu bankrolling it through his production house OPM Dream Mill Cinemas.

Purushan was publicly beaten and humiliated when he tried to break up a fight, and vowed to wear his slippers only after he avenged the man who embarrassed him.

[15] With a few assistant directors, they honed it for about three months in Prakash City, a mountain village near Kattappana in Idukki (where the film is set).

Pothan took note of the mannerisms of the shopkeepers in the kavala whom he considered a "witness to many of the incidents that unfold in the village, real and reel".

According to the writer, its creation was unhurried; the film was about village life, with which he was familiar (Thampan Purushan, on whom the story is based, was his father's friend).

[21] Aparna Balamurali, who had appeared in Oru Second Class Yathra (2015), was encouraged by Pushkaran's wife (who is her university instructor) to audition for the role of Jimsy.

[25] Pothan also hired local people to appear in the film in "whatever clothes they turned up in"; he believed that if he cast only actors, "the reality would have been compromised".

Chalissery designed the set for Mahesh's Bhavana Studio and nearby buildings, including a footwear shop which was built in a vacant area.

"Each and every property used for the movie, from the steel plates used in kitchen to the photos and frames hung on the walls, the windows and doors, everything was intentionally used to reflect a house of Idduki natives", said Ajayan.

Since Maheshinte Prathikaram was set in Prakash City in Idukki, it required natural sounds which blended with the dialogue and music instead of dominating them.

[29] According to Sreehari Nair of Rediff.com, Maheshinte Prathikaaram has the key qualities of a great short story; he found it closer to the creative non-fiction style specialised by the writers of Esquire magazine in 1960s in terms of rhythm and pacing.

Bijibal, Vijay Yesudas, Sudeep Kumar, Sangeetha Sreekanth, Aparna Balamurali and Nikhil Mathew contributed vocals to the soundtrack.

[51] The film was distributed in India by OPM Dream Mill Cinemas, opening outside Kerala in Bangalore, Mysore, Mangalore, Manipal, Chennai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad and Vizag.

[52][53] The film's television broadcasting right was purchased by Mazhavil Manorama, it premiered on TV on 14 September 2016, during the festival time of Onam in Kerala.

[54] By March, the film's producers released a number of "dialogue posters" on social networking sites with popular lines from its characters.

[60] By the end of its run, it had earned ₹17.35 crore (₹173.5 million) in Kerala and was the highest-grossing film at the January – June box office.

[64][65] Maheshinte Prathikaram was the highest earning Malayalam film at the United States box office over its third weekend (11–13 March), grossing $16,819 on 17 screens and outperforming Action Hero Biju and Vettah.

[68] It was the highest earning Malayalam film at the United Kingdom-Ireland box office during its second weekend (11–13 March), grossing £5,274 from 29 screens for a two-week total of £32,437.

[68] S. R. Praveen of The Hindu gave a positive review: "Syam Pushkaran, in writing the revenge story, takes away the usual ingredients of hate and anger, and replaces it with lots of humour, arriving as a torrent in one-liners, in situations and even in the minute gestures of the characters ... Maheshinte Prathikaram provides clean entertainment, treading new paths in that endeavour.

Also praising the screenplay, cinematography, and music, the review concluded: "Maheshinte Prathikaram is one of the finest comedies to have happened in Malayalam during recent years".

She praised the film's screenplay and direction: "Every frame shows the minute detailing, which gives [Maheshinte Prathikaaram] its real heart.

Vikram praised the performances by Fahadh and the supporting cast, the "magnificent camera" and the "songs which seamlessly and melodiously merge with the narrative", concluding that it "is a movie that is true to itself.

[73] Anu James of the International Business Times gave the film four out of five stars and called it "a simple movie with the right amount of romance, comedy, action and revenge".

[74] Litty Simon of Malayala Manorama rated Maheshinte Prathikaram 3.75 out of 5: "Dileesh [Pothan] has managed to give a realistic and emotional drama.

Simon praised the performances of Fahadh and others in the cast and the film's music and cinematography: "With its simplicity and realistic approach, the two-and-a-half-hour-long movie is refreshing and belongs to the 'neat' entertainer category".