Netflix has established itself as an excellent outlet for Malayalam film. The online streaming service has made those films that are risky, unique, and not really targeted for a commercial audience available to the public as a result of the present facelift that this particular regional sector is going through. Some of the films on this list, such as the 2018 feature “Eeda,” include disturbing subjects and inventive filming techniques. Due to its provocative character representations, a film like “Chaayam Poosiya Veedu” (2015) is unlikely to garner a significant audience in theatres, but it has amassed a respectable online following.
Malayalam films, regardless of their genre—romance, action, comedy, tragedy—offer a very realistic picture of their characters and narratives that in no way interferes with our capacity for suspension of disbelief. They are unique because of this. We’ve compiled a list of the top Malayalam films now streaming on Netflix since we don’t want you to wonder what to watch.
Angamaly Diaries (2017)
It’s a tremendous risk to offer a movie in a Malayalam film style that hasn’t been done before with an all-new ensemble of 86 actors. In a movie that is both well-acted and well-written, director Lijo Jose Pelliserry depicts a group of outlaws in the streets of Angamaly in a harsh, raw, brutal manner that results in a hilarious, almost absurd realisation of events. One of the greatest feats of Indian cinematography is the 11-minute long shot that serves as the film’s conclusion.
The plot of this movie isn’t very interesting, which might be its biggest flaw, but to its credit, “Angamaly Diaries” had advertised itself as a “local” film, one that refused to care about conventional filmmaking methods, thereby not catering to the expectations of average filmgoers and giving them an experience that was completely out of the ordinary. Fortunately, they could take this one home, making it one of Pelliserry’s many successful experiments.
Forensic (2020)
An investigative officer and a medico-legal advisor are paired up in the crime thriller “Forensic” as they work to catch a serial killer who specialises in attacking young children. Thankfully, their past relationships are not romantic. Because, as the protagonist argues early on, the thrill of the murder may be a psychopath’s only motivation in some cases, this movie does not go into great length about the background of the killer. The lack of any romance sub-story in this movie is also a plus because, let’s face it, nobody would be interested in a love interest while a serial child killer is at large. With some strong performances from the major characters, “Forensic” is a passable crime thriller.
Iratta (2023)
‘Iratta’ (also known as ‘Twin’), a murder mystery thriller written and directed by Rohit M. G. Krishnan, comes in first place on our list of Malayalam films available on Netflix. DySP Pramod starts an investigation when his twin brother ASI Vinod passes away. The first three suspects had all planned to kill Vinod, but as the investigation goes further, it seems as though they have alibis. Vinod and Pramod’s abusive father caused them to have a difficult upbringing. When their parents were divorced, Vinod’s father forcibly took him away, and the violence lasted for years, leaving him bitter towards his twin and mother who had the opportunity to leave the hellhole while he didn’t. Pramod had the opportunity to be raised by their loving mother. Pramod’s investigation in the present day leads him to learn some stunning truths that are sure to leave you, for lack of a better term, completely astounded.
Jana Gana Mana (2022)
The events of Dijo Jose Antony’s film “Jana Gana Mana” take place after the murder of a college lecturer. A campus demonstration is put down, but public outcry prompts the state administration to launch an investigation. As a result of his activities, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Sajjan Kumar (Suraj Venjaramoodu) is brought in and is prosecuted by Advocate Aravind Swaminathan (Prithviraj Sukumaran) in court. What happens next is the astonishing admission of a series of facts that link the advocate and the police officer. You might want to pay close attention to make sure you don’t miss any words. You wouldn’t want to miss this hearing.
Kappela (2020)
The visually gorgeous movie “Kappela,” from Muhammed Musthafa, plays with the “deceptive appearances” cliché. Jessie (Anna Ben) is a little child who dreams of leaving her isolated Kerala town one day (mostly due to her harsh and overbearing father). One day, she dials the erroneous number, only to have the caller contact her back shortly after, and then on a regular basis. This individual is Vishnu (Roshan Matthew), who comes off as a truly lovely guy who resides in a large community. Jessie doesn’t require anything more than the allure of town, away from her hamlet, for her to fall in love with him. The fact that he is attractive and charming is an added benefit.
Jessie flees and moves in with Vishnu. In the end, the movie’s message is founded in patriarchy, but subtly: that girls can only enjoy a safe life as long as they go by the norms given forth by their father and mother. At that point, the story shifts from “sweet, romantic slice-of-life” to “duplicitous betrayal.” Despite the disappointing conclusion, “Kappela” is still a fantastic movie with excellent photography, writing, and performances.
