2024 is the year I re-discovered my love for malayalam movies. Growing up in a multi-lingual household, I used to watch malayalam, hindi, tamil and english movies. Slowly, over the years, it had become mostly english movies, with malayalam movie industry and Bollywood slowly becoming unpalatable. Commercial trash dominated the market. However, in the 2010s, a new wave of movie makers appeared in the malayalam film industry (or Mollywood). However, I only watched a few that came highly recommended (like Traffic, Virus, Neram, Ustad Hotel, etc.), not fully grasping that these were part of a new emerging trend, and not just random exceptions.
2024 is the year that this fully changed. Since I live in Australia now, for the longest time it was not easy to watch malayalam movies on the big screen. In 2024, we discovered that most south-indian movies now screen at some of the local cinema halls near us. The year 2024 also happened to be the year that Mollywood exploded with quality content across various genres.
Here are some of my favourite movies from 2024. As you'll see, there are only 2 non-malayalam movies that made this list. This is a testament to how much Mollywood is dominating, compared to other industries who are still chasing commercial success over artistic excellence. Since it'd be hard (and counter-productive) to rank them, I'll list them in chronological order.
Aattam
While certain other winners of the National awards have raised eyebrows, Aattam was definitely deserving of the title of the Best Movie of 2024. 12 Angry Men was a clear inspiration, and the movie follows a similar plot structure and pays many homages to the classic. However, the movie itself is a study of our society and holds up a mirror that shows an uncomfortable reflection.
The performances were really good, across the board. The way the movie slowly reveals, to us and to Anjali, the true nature of those she had considered family, is heartbreaking. The movie shines a strong light on gender inequality, and deep-seated misogynies that shock those who accidentally get a peek behind the curtain. While I did see some (online) criticism for not revealing the perpetrator, I feel that the movie was making the point that all of them (and by extension, all of us in society) are guilty.
Premalu
This is where my new love affair with Malayalam cinema started. This is the first Malayalam movie I had watched on the big screen in a long time. While the story was not groundbreaking, it was executed extremely well. It had likeable characters, excellent humour, amazing music (that is still near the top of my playlist), and some great writing that blends humour and heart really well. Sachin and Amal Davis' bromance was one for the ages. One of my favourite scenes was when Sachin breaks down in front of Amal after the heart-break, as Amal watches on, sad and helpess. His stinging rebuke to Reenu the next day was quite cathartic. This is one of my favourite rom-coms of all time. The ending (the beer can reveal) was the cherry on top of an already lovely movie.
Bramayugam
Premalu, Bramayugam and Manjummel Boys were the Barbenheimer of Mollywood in 2024 - 3 movies that were completely different from each other, released at the same time, becoming blockbusters despite the clash.
While horror cinema is not really a genre I enjoy, there have been some notable exceptions. An atmospheric, folk horror movie set in 17th century Kerala, Bramayugam is shot entirely in black and white, and almost every frame looks stunning (and is wallpaper material). While Bramayugam is light on the horror, it is quite impactful nonetheless. The story, the cinematography, the eerie soundtrack, the themes of power, the way the plot unfolds, the performances - they were all top tier. However, for me, one thing stood tall over all of this, and that was Mammootty's performance as Kodumon Potti (or more specifically, the Chathan disguised as Kodumon Potti). It is a pleasure watching someone in their 70s (!) still experimenting, still attempting to sate their unquenchable thirst for acting. Between this, Kaathal - The Core, Rorschach and Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam, he has been firing on all cylinders ever since he established Mammootty Kampany.
This movie also made me explore Rahul Sadasivan's filmography, which lead me to Bhoothakaalam, which, in my opinion, is even better than Bramayugam (which is saying a lot).
Manjummel Boys
I went to watch Manjummel Boys with only a vague idea that it was a boys' trip gone wrong movie. I came away deeply impressed, with all kind of emotions running high. The movie had it all - excellent cinematography, music, performances. The most impressive of it all, was Chidambaram's excellent direction that keeps you at the edge of your seat, and delivers the final payoff (Kamal Hassan's voice and Ilaiyaraaja's music as they finally pull Subash out) in a "theater-exploding" moment. And then, when you think the movie has passed it's peak, and we're just winding things up, you have the scene where Subash's mom apologises and hugs Kuttan. For me, personally, there was a third jaw-drop - I had no idea that the movie was based on real events. Watching the pictures of the real Manjummel boys that rolled during the end-credits, made me realise that everything we just watched, as fantastical as some of that seemed, was based on things that actually happened. I later read that they actually had to downplay some of the events because it would make it seem too unreal!
This movie also made me go back and watch Chidambaram's debut movie, Jan. E. Man. This is one of the best comedy movies since the golden era from the 80s and 90s. I do not say that lightly.
Aavesham
Aavesham - the "mass" movie done right. Aavesham shows that it is possible to have crazy hijincks and mass-y scenes, without sacrificing character and heart. While I did find the youngsters a tad annoying (except for Shanthan), Ranga and Amban, more than make up for it. FaFa was excellent, as was expected. People finally noticed Sajin Gopu for the great actor that he is. Ranga's tragic backstory and Amban's unwavering loyalty form an excellent emotional core around which the rest of the movie is built.
