The 12 most-discussed films in Malayalam

A bitter-sweet year for Malayalam cinema with its bonanza of super hits and critically-acclaimed films offset by several films that bit the dust at the box office

2022 proved to be a mixed bag for Malayalam cinema. Box office hits, critical acclaim and awards helped the pandemic-hit film industry make a spirited comeback by the second half of the year. Hridayam and Bheeshma Parvam got viewers rushing to theatres after an initial lull. OTT played a crucial role in many movies, including those led by superstars, seeing the light of day.

There were also films that disappointed, movies that nosedived in spite of being backed by big money and star power. Many films could not recover even production costs. Nevertheless, that has not stopped the film industry from announcing several new productions.

After a dull phase, Mammootty was back in the thick of action with some carefully chosen roles, topped by his superb role in Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam. Mohanlal, the star, continued to flex his muscles at the box office but the actor was conspicuously missing in all his films.

The youth league led by Kunchacko Boban, Fahadh Faasil, Nivin Pauly, Tovino Thomas, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Shane Nigam and Basil Joseph took Malayalam cinema to a new high with directors who were not afraid to experiment.

The Hindu MetroPlus takes a look at 12 movies that became the talk of the town.

A psychological thriller starring Revathy and Shane Nigam in the lead as mother and son, this OTT release directed by Rahul Sadasivan, is about emotional trauma fuelling a fear psychosis. Revathy’s superb act won her the Kerala State Film award for best actress, the first in her long career. The slow narrative of the film builds up into a tense narrative that sends chills down the spine.

A breezy romantic, coming-of-age movie with Pranav Mohanlal, Kalyani Priyadarshan and Darshana Rajendran won the heart of the audience. Directed by Vineeth Sreenivasan, it has 15 songs composed by Hesham Abdul Wahab. First love, heartbreak, true love, commitment and friendship get a fresh take. Vineeth certainly knows the pulse of his audience.