Varathan

Abin and Priya are a married couple who return to Kerala from Dubai for a break from their jobs. They decide to live at Priya's childhood home in the hills. From the first day, Priya is suspicious of the intentions of the contractors who work on her family's land. The villagers and neighbours are also shown ogling her. After their wedding anniversary, Priya spots someone staring at them from the window, but the shadow disappears when she wakes Abin. The next day, Priya is about to take a bath until she spots a man staring at her through the window, and screams.

Abin spots a worker in the upper grounds and shuts the window with duct tape and newspaper. Priya constantly warns Abin that people around are not the same as in Bangalore or Dubai and they ought to be more careful. One day, Abin has to meet a designer regarding their startup, and Priya is left alone at home. Priya promises to go to the convent after Abin leaves. Priya locks the house and goes to the convent library, where she is hit by a jeep with the ill-intentioned neighbours Josey, Johnny and their right hand man Jithin. While she lays unconscious, they leave her in the hospital.

After returning home at night, Abin sees the house locked and goes out to search for Priya, and he is informed by the estate caretaker, Benny, that Priya has been hospitalized. Abin reaches the hospital, but Priya furiously leaves the hospital without saying anything. Priya walks into the house and starts packing her bags. When questioned by Abin, Priya reveals that she has been sexually molested and no longer feels safe living with Abin in the hills or anywhere else. Abin walks out and meets a boy named Preman and his mother, and he learns that how Preman was caught with the contractor's daughter Sandra in the bushes that day.

Preman's mother explains that the contractor's family is now looking to kill him. Abin allows Preman and his mother to go inside his house and locks the door, but he tells the contractor's henchmen that he did not see Preman. Dissatisfied, the contractor's henchmen return with the contractor after noticing Preman's slippers on the verandah. Abin refuses to give up Preman and tells the men that they can find him tomorrow at the police station. None of the people withdraw, upon which Abin walks inside and tries to lock the door. When stopped by Johnny, Abin slides out a butcher's knife and stabs Johnny's left forearm, locks the door and goes with Priya, Preman and his mother to a safe room.

Abin successfully sets up the house to electrocute the invaders. Some try to get inside the house, but Abin cleverly burns them with a torch flame using a LPG gas cylinder. After fighting tooth and nail until the morning, Abin is brutally hit on the head and captured by the contractor and Josey. While they aim to shoot him with a gun, Priya walks out with the mother and the son to surrender. When they look towards her, Priya shoots two of the perpetrators. Seeing the opportunity, Abin takes charge, and the contractor flees away. Abin hits Josey, who is the last of Priya's abusers and informs him that the police will take them. After the chaos, Abin narrates to Josey how the law is still valid and alive in this part of the country. Two weeks later, Abin locks the gate with a plaque on it saying Trespassers will be shot.

• Fahadh Faasil as Abin Mathew
• Aishwarya Lekshmi as Priya Paul
• Sharafudheen as Josephkutty
• Arjun Ashokan as Jacob
• Mamitha Baiju as Sandra
• Dileesh Pothan as Benny
• Nisthar Sait
• Vijilesh Karayad as Jithin
• Shobi Thilakan
• Chethan Jayalal as Preman
• Unnimaya Prasad as Preman's mother
• Parvathi T. as Priya's mother
• Kochu Preman as Oanth
• Jinu Joseph as Alex
• Roshan Chandra as Gymmen

Besides directing, Amal Neerad co-produced the film with Nazriya Nazim, which stars her husband Fahadh Faasil alongside Aishwarya Lekshmi. Neerad revealed the film's title on 20 June 2018 by releasing the first poster. Varathan in Malayalam means "outsider" in English.[5][6][7] Writer Suhas describes the film as a "survival thriller".[8] Shot in Dubai and Wagamon, filming was completed by June 2018.[9][10]

The music was composed, programmed and arranged by Sushin Shyam. Lyrics were penned by Vinayak Sasikumar.

The film was released on 20 September 2018.[13]

Varathan received positive reviews from critics who remarked that the film is an unofficial adaptation of Straw Dogs.[4]

• Varathan at IMDb