Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 1 (ANI): The much-awaited Malayalam film Patriot, starring Mammootty and Mohanlal, will no longer release in cinemas as planned.

The makers have announced that the espionage thriller, which was earlier scheduled to hit theatres on April 23, has now been postponed.

On Tuesday, the makers took to Instagram to share a statement explaining the reason behind the delay. They said they are working to bring the film to audiences with the 'highest possible quality.'

The statement read, 'We are working hard to bring Patriot to you at the highest possible quality. However, due to a combination of unforeseen circumstances, it has become necessary to postpone the film's release from the previously scheduled date of April 23 by a few days.'

'The new release date for the film will be announced tomorrow evening at 6:00 PM through the official social media pages of our dear Mammukka (Mammootty) and Lalettan (Mohanlal),' it added.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DWjHLuhE-bj/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

The teaser of Patriot was released on October 2 last year. It opens with a mysterious voiceover talking about leaders who control people through faith. The teaser then introduces Mammootty's character, who seems to be on a secret mission. Mohanlal appears as a soldier, and Fahadh Faasil adds more tension to the story with his entry. The teaser indicates that the film will explore strong conflicts and power struggles.

Patriot is written and directed by Mahesh Narayanan, known for his work in Malayalam cinema. Apart from Mammootty and Mohanlal, the film also features Fahadh Faasil, Nayanthara, Rajeev Menon, Revathy, Grace Antony, Zarin Shihab, Sreeparvathy, Geethi Sangeetha, Jinu Joseph, Danish Husain, Shaheen Siddique, Sanal Aman, and Prakash Belawadi in key roles.

A new release date for the film is expected to be announced soon. (ANI)