The Best Malayalam Movies on Netflix

My Twitter is a mish mash of books, food, movies and many silly things (add a pinch of some serious stuff too). I write mostly about books but I’ve been getting messages for Netflix Malayalam movie recommendations and I thought making a list here is a better option than a Twitter thread. This has been sitting in my drafts for a long time, so thought I’d push it out into the movie lover’s world today.

For the uninitiated, Indian films do not include only the more famous Bollywood (Hindi) films but also the many regional language films produced from different states. Malayalam cinema is one of the finest among India cinema. It pays more attention to plot and the acting skills of the cast of most movies are unparalleled. Anyhow, I have to be honest here. The Netflix selection of Malayalam films is near-crappy. There are some gems among the lot, but Malayalam cinema has a lot more to offer. So if you would like to explore more Malayalam films, Netflix isn’t really the best place. BUT it is accessible to many, so here are a few films you might enjoy.

PS: The translation of the titles given in the brackets is my own and not the official title.

1.Maheshinte Prathikaram (2016)

Here is a movie you can watch ten times and you will notice something new. Written by Syam Pushkaran (who wrote the script for the 2019 brilliant release Kumbalangi Nights) and directed by Dileesh Pothan, Maheshinte Prathikaram (Mahesh’s Revenge) is a simple story of revenge set in a small town in Idukki. Mahesh, a photographer, is in love with his child hood sweetheart but things go wrong in his life. This is a simple story of losing and finding love, finding passion in work, parental figures and revenge, spiced up with naadan (local) humour, Pothan’s attention to details is impressive (There is a story that he re shot an entire scene of the hero taking a bath in a small river (which lasts only a few seconds) because he forgot to include washed underwear wringed and kept on a rock as a prop). His attention to local mannerisms, often ignored small town humour and hawk like attention to details earned his work the title ‘Pothettan’s brilliance’ [You might enjoy this Video Essay on the film after you watch Maheshinte Prathikaram]. The cast is brilliant (each character is perfect and deserves mention), with natural acting and effortless delivery of dialogues. The movie won the National Award for the best feature film in Malayalam and has one of the best performances by Fahadh Faasil.

2.Sudani from Nigeria (2018)

Sudani from Nigeria is a feel good, heart warming story set in a football crazy rural village in Malappuram. The film digs deep into human psychology, preaching that at the end of the day, humanity is all we need. When a Nigerian footballer is injured, he moves into the team manager’s house as a temporary guest. The two mothers who nurse him back to health, the team manager, the step father (such few scenes, but so powerful), are played with such perfection by the actors. Zakariya’s directorial debut astonishes in terms of the cast, plot, themes; basically this movie is pure gold. Soubin Shahir (team manager), Samuel Robison (footballer) , and the theatre veterans, Savithri Sreedharan and Sarasa Balussery (the mothers) give a brilliant performance.

3.Eeda (2018)

Eeda (Here) is an under rated gem. Set in Kannur district of Kerala (and Mysore), it is a Romeo-Juliet-esque story amidst political strife. Two individuals meet by chance and fall in love but they realize later that their families have opposing political ideologies. Shane Nigam delivers a nuanced performance as the hero, with subtle acting and attention to minute gestures while Nimisha Sajayan gives an enchanting performance as the bold, ambitious girl. There is a forehead kiss scene which is one of the most intimate and beautiful shots I’ve seen recently. The romance is heart breaking and the blood bath, party politics and political pawns sacrificed to redeem those higher up in the power ladder are brilliantly portrayed. The second half of the film does drag a bit, but Eeda is worth your time.

4.Angamaly Diaries (2017)

I enjoyed Angamaly Diaries but it did not turn out to be a favourite as opposed to the wave it created after its release. It is a typical, local gangster story set in Kochi. Director Lijo Pellissery strays from conventional film making and  surprises us with a brash, raw entertainer with lots of pork.  The movie features 86 fresh faces who all gave stellar performances and was much applauded for the 11 minute climax scene. Love it or hate it, the movie will keep you glued to the screen.

