Maharani marks the return of G. Marthandan after a five-year gap following Johny Johny Yes Appa (2018).[3] In an interview with The Hindu, he said that the film was planned earlier but got delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] He also finalised the cast in 2019.[4] The project was officially launched in late September 2023 in Kochi with a customary puja ceremony.[5] Sujit Balan produced the film under the banner of SB Films, in association with Badusha Productions.[6] The film also marks the banner's initial production.[7] The script was written by Ratheesh Ravi, who is known for Ishq (2019) and Adi (2023).[3] It marks his first collaboration with G. Marthandan.[3]Loganathan Srinivasan and Noufal Abdullah were assigned as the cinematographer and editor, respectively.[7]
Filming
Principal photography reportedly began on 1 October 2022 in Cherthala.[8] The filming wrapped up in the first week of November 2022.[9] It was reportedly the first film in Kerala to be completely shot with Sony's Venice 2 camera.[8]
Anandu Suresh of The Indian Express gave 2 out of 5 stars and wrote, "Maharani is a watchable film if you are ready to completely switch off your brain and let the movie guide you on its journey."[14] Anna Mathews of The Times of India gave 2 out of 5 stars and wrote, "Ultimately, it feels strange that director G Marthandan, the actors and producer Sujit Balan felt that this story by Ratheesh Ravi was worth their effort."[15]
Swathi P. Ajith of Onmanorama wrote, "The film seems decent but lacks brilliance. Although there are scenes that provoke laughter and curiosity – such as Aji and his gang embarking on a bike journey in search of Rani – the overall impact is moderate."[16] Vignesh Madhu of Cinema Express gave 2 out of 5 stars and wrote, "The film gets funniest when Roshan, Shine and Johny Antony are together, but this union doesn't happen too often."[17]