OM Chapter 1: Udhiram (OM: Operation Mole) — Release Date, Cast, Story, Budget and Day 1 Box Office Prediction

OM Chapter 1: Udhiram is now called OM: Operation Mole. The name changed just a week before release. Both titles are the same film. The makers renamed it, and the new title is the one on the posters now.

The film releases on 20 November 2026, worldwide. That date is confirmed. It was first set for 16 October 2026. The makers moved it to avoid a clash with Rajinikanth’s Jailer 2. Jailer 2 is already streaming on Prime Video, and you can read our Jailer 2 OTT blog here: Jailer 2 OTT Release.

This is the first time Dhanush and Mammootty share the screen. That alone makes OM one of the biggest Tamil releases of the month. Add Sai Pallavi in a police officer’s role, and the film has three strong names pulling the audience in.

The Name Changed Before Release

The film was announced as OM Chapter 1: Udhiram – The Blood Wood. A week before release, the makers renamed it OM: Operation Mole. News reports confirmed the new title on 14 November 2026.

Some outlets still use the old title. Both names point to the same film. If you search for either title, you will land on the same release.

The “Chapter 1” in the old title made people ask one question. Will the story end here, or will it stop halfway for a part 2? The director has confirmed the story has a complete ending. The film finishes its story in one go.

Story: An Undercover Officer in the Red Sandalwood Forests

Dhanush plays Palanivel. He is an officer of the Tamil Nadu STF, the Organised Crime Intelligence Unit. In the trailer he is called “D 402”.

Palanivel goes undercover as a woodcutter. His job is to get inside a red sandalwood smuggling syndicate. The gang works in the forests of Andhra Pradesh, between the temple towns of Tirupathi and Thiruvannamalai.

Sai Pallavi plays Nithya Reddy, an IPS officer. She heads the Exclusive STF of Andhra Pradesh. She is the one running the operation from the police side.

Mammootty plays Siya, also called Burma Karthikeyan. He is a politician. Behind the scenes, he controls the illegal trade. The film’s conflict is simple. Palanivel must get close to Siya’s network without giving himself away.

The story is partly based on true incidents. Red sandalwood smuggling is a real problem in the forests of Andhra Pradesh. The film builds its thriller around that world.

Cast and Crew

Rajkumar Periasamy won the National Film Award for Best Director for Amaran. OM is his next film after that. Dhanush is also one of the producers, along with Shraddha Agarwal and Azmat Jagmag.

This is the first Dhanush–Mammootty film. Mammootty is a legend in Malayalam cinema. Dhanush is one of Tamil cinema’s biggest stars. Their combination is the film’s biggest selling point.

Trailer Response: What People Liked and What They Didn’t

The trailer came out on the evening of 13 November 2026. It is around 3 minutes long. The response has been largely positive.

People praised two things the most. First, Sai Pallavi’s role as the IPS officer. Second, the Dhanush–Mammootty combination. The makers claim the trailer crossed 20 million views.

Not everything was praised. Some viewers said the background music was too heavy. They felt the dialogues were hard to hear under Sai Abhyankkar’s BGM. A few others felt the trailer showed too much of the story.

People also compared the film with Pushpa and Dhurandhar. The comparison makes sense. All three films deal with smuggling networks and powerful men behind them. But OM has its own setting and its own story.

Budget and Business

The budget has not been officially disclosed. Trade reports put it at reportedly Rs 200 Cr. Some fan graphics claim Rs 135 Cr. The makers have not confirmed any number. So take the Rs 200 Cr figure as a report, not a fact.

The business around the film is strong. PEN Marudhar has the North India theatrical distribution. The deal was announced on 11 November 2026. Tamil Nadu rights are reportedly Rs 30 Cr. Kerala rights are reportedly 64 percent higher than Raayan, Dhanush’s earlier film.

Netflix has the OTT rights. The streaming date will be announced after the theatrical run.

Day 1 Box Office Prediction

The trade is expecting a strong opening. Koimoi’s Day 1 estimate is Rs 15 Cr+ net in India and Rs 20 Cr+ worldwide. This is a trade estimate, not a confirmed figure. The real numbers will come out on 21 November 2026.

If the film touches Rs 15 Cr net on Day 1, it will be a record for Mammootty. It would be his first double-digit opening day in India. His previous best was Patriot, which opened at Rs 9.8 Cr.

For Dhanush, the mark to beat is Tere Ishk Mein, his biggest opener at Rs 15.81 Cr. So “Rs 15 Cr+” alone is not enough. The film needs to cross Rs 15.81 Cr to become his biggest opener.

The film releases on 20 November 2026, a Friday. It has no big Tamil competition on the same day. That helps. The trailer response helps too. But the opening will also depend on word of mouth from the first shows.

Ramayana is still running strong in theatres, and its live collection is being tracked here: Ramayana Box Office Collection Live Update. OM will be the next big test of the Tamil box office after that.

We will update this blog with the real Day 1 collection on 21 November 2026.