Kilometers and Kilometers (2020)
In the comedy-drama “Kilometres and Kilometres,” Josemon, a handyman from Kerala, India, and Cathy, an American woman visiting India, are paired together. The former accepts because he needs the money and perhaps a shot at love, and the latter is looking for a tour guide who can give her the trip. The subsequent events keep us interested while guiding us through the breathtaking Indian countryside. ‘Kilometres and Kilometres’ is a heartwarming film that’s perfect for binge-watching with your family.
Kurup (2021)
‘Kurup’ is a Srinath Rajendran-helmed Indian Malayalam murder thriller with a screenplay by Jithin K. Jose, K. S. Aravind, and Daniel Sayooj Nair. The title protagonist of the Dulquer Salmaan and Indrajith Sukumaran-starring film sets out on a journey to discover a man who resembles him. The perfect criminal aims to use the right man as a means of self-promotion by fabricating his death and taking advantage of the system to get quick money, but will he be able to accomplish his lofty objective?
Kuttavum Shikshayum (2022)
It is past time to acknowledge that the courage we associate with police officers in films must come from the pains they go through to catch the criminals, not from how they appear in their uniforms. This Rajeev Ravi film delivers the point that looks cannot kill with the utmost clarity while engrossing you in its story. The plot, which is based on a true incident, sends five police officers all the way from Kerala in India’s extreme south to Uttar Pradesh in India’s north-central region in an effort to apprehend the thieves who raided a jewellery store. Yes, given that no murder is mentioned, it may not seem particularly dangerous, but as the saying goes, don’t get what you want for. The plot is nothing short of throbbing in the manner it raises the stakes and moves towards the conclusion. To experience it, you must watch.
Maniyarayile Ashokan (2020)
The romantic comedy “Maniyarayile Ashokan,” written and directed by Shamsu Zayba and produced by Dulquer Salmaan, is meant to inspire men everywhere with the idea that they will one day meet the woman of their dreams, warts and all, and boy, will she be perfect. In “Maniyarayile Ashokan,” Ashokan, a middle-aged man who does not resemble someone who appeared on a movie poster, feels severe FOMO as a result of all of his pals getting married and settling down to happy domesticity. Ashokan’s only goal is to find a good girl to marry and have a family, but he hasn’t had much luck. Ashokan goes to some needless efforts to correct his “planetary alignments” (as advised by an astrologer). The tale isn’t that interesting, but the acting and cinematography are both excellent. Watch it as a two-hour, enjoyable diversion from the world’s terrible reality.
Minnal Murali (2021)
‘Minnal Murali’ is an Indian superhero movie in the Malayalam language, starring Tovino Thomas, Guru Somasundaram, Femina George, and Aju Varghese. The Basil Joseph-directed film centres on Jaison, a regular tailor who unintentionally gets struck by lightning and somehow survives. He discovers that he has acquired superhero skills a few days after the terrible encounter. Sadly, Jaison is suspected by law enforcement of an unsolved crime before he can use them for the greater good. He realises he must defend himself once his town turns against him.
Nayattu (2021)
In this thriller play, director Martin Prakkat clearly illustrates how politics is a twisted game and how police are susceptible to the authority of politicians. Orders from above force three police officers, Maniyan (Joju George), Praveen (Kunchako Boban), and Sunitha (Nimisha Sajayan), to release a goon or party worker after they fight with him and imprison him. The same three officers are then involved in an accident, which makes them suspects and forces them into hiding until they can find a means to establish their innocence. There are no half-measures here. ‘Nayattu’ is compelling proof that emphasises the fact that corruption reigns supreme.
Night Drive (2022)
Things build upon each other. This saying, which isn’t a proverb but may be the oldest one ever, is emphasised in Vysakh’s film “Night Drive.” You are served you a plate of fate with corruption on top, showing you how a lovely long trip might become the worst-case situation. The incidents revolve around childhood sweethearts Georgy (Roshan Mathew) and Riya (Anna Ben). Imaginations, goals, miscommunications, politics, and murder. Thank goodness for fiction, as author Abhilash Pillai takes all of them and gives us a delicious combination to enjoy.
Njan Prakashan (2018)
This 2018 parody, which is expertly created, centres on a man named Prakashan who despises his job as a nurse and thinks nursing is exclusively appropriate for women. Prakashan wants to wed a woman who is a foreign national so that he may easily obtain a visa for that nation and then go there to start a better life. Prakashan learns that Salomi, his ex-girlfriend, is moving to Germany to work as a nurse because the income there is substantially higher than in Kerala, India.
Prakashan goes about gathering money, sometimes in quite dodgy ways, to buy tickets for himself and Salomi, but when he realises that Salomi has been making a fool of him for the money the entire time, his endeavour comes to a shattering failure. What action will Prakashan take in this circumstance? After this significant setback, will he be able to rebuild his life? Watch “Njan Prakashan” if you want to find out; it’s quite amusing, has some incredible characters, and is well written. It’s really admirable how the filmmaker manages the delicate balance between the film’s comic and darker passages.
