How can the rise of right-wing politics affect cinema? How does a system in-built with patriarchy respond to the #MeToo movement? And how can intercaste politics play out in the 21st century? The answers are all there in Malayalam, with cinematic perfection, to show that the times indeed are changin’.

In its new woke format, Malayalam cinema is enjoying a golden age of filmmaking where a diverse variety of everyday issues are becoming themes to carry forward a remarkable story. In this new wave, script is the star guiding the socio-political and cultural themes that craft the essence of realistic plots. The industry’s critical applause and box-office success confirms that today, political can be profitable, and social can be successful.

The tide changed with the arrival of a fresh bunch of directors (Aashiq Abu, Sameer Thahir, Anjali Menon, Lijo Jose Pellissery), actors (Fahadh Faasil, Dulquer Salmaan, Soubin Shahir) and storytellers (Syam Pushkaran, Muhsin Parari). This new school of filmmaking experimented with bold themes and story-driven plots, while the new generation of actors decentralised into everyday characters that played out the story instead of being the story. Early signs of the change could be seen in films like Salt N’ Pepper (2011) and Ustad Hotel (2012), which explored the state’s obsession with food even as it tweaked the palette of the industry. There was also a new groove with musicians like Rex Vijayan, Prashant Pillai and Sushin Shyam ushering in a new, young (and relevant) sound to OSTs. With the advent of streaming platforms (and subtitles), the finest of Mollywood is online for the non-Malayali audience. Ahead, we list out 10 of the must-watch Malayalam movies of this decade.

Virus (2019)

A first of its kind medical thriller for Malayalam cinema, this Aashiq Abu directorial was based on the 2018 Nipah virus outbreak. Documenting the chaos behind the scenes to show us what happens onscreen is the virtuosity that Abu delivers with Virus, a multi-starrer thriller that is no short of a casting coup. The film is also a masterclass in screen writing. The finesse is such that even a heavyweight line-up of actors doesn’t outshine or veer off the script—the director prioritises the theme to propel the story, and the characters are just incidental in that context. Streaming on Amazon Prime

Kumbalangi Nights (2019)

Director Madhu C Narayanan’s debut is easily one of the best films to come out this year. Written by national award-winning writer Syam Pushkaran, Kumbalangi Nights is as gloriously local as it is gleamingly international in its treatment. The film talks about noxious masculinity and dysfunctional families by zooming in to the story of four brothers and their complicated family history. In a pace that is poetic and artful, this multi-layered drama of love and loss keeps the elements of humour and dread intact as its characters evolve through insights and redemptions. Streaming on Amazon Prime

Sudani from Nigeria (2018)

Director Zakariya Mohammed’s debut is simple in its message, but packs a powerful punch emotionally. The honest-to-heart chemistry between Nigerian actor Samuel Abiola Robinson and Soubin Shahir rolls over with equal amounts of humour and heartbreaks. Set in the hinterlands of Malappuram with football as its central theme, this story, co-written by Muhsin Parari, is a lesson in humanity, and given our current political environment, is highly relevant. Streaming on Netflix

Take Off (2017)

Director Mahesh Narayanan’s debut is easily one of the most engaging cinematic experiences that took Malayalam cinema to new heights. This spunky thriller, though fictionalised, offers a documentary-style take on the ordeal of Indian nurses in Iraq, who were rescued from the captivity of the Islamic State in 2014. The powerhouse performance by Parvathy Thiruvothu is another reason to watch this thriller. Streaming on Hotstar

Angamaly Diaries (2017)

One of the first movies in contemporary times that piqued the interest of both film aficionados in Bollywood as well as around the world, Lijo Jose Pellissery’s crime drama is set against the backdrop of pork trade in the central Kerala town of Angamaly. The coming-of-age film featured 86 debutant actors and an uncut 11-minute long climax that blazed into a dazzling end with a liberating epilogue. Streaming on Netflix

Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum (2017)

After his intellectually delightful debut, director Dileesh Pothan’s brilliance was once again at display in this witty yet gripping family drama. The film is tempered around the elopement of an intercaste couple, a chain snatching incident and what follows after that. Actor Fahadh Faasil portraying the role of a petty thief delivers one of his career-defining performances, while Pothan’s skills lie in crafting subtleties and nuances. Streaming on Hotstar

Kammatti Paadam (2016)

This classic saga is an intense take on the conflict between the Dalit community and the upper-caste land mafia. Director Rajeev Ravi (also the cinematographer for Gangs of Wasseypur) once again uses Kochi as his muse to capture the downtrodden gang wars with unfiltered intensity, painting the harsh realities of the eighties when the city started getting cosmetised into a metropolis. Streaming on Hotstar

Ozhivudivasathe Kali (2015)

Every once in a while, someone comes along with a film so original that it reiterates the belief that a good story needs no embellishment. In fact, it can be made with half the budget of a television commercial or a Bollywood song sequence. Sanal Kumar Sasidharan’s Ozhivudivasathe Kali (An Off-Day Game) is one such film that leaves an aftertaste relished with introspection and poignant questions. Set on an election ‘dry’ day, this story revolves around a bunch of friends catching up for a drink in Kerala’s lush environs. Over the course, the holiday chitchat unfurls into a conversation marked with the caste politics and gender prejudices ingrained within the society. The brutal climax takes a stomach-churning turn and leaves the audiences shocked to the core. Streaming on YouTube with subtitles

Bangalore Days (2014)

In Bangalore Days, director-writer Anjali Menon works with an ensemble cast (including our October 2019 cover star Dulquer Salmaan) to flawlessly ride an urban classic. Call it the Dil Chahta Hai of Malayalam cinema, this one features a vibrant and delightful take on family, friends and relationships. Its thoughtful narrative, which revolves around three cousins and their coming-of-age story, was seminal in reflecting relatable urban Malayalis onscreen. Streaming on Hotstar

Traffic (2011)

Inspired by an actual event in Chennai, this riveting high-speed drama, directed by Rajesh Pillai, revolves around the theme of organ donation and interweaves the lives of a bunch of protagonists. Streaming on Hotstar

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