Exploring Jithu Madhavan's filmography led me to Romancham, an excellent horror comedy (which also stars an unrecognisable Sajin Gopu).
Maharaja
My first Tamil movie in years. As someone who grew up watching plenty of Tamil movies, I fell out of touch as I grew older. While I have watched a few here and there, I was mostly out of touch with Tamil cinema. Hence, I had only watched Vijay Sethupathi once, in a movie that I didn't fully get (Soodhu Kavvum).
Maharaja changed all this. What starts off on a rather silly premise (of a man filing a police complaint for a stolen garbage bin), quickly escalates into something far more thrilling and sinister. I love how the movie keeps you confused as to what's going on, only for the reveals to keep hitting you one after the other. The best part is that it was written well enough that those who were paying close attention to the details, could see where the movie was going.
Warning - some parts of the movie were hard to sit through (due to the extremely distressing things portrayed). Those who have seen Oldboy would know what I am talking about.
Gaganachari
A dystopic, sci-fi mockumentary from Kerala?! Of course, this is one of my absolute favourites of, not just this year, but of all time. The humour worked really well for me - well enough to catch 2 of the 4 shows they had in Melbourne. So many hilarious moments. Such a great soundtrack. Ganesh Kumar was surprisingly good. Everyone did justice to their roles. It had some memorable jokes which were genre-specific - Very rare bird! Exctinct aayinna thonnunne (think it just went extinct).
I've since realised that the movie is not everyone's cup of tea. People either loved it or hated it. For me, it has become one of my all-time favourite movies.
Nunakkuzhi
This movie was a wonderful throwback to the funny movies of the 90s. Basil Joseph continues to grow and shine as an actor, despite being such a good director (direct more movies dude!). Grace Anthony and Basil are great and provide laughs throughout, and Baiju elevates the movie even further with his comedic timing and (dialogue) delivery.
Personal feelings about some of the actors aside, this movie was one of the funniest of the year.
"Both the girl, and the guy she brought to the hospital, are telling very different stories."
"Which one did you like?"
Kishkindha Kaandam
This was, arguably, one of the best Malayalam movies of 2024. The story starts out slow, with the hunt for a missing revolver slowly evolving into something far deeper. The movie fires on all cylinders - excellent direction, story, cinematography, score. The standout, however, is the acting. Vijayaraghavan is a revelation, playing the role of a retired military soldier, a strict authoritarian desperately trying to hide his memory-loss disorder through meticulous note keeping. The movie stays with you for a long time, and as you revisit it, you start noticing that Asif Ali's acting is equally excellent, especially when you watch it a second time, knowing why he acts the way he does given what happens with Chachu. I love that the movie ends with
Meiyazhagan
This was the most beautiful movie I've watched in 2024. It was a like a deep, loving hug, when you need it the most. The movie had me smiling throughout. As someone who has been exposed to Tamil culture, I could see that the warmth and love that's inherent to the culture fill every frame of this movie. Seeing everyone caring so deeply for each other, filled my heart in a way it hasn't been in a long time.
I suppose the movie might come across as overly saccharine to some, but I found it very uplifting in a time where there isn't much to feel joyful over. I felt Karthi's character lifting me out of cynicism, the same way he does Arul (Arvind Swamy's character). The slow reveal that Karthi's character is the way he is because of Arul, only for Arul to lose his positivity and genorosity, and then have him be the one to inspire Arul to be positive again was *chef's kiss*.
Sookshmadarshini
I am always a sucker for a good whodunit. Interestingly, this time, it isn't a who-done-it, but what-did-he-do. Priya is the quintessential nosy neighbour, constantly observing and gossiping about the other families in her neighbourhood. She is convinced that the recently returned Manuel is up to no good, even as everyone else warms up to him. She channels her inner Nancy Drew, and snoops around, attempting to find clues to substantiate her suspicions. When strange things start happening, Priya is convinced that she's right even when things are pointing in the opposite direction. Despite the plot heading in a predictable direction, it still manages to pull some surprises.
Nazriya does a fine job as Priya, and its good to have her back on the big screen. Basil Joseph, as usual, gives a terrific performance. It's good to see him push himself outside of his comfort zone and vary the kind of roles he picks up. Ultimately, this is a well-made mystery thriller that does offer something slightly different in terms of how the plot is structured.
Rifle Club
Probably one of the most stylish Malayalam movies I've seen, Rifle Club has a very Guy Ritchie feel to it. The movie has some good performances, including notable cameos from Hanumankind, and Vani Vishwanath who appears onscreen after a long hiatus. Their encounter was great to watch
Ivide aanungal aarum ille? (Are there no men here?)
Njan aan aanennu vechoda. Inna thelivu. (You can take me to be a man. Here's the proof - pointing a revolver at his crotch).
A fun watch, the movie has great action set pieces, with some standout scenes - for instance, the hunting party's return on the zipline while headshotting the sniper followed by Dileesh Pothan's slomo entry into the Rifle Club
Wrap up
2024 has been a fantastic year for Malayalam cinema and it has re-ignited my love for it and for cinema in general. Here's hoping that 2025 and the years going forward bring equally good gems.
That's all folks!