5.Swathanthram Ardharathriyil (2018)

Tinu Pappachen’s directorial debut, Swathanthryam Ardharathriyil (listed as Freedom at Midnight on Netflix) is a prison break thriller set in Kottayam. This might be your Malayalified version of Shawshank Redemption. It is gritty, suspenseful with a strong cast who are determined to break out of their cell, no matter what.

Read : The Best Malayalam Movies Streaming on Amazon Prime

6.Annayam Rasoolum (2013)

Annayum Rasoolum (Anna and Rasool) is not everyone’s cup of tea. It certainly wasn’t mine when I first watched the Romeo-Juliet story reinvented in Fort Kochi. It was too slow and I was bored more often that I should be, constantly flicking my eyes from the screen in search of something better. Also, maybe I was just too young to appreciate a tragedy. When I re watched the movie a few years later, I could connect to it and feel the narrative seep into me. This movie led to Madhu Neelakantan winning the Kerala State Award for the best cinematographer. It is the story of two people from different communities, a taxi driver and a sales girl, who grow fond of one another but face opposition from their loved ones.

7.Ottaal

I watched Ottaal (Trap) recently and I was moved by the film. This movie, an adaptation of Anton Chekov’s Vanka, can be a hit or miss because it is a slow rendition. But I was in awe. It showed me a Kerala that sadly I have not witnessed. So beautiful and majestic, untouched nature in all its glory. The movie is set in a village in Kuttanad and follows a young boy and his duck rearing grandfather, his only living relative. The boy ends up in a fire cracker factory and writes to his grandfather letters pleading him to take him away unaware that he is no more. Director Jayaraj explores loss, nostalgia, friendship, class struggle, education, child labour and hope, with panache. This film was released online on the same day of its theatrical release and also won many awards. Slow, but beautiful!

8.Grandmaster (2012)

Grandmaster is a thriller based on Agatha Christie’s ABC murders. A senior IPS officer, played by Mohanlal, gets anonymous notes from ‘Z’ tipping him about the murders that he is about to commit. The police try to decode the pattern, and maybe Chandrasekhar’s family, ex wife or daughter, is next in line. The ending was disappointing with an unneeded drama-ish climax but it is a good watch that keeps you hooked.

 
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Read : The BEST lesser known Malayalam movies to stream online now
 
 

There are several other Malayalam films on the Netflix list. I’ve kept this a small list which might appeal to the majority. Minnaminungu (Firefly, 2017) follows a mother who does odd jobs to educate her child and the how the society takes advantage of such women. Surabhi Lakshmi won the National Award for the leading performance, but personally I felt the minor characters did not do justice to their roles. Aalorukkam is a beautiful film in which an ageing father goes in search of his son who ran away from home but is unable to come to terms with the reality that his son is now a wife and mother. The film explores the difficulties faced by the transgender community but the film does have drawbacks, perhaps because of the budget. Indrans won a National Award for his role as the father. Shavam (Corpse, 2015) is widely acclaimed for its portrayal of the journey of the corpse to graveyard (I have not watched it yet. I did find Ee Ma Yau, a more commercial take on the same subject to be a brilliant film but sadly that is not on Netflix). Mili fails in some aspects but successfully explores a depressed, introvert girl finding her confidence in a society that has place only for over achievers. Urumbukal Urangarilla (Ants don’t sleep) is a comedy thriller about a man who wants to train in robbery to hatch a revenge plan. Aadu 2 is a mass entertainer but I don’t know whether it would appeal to non-Malayalees as the humour might be lost in translation. Be warned there are some dialogues that might make you cringe.

I will keep updating the list if something stellar gets added on Netflix.

Happy watching. 🙂
 

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Best Malayalam Films on Amazon Prime for small town dramas, real life stories, and more.

All images, except the featured image, are promotional posters of the said films. Please contact me if any need to be removed.