Malayalam Cinema’s Disruptors Of 2023

Mammootty To Falimy, Malayalam Cinema’s Disruptors Of 2023

Neelima Menon brings you the highs of this year: The actors who mattered. The films that made a difference.

A YEAR of more lows than highs. A year that further contracted the OTT space in Malayalam cinema. A year that witnessed the birth of two Malayalam web series. A year that had a staggering number of releases. A year that saw Malayali audiences endorsing mindlessly violent non-Malayalam films. A year that showed that what works at the box office is still rocket science. We bring you the highs of this year. The actors who mattered. The films that made a difference.

Mammootty: After roughly 450 films in various languages, awards, and recognitions, and being at the top of his game for decades, Mammootty decided to upset the apple cart this year. At the age of 72, in his 50th year, he decided to play a gay man trapped in a heterosexual marriage in Jeo Baby’s Kaathal. When he decided to play a homosexual at a time when society was still wrapping its head around it, that was a loud and clear statement. The same superstar who did his share of hypermasculine heroes is willing to be a game-changer, treading a path none of his peers have dared to cross. When he played Mathew, he was inadvertently sensitising the public, to be kind to a community that was derided and ridiculed in pop culture. In that respect, Mammootty can be called the undiluted superstar of Indian cinema, in the true sense of the word.

RDX: It was the dark horse in the Onam race. A film helmed by a new director (Nahas Hidayath), starring three young actors (Shane Nigam, Antony ‘Pepe’ Varghese, Neeraj Madhav) who hadn’t yet achieved a solo hit in their careers. A simple tale of vengeance set in two eras, circling a small town in Kerala. It begins in the present where they are all living in their own world, one domesticated, the other a bartender, and the third a martial arts teacher. All is well in their universe, till their past decides to visit them. They build a narrative entirely around an ancient family feud, replete with superbly choreographed action set pieces. When family became the cornerstone, it was easy to connect to a larger cross-section of people. The presence of a vintage action hero like Babu Antony, despite having minimal screen time, was a nice touch.

Anjana Jayaprakash: Considering we live in a world where there is a prevailing feminine beauty ideal, Anjana’s entry was a lovely cinematic moment of the year gone by. She doesn’t cater to the perceived genteel, petite female form on celluloid. Hamsadhwani (Anjana’s character in Paachuvum Albhuthavilakkum) is a very well-rounded character, someone who is self-possessed, emotionally independent and isn’t afraid to be vulnerable. That stretch when she confides in Pachu and how she perceives death and loss is very healing to watch.

Romacham team: It does seem like this was the year of the dark horse. And it started with a small film directed by a newbie, featuring a host of fresh faces and Soubin Sahir. Made on a shoestring budget, this horror comedy is set in a rundown house in suburban Bengaluru where a bunch of men with their oddities and struggles reside. The discovery of an Ouija Board and a female ghost perk up the narrative, leading to the unravelling of the bunch. Any mention of the film would be incomplete without the ingenious group of actors who primarily bring in the novelty. Special props to Arjun Asokan and Chemban Vinod’s turns. And to Sushin Shyam’s atmospheric music.

Roby Varghese Raj: Mammootty has collaborated with a multitude of debutant filmmakers. Some have struck gold and others have faded into oblivion. Cinematographer turned director Roby is the latest on this list. What makes Roby’s debut significant is the conviction he has over his craft, and how he achieves the balance between realism and drama in Kannur Squad. A team of Kannur-based officers headed by ASI George Martin (Mammootty) is assigned to investigate a murder in North Kerala. They have identified the culprits who are on the run, and so the team has to travel by road across the length and breadth of the country to nab them. It’s a well-researched, written, neatly executed thriller that never loses its focus. We get a bird’s eye view of Martin and his boys, as they give chase in their dilapidated Tata Sumo, roughing it out, fighting a system that doesn’t even provide them adequate resources. The cops in Kannur Squad aren’t fire-spitting vigilantes, just hardworking officers who know how to get their job done. Despite the obvious plot resemblances to Kuttavum Shikshayum and Theeran Adhigaran Ondru, Roby succeeds in giving it a signature style.

Falimy: A well-made feel-good drama is like a cup of hot chocolate in winter: essential, uplifting, and just what you need when you are feeling under the weather. But then Falimy cannot be categorically branded as a feel-good film, it’s more a realistic drama with plenty to chuckle at and ponder over. Directed by debutante Nithish Sahadev, Falimy has a dysfunctional family of five at its core. They are a conflicted lot, battling gloom and boredom and trying to make sense of where life is taking them. There is a granddad who is consumed by wanderlust, his son who is loafing around, and a wife who is struggling for daily bread. Their eldest son is stuck with a job he detests while the younger one still hasn’t decided what to do with his life. Together they are a riot — sulking, mocking, and at each other’s throats at every given opportunity. It’s how faintly this dysfunctionality evolves into a space of empathy and laughter and loosens their defences that make it an endearing watch. After all, every family is in some way or the other dysfunctional. The catch is in how you make it functional.

Anaswara Rajan: She has ably pulled off every role that came her way — from the spoiled daughter of a domestic help in Udaharanam Sujatha, to teenager Keerthy in Thanneer Mathan Dinangal, and a college student in Super Sharanya. But in Neru, she finally comes into her own as this blind sculptor who takes her rapist to court. Sara lost her eyesight at the age of 12 and lives with her mother and stepdad. In court, Sara never loses her spirit despite the opposing lawyer trying every dirty trick to break her down. It is oddly empowering to watch her navigate through this emotionally wrecking experience in her life. The actor lives the experience of being blind, along with its physical and emotional challenges. She never overplays her disability and makes sure we are as focused on other aspects of her personality and experiences. A gold standard for actors portraying visually impaired characters in the future.

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