Record-breaking box-office hits like Lucifer and Madhuraraja have helped to bring it into the limelight. However, I am sure there are many who are still unaware of its mass appeal (including our Our Soch readers). I’ve only just started watching the good ones myself.
Although a number of OTT platforms are showing more and more Malayalam movies, along with exposure from YouTube channels/ reviews. It is still easy to miss out on a few of these hidden gems.
So, here’s a list of some for you to feast your eyes to as I indulge in my ‘barottaa’ and beef fry!
1. Virus (2019) - Aashiq Abu
Virus is a multi-star medical thriller masterpiece that is sure to blow your mind. Its narrative style somewhat echoes the Hollywood medical thriller ‘Contagion’. But this movie is a fictional documentation of the real-life havoc unleashed by the Nipah Virus in Kerala’s Kozhikode and Malappuram districts in 2018. ‘Virus’ takes us through a realistic portrayal of the journey in the lives of several people from all walks of life, affected by the disease. Perhaps there’s no better time to watch than now, amidst a global pandemic, as this story acts as a befitting tribute to the many selfless, sometimes nameless heroes risking their lives to contain it.
Available on Prime
2. Thanmathra (Molecule - 2005) - Blessy
One of India’s finest actors, with a career spanning over four decades, actor Mohanlal gives perhaps his most poignant performances in this emotional family drama on Alzheimer’s.
Although the plot may seem a little cliché at this point, the film has helped shine a spotlight on the condition in Kerala and throughout the entire nation by pulling on heartstrings.
It portrays the effects of the disease through the life of Ramesan Nair (Mohanlal), whose dream is to see his son become a distinguished IAS officer. The plot is based on a short story, ‘Orma’ by the legendary Padmarajan. A must watch for lovers of cinema, if not for the outstanding performance from the whole cast, and the subtle nuances that the team put together in detail to achieve the film’s overall feel.
3. Manichitrathazhu (The Ornate Lock - 1993) - Fazil
Twenty-seven years since, one of Malayalam cinema’s most iconic films ever produced and every time I revisit this gem, I find something new. Six A-list directors were brought together for the final product, under the vision of Director Fazil (Fahad Faasil’s father)
But even with a relatively slow start, the narrative flows seamlessly. A screenplay ahead of its time, the aid of stellar performances from an ensemble cast make for a gripping watch. The scale of this movie set a precedent for Malayalam cinema to be an industry that pushes the envelope for creativity, with out of the box storytelling, allowing it to stand out from other regional movies.
As other industries dived into remakes; Chandramukhi in Tamil, Apthamitra in Kannada, Nagavalli in Telugu, and Bhool Bhulaiyaa in Hindi, Manichitrathazhu remains my all-time favourite. So, during this period of mixed emotions, if you like to explore a mystic psychological thriller with a melange of horror, romance, comedy and mesmerising music, then this may be the movie for you…
(Available on Prime Video)
4. Thondimuthalum Driksashiyum (The Mainour and the Witness- 2017) - Dileesh Pothan
A challenging title to pronounce, even for some Malayalees like myself. This family drama showcases some of the most exciting filmmaking in modern Malayalam cinema. The story revolves around an inter-caste couple, Prasad and Sreeja, who have recently married and decide to settle in Kasargod due to the disapproval of her family. But this is where the plot takes a different turn from what you naturally expect of a family drama; with Sreeja taking a nap on the bus, she is then woken by a thief (Fahad Faasil), as he steals the golden chain around her neck. Or did he? Was it all just her imagination?
An explosive courtroom-revenge drama might be what is expected and it certainly has elements of this. But director Pothan's brilliance subverts our understanding of this genre, laden with his light, almost “lubitsch touch” if you will. This sets the pace for this simple yet complex investigation, sprinkled with a kind of situational comedy that moves the story forward.
5. Angamaly Diaries (2017) - Lijo Jose Pelissery
A crime-drama set in the small town of Angamaly in Kerala, where a gang of youths try to venture into the infamous pork business that the land is known for. A tough watch for any animal rights activists, with squealing pigs and violence throughout its duration (no animals harmed) as the pork mafia start ‘pigging on’ the rookies. Lijo Jose Pelissery, the ‘master of chaos’ introduced eighty-six promising newbies, in his bid to bring freshness into this Chemban Vinod Jose screenplay.
This movie is certainly a trailblazer for a new wave of Malayalam cinema. It showcases the ability of independent filmmakers to make far more inventive use of mainstream devices with realistic action set pieces, great songs and comedy that fit flawlessly around the frenzied plot points, more so than the average big-budget masala flick.
Prashant Pillai ‘hogs’ our auditory senses with folk songs and an incredible background score setting an atmosphere to match the mise-en-scène, and the drama that unfolds.
Angamaly Diaries, at its heart, is a story that will take you through the lives of the small-town folk; giving you a taste of the delicious ‘naadan foodu’ (local cuisine) like tapioca and egg curry (food and food metaphors are endless), natural glimpses of romance, and a raw journey of local crime and punishment.
(Available on Netflix)
6. Mathilukal (Walls-1989) - Adoor Gopalakrishnan
This list would not be complete without homage to one of the masters of Malayalam cinema, Adoor Gopalakrishnan. The film is an autobiographical portrayal of Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, and is based on his novel under the same title. It is set against the backdrop of India’s struggle for freedom in the 1940s during which Basheer served a term in Trivandrum Central Jail; he falls in love with a woman in the neighbouring female prison compound, but they are separated by a high wall, so there is no way of seeing each other.
Considered to be a worthy heir to the Satyajit Ray tradition of filmmaking, ‘Mathilukal’ is yet another timeless masterpiece by a pioneer of the new wave of Malayalam cinema during the 1970s. Myskkin (Tamil director), said in an interview that he recommends Seven Samurai (Kurosawa) to his assistants as a kind of therapy, or for when they need some clarity. Mathilukal, ‘starring the megastar Mammootty’, one of the most cherished love stories in Malayalam cinema, certainly has that quality for me.
(Full movie link)
About Me:
Hi, my name is Adi Nair, I am a Finance graduate, currently looking to do a masters in post-pandemic job hunting. My passions include Movies, Cricket, and the UFC (like any yute from ends). However, my dream is to combine these three mystery puzzles and make a great movie about a cricket player, Viral - “Kozhy”(chicken) who has beef with UFC hero “the Great Kofta”. All I hope for is a fresh status on Rotten Tomatoes, for all my hard work…
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