Set in the stormy waters of the 16th-century Malabar Coast, Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea is an epic saga inspired by the real-life naval hero Kunjali Marakkar IV, India’s first known naval commander who defied Portuguese colonization. This tale blends valor, loss, love, and betrayal, portraying one man’s rise as the Lion of the Arabian Sea.
The story begins with Muhammad Ali, a young boy from a noble Muslim warrior family, the Marakkars, who are renowned for their maritime prowess and loyalty to the Zamorin (Samoothiri) of Calicut. His peaceful childhood is shattered when Portuguese colonizers destroy his village, kill his mother, and force his family into hiding.
Ali’s father and brothers die valiantly resisting the Portuguese, but he and his uncle flee into the forest. The trauma he endures fuels a deep hatred for the invaders and sets him on the path of vengeance and justice. Years later, the grown Muhammad Ali (played by Mohanlal) emerges as a fierce and brilliant tactician. He assembles a naval force composed of outlaws, fishermen, and rebels. He begins attacking Portuguese ships along the coast, earning both the admiration of the locals and the wrath of the colonizers.
Recognizing his genius, the Zamorin appoints him as the Kunjali Marakkar IV, the chief naval commander of the kingdom. Under his leadership, the Marakkar fleet becomes a formidable power at sea, pioneering India's earliest naval resistance.