Kanal (Eng: Live Coal) is a 2015 crime thriller movie of Malayalam language directed by M Padmakumar. Abraham Mathew is the producer of the film. Mohanlal, Anoop Menon, Atul Kulkarni, Pratap Pothen, Hone Rose, Sheelu Abraham, Nikita Thukral are some of the main characters who appear in the film. This is the Second film of Mohanlal, Padmakumar and Suresh Bubu together, the first being ‘Shikar’.

The story is framed on the background of economic recession that affected the life of some people very badly. It tells a revenge story also in coherence with the same background.  The recession badly affected the two business tycoons of the gulf country and are planning to return to thir home land. John David (Mohanlal) meets Anantharaman (Anoop menon) in the course of time in kerala and their meeting grow into a profound relation that unfolds many mystery surrounding with a sense of simplicity (first half) and cruelty (second half)

The film could not make any impact at the box office and the critics reviewed the film negatively. this is only a below average film which can be labeled as a film to exploit the chrisma of Mohanlal in a quick buck. But like his recent films this also falls short of expectation and even the hardcore fans of him neglected the film. The lagging story of the film adds fuel to its failure and the ‘live coal’ (Kanal) feels like a ‘Charcoal’ that resulted in an utter failure. The unconvincing story may look fine on the paper but falls short of execution. The script writing of the film is unpersuasive and some of the happenings are so tragically unfunny and those who watch it will agree on it. The repeated story of revenge and a glamorous apprarence in the beginning could not save the film from its inevitable  failure.