One (2021)
‘One’ is a political drama film directed by Santhosh Viswanath starring Mammootty, Murali Gopy, Joju George, and Siddique. The main character of the film is a powerful chief minister from Kerala who has gained notoriety and popularity for his unyielding stance against corruption. But many lawmakers also despise him for his autocratic actions and fervently want him removed. However, when a power struggle is sparked by a social media post, the people’s chief minister’s rigid ideals are put to the test as he is forced to fight for his reputation and the greater good.
Sudani From Nigeria (2018)
‘Sudani From Nigeria’ is a heartwarming tale of friendship that is set in a small town in the Indian state of Kerala. The story opens with Majeed, a local football manager, who hires three Nigerian players to help his club have some success. Samuel, one of these guys, sustains a serious injury and requires time to recover. Majeed suggests that Samuel remain with him and his mother because he knows Samuel won’t be able to pay the hospital bills. Samuel moves in with Majeed, and the two of them quickly form a close bond.
Because Majeed’s residents have never seen a foreigner before, Samuel also becomes quite well-liked in the community. The police are alerted by this, and they quickly arrive to ask about Samuel’s passport. This movie tells us how suffering is a common aspect of the human experience while still providing a lovely story. This is a film that will make you feel happy long after you’ve finished watching it. This movie is of the highest calibre in every way.
Thottappan (2019)
The second film directed by Shanavas K. Bavakkutty, “Thottappan,” departs quite a little from Francis Noronha’s “Thottapan,” the book from which it is adapted, but this departure from the original tale is not always bad. With a small amount of superfluous filler, the film portrays life in isolated Indian villages far from urban centres almost perfectly and accurately. The protagonist of the novel is Itthak, who is the godfather of Sarah, the daughter of his deceased partner and best friend. Itthak abandoned all else after his friend passed away in order to take care of Sarah and raise her as his own. The themes of parenthood, brotherhood, family, community, trust, and treachery are explored throughout the movie. It is an intense, gritty, and compelling film that benefits from the outstanding work of its cast.
Uyare (2019)
In South Asia, acid attacks are one of the most frequent crimes committed against women, and the repercussions that an attack like this usually has on the victim are horrific. The protagonist of this movie is a Pallavi, a woman with aspirations of working as a flight attendant. Her preparations, however, are completely derailed when her ex-boyfriend hurls acid at her, permanently disfiguring her face. This strike also causes Pallavi to lose some of her vision. Pallavi meets a man named Vishal who wants to engage her as a flight attendant despite her bad vision, but his father advises against it because it would jeopardise the safety of the passengers.
But when Vishal discusses Pallavi’s treatment in a news conference, she initially feels awkward about having her tale broadcast to the world. But her father ultimately persuades her to reconsider her professional choice. “Uyare,” a moving story, is a very pertinent movie in the South Asian milieu. Although the premise of the movie uses clichés, the manner everything is skillfully done deserves our admiration.
Vaashi (2022)
Two in love attorneys, Ebin (Tovino Thomas) and Madhavi (Keerthy Suresh), find themselves arguing against one another in court. We see two troubled people who can’t give up on their love or their careers in the Vishnu G. Raghav-directed film “Vaashi,” and this makes sense. But the story shows what happens as a result. The movie addresses the difficult subject of whether a person’s career or their love should come first. And each choice the two leads make will have a price. Können sie es afford? Vaashi holds the key to the solution.
Varane Avashyamund (2020)
The feel-good family film “Varane Avashyamund,” which marks Anoop Sathyan’s directorial debut, was intended to be the ideal soothing comfort watch for relaxed Sundays. It could have been really good if the screenplay had been better written and the characters had more nuance. But regrettably, the film is still superficial, and the characters are flat. But that in no way implies that it is a bad movie. It is. The novel, which is set in an apartment block in Chennai, centres on the interactions between recently relocated neighbours and reads like a charming slice of life story. You will smile throughout this charming and touching movie.
Vikrithi (2019)
Vikrithi translates to mischief. Someone does what they believe to be just a little harmless prank, but it ends up ruining someone else’s entire life. That is the foundation of Emcee Thomas’ “Vikrithi,” an intriguingly factual incident-based work. The narrative centres on Sameer, a man who feels the urge to share everything on social media, who one day decided to take a picture of a drunken person passed out on the Kochi metro and publish it as a meme.
Instead of being a drunkard, the person sleeping on the metro is a mute and hard of hearing father named Eldho who is going home after spending two sleepless nights caring for his ailing daughter in the hospital. However, Sameer’s irresponsible post starts things off, and things go downhill from there, causing Eldho a lot of anguish and misery. One of the best Malayalam films in recent years, this comedy-drama only has a few slightly choppy parts in the second half.
