Mystic River) is a 2017 Indian Malayalam-language romantic thriller film directed and co-produced by Aashiq Abu, and written by Syam Pushkaran and Dileesh Nair.

While Maathan is taking a bath, three police officers disguised as civilians enter the rooms and kill the accompanying three gang members.

[6] Aashiq wanted to cast a new face as the female lead and model-turned-actress Aishwarya Lekshmi was selected through audition.

An article from International Business Times states: "Even though Mayaanadhi owes a great deal of its plot structure to Breathless, Aashiq Abu transforms and elevates the movie to a different level.

He breaths fresh air and life into his protagonists, Maathan and Appu, and they stay with the viewers even after the movie's touching climax scene.

[19] G. Raghesh of Malayala Manorama has written that Aashiq Abu's craftsmanship as a filmmaker makes 'Mayaanadhi' a neatly narrated love story that has some of the most beautiful romantic moments Malayalam cinema has ever produced.

[20] Sudhi C. J. from the same newspaper wrote: "Mayaanadhi tugs at the heartstrings of viewers with the cinematic brilliance and excellence in craft displayed by Aashiq Abu, setting it apart from other contemporary films, most of which fail to leave an impression – of either sadness, happiness or thought – on the audience.

"[21] Sanjith Sidhardhan of The Times of India has rated the film 3.5 of 5 stars and written that Aashiq Abu's 'Mayaanadhi' is a movie telling an intense story of urban characters without any superficiality.

[24] Aditya Shrikrishna of The New Indian Express wrote: "There is something about Mayaanadhi, Ashiq Abu’s new Malayalam film, that is as mystical as its title.

Two threads run in parallel, a manhunt widening in real time and a lived relationship uncovering its past.

Never a false moment in its 136-minute run, Mayaanadhi begins like a thriller, sways into romance territory, and keeps jumping timelines and genres at will.

[11] Abhijith from online entertainment portal Filmibeat.com has reviewed that 'Mayaanadhi' is pre-dominantly a love story and at the same time, it has some thrilling elements in it.

[26] Anna MM Vetticad from media portal Firstpost has written that in 'Mayaanadhi' Aishwarya Lekshmi, Tovino Thomas headline the romance of the year from Mollywood.

It is a befitting December release in a year that has witnessed some great works from Malayalam cinema and has rated the movie 4 of 5.

"[10] Another critic Veeyen in a brilliant tribute to the film, states that "In ‘Mayaanadhi, director Aashiq Abu, armed with a dexterously penned screenplay, settles down to sensitively sketch a doomed tale of love.

An impeccable reconstruction of an age-old narrative in an untested realistic setting, ‘Mayanadhi’ is the kind of film that holds a depth of meanings in those abstract gazes, a profundity of emotions in those unuttered words, and which leaves an inexplicable, seething sting at the upshot of it all.

Shahabaz Aman won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Singer for the rendition of the song "Mizhiyil Ninnum".