Down in southern India there are multiple states with their respective cultures and spoken languages, primarily being Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, and Malayalam. With the similarity in the cultures across the states comes the presumption that their spoken languages are the same and end up boiling their existence into being “Madrasis”.
With the presence of multiple languages, there are several established film industries catering to their respective cultures. Although certain big budget films cater to being blockbuster action flicks coupled with hyped up dance sequences, a sweeping generalisation is ought to be made for all industries in the South.
But for now, let's focus our radar on Malayalam cinema.
This is a gem of an industry. It personifies the concept of “Art is a reflection of life”. A word to describe the movies would be “Authentic”.
Malayalam cinema is a small industry and has its reach only to the natives of the state and to a certain degree across the country.
But one of the many inconspicuous reasons as to why the films gain so much traction is the Writing. More than the marketing or commercialising of the final product, the makers invest into good writing.
One of the many revered makers, Mr. Mahesh Narayan mentioned that literature is the most important part in any film. The amount of respect good writers get in the Malayalam film industry is a rarity when in comparison to it being across the country.
The film “C U Soon”, a gripping thriller created by the same maker during the initial months of the pandemic, was solely shot on an iPhone with a minimal cast and crew, considering the restrictions. The screenplay was driven by phone calls between characters. The editing of the film was so spot on that at no point could the audience find it excruciating to keep up with an unfamiliar screen-based plotline. Hence, this project along with many greats is a testament to the fact that a small, yet the right team with minimal budgeting, resources, and focus on strong technicalities can make a film work.
The predominance of the narrative in films backed by emphasis on simple stories that are culturally rooted, bringing through the slice of life of the local quintessence is what compels the audience to buy a ticket. This also provides makers with the freedom to explore genres and plotlines that have never been experimented without the trepidation of not being able to attract the public or without the pressure to make resplendent characters and film with huge dance numbers that can help gain traction. Substance over style is given more prominence.
Kerala’s high literacy rate also helps makers experiment with projects that necessarily do not follow the conventional paradigm. The folks in Kerala are educated enough to appreciate such content.
Virus, a film based on the 2018 Nipah virus outbreak, shows seamless executions of the efforts put in by the officials at the centre trying to fight the epidemic. At no point through the film would we find only a particular individual being lauded for the fight against the outbreak but the collective efforts of all being venerated on the celluloid. The creative liberties taken in the film do not shift away from what the subject matter the film focuses on.
Even with the patriarchy in the society and well within the industry, portrayal of women in films is not just limited to the mere role of being a wife, girlfriend, sister or mother. Their roles have an equally sustainable contribution to the gradation of the storyline and the screenplay. And the casting deviates from the unrealistic beauty standards. Women and men of all shapes and sizes and of varied skin tones are cast in these films. You will rarely see a perfect hour-glass figurine waiting to be saved by a six-pack hero. The subtle and realistic portrayal of women, especially ones in positions of power, is also the standpoint of many films without having to spoon feed the masses about their capability with cool freeze-frames/montage sequences.
With the digital revolutions and OTT platforms coming through, there has been a nationwide awakening with respect to malayalam cinema where small films are being very well received. This insurgence is motivating makers to drill out projects spanning different genres of writing and screenplays since the return is guaranteed to a certain degree. For newbies, films like Joji, Kumbalangi nights, Maheshinte Prathikaram, Mallik by the actor Fahadh Fassil are ones to lookout for. He is one of the very rare artists to have portrayed varied characters like the boy next door to playing someone who is mentally unstable. In a way, the pandemic played out well for him with the digital insurgence, resulting in a nation wide awakening for the artiste that is Mr. Fahadh Fassil.
People who haven’t experienced the spectacle of stories provided by this ‘GEM of an industry’ are missing out on top-notch quality cinema. Films like Kumbalangi nights, a 2019 visual and cinematic display dealing with delicate and sensitive subjects in a simplistic manner, is an exhibit not to be missed by the masses. Films like Nayattu, Thondimuthalum driksakshiyum, and many more dealing with sensitive topical issues are displayed in the most effortless pattern without making the concept or motive of the project to be aggressive or pushy about a subject matter and glorifying the same. Malayalam cinema presents it as it is reflected in society.
Loved reading this one Adii ❤️👌