The year 2018 was quite eventful for Malayalam cinema. While the industry saw the release of some of the eagerly awaited films like the Mohanlal-starrer Odiyan and the multi-starrer Kayamkulam Kochunni receiving mixed reviews, there were quite a few small films that won both critical acclaim and praise from the audience. Some of these small budget films that had no big names attached to it went on to become super hits in the box office. Here is a look at five small Malayalam movies that found favour with audience and critics alike.
Joseph
A well-crafted thriller starring Joju George as the titular character Joseph, this film, about a retired police officer, boasts of some fine performances and brilliant characterisation. Directed by M. Padmakumar, Joseph, released on December 6, is about an alcoholic ex-cop with exceptional investigation skills who does not mind getting back to some police work when there is some mystery involved. Joseph, however, is more than a mere police procedural or a 'whodunit' affair. It is also the character study of a loner who is struggling to cope with some personal tragedies.
Padmakumar, who showed promise in his earlier outings like Vaasthavam and Vargam had lost his sheen for a while as he went on to helm lackluster affairs like Thiruvambadi Thamban and Polytechnic. However, he was back in form again in Joseph, which was scripted by Shahi Kabir, a policeman. The film also had some great performances from the supporting cast including Dileesh Pothan and Athmeeya Rajan.
Sudani from Nigeria
Directed by debutant Zakariya Mohammed, Sudani from Nigeria is a feel good movie about compassion and human decency. Samuel "sudu" Robinson, is a footballer from Nigeria who players for 'MYC Accode', a local 'Sevens' team managed by Majeed who is trying to find it increasingly hard to maintain his team. When Samuel gets injured and is in need of medical assistance, Majeed is forced to bring him home and take care of him. However, things don't go well as planned and soon they are beset more adverse circumstances.
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Sudani from Nigeria is powered by some heartwarming performances by some newcomers who essay the role of Majeed's mother and her friends—the 'Ummas' in the movie. Although, it wasn't a crowd puller initially, lavish praise from critics and reviewers on social media ensured that the film stayed in the theatres for long, becoming one of the most popular films of the year.
Ee.Ma.Yau.
Perhaps, it is time that Lijo Jose Pellissery is elevated to the status accorded to the likes of Guillermo del Toro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet—the contemporary masters in magical realism. Pellissery, who experimented with newcomers to craft a brilliant thriller Angamaly Diaries in 2017, came up with a film about death and a funeral and bowled over both critics and ordinary cine goers alike.
Starring Vinayakan, Chemban Vinod Jose, Pauly Valsan, Kainakary Thangaraj and Dileesh Pothan in the lead roles, Ee.Ma.Yau, written by P.F. Mathews, was about a man who tries to give his dad a grand funeral that he promised. While the movie may be dealing with death and the mourning it follows, it also offers a stinging criticism of religion and greed. The film, which was screened at various festivals, won several awards including the best director award at the 49th International Film Festival.
Eeda
The tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet has never ceased to inspire writers and movie makers to this day. When B. Ajithkumar, who edited some fantastic films in the previous years including Kammatipaadam and Annayum Rasoolum, decided to go behind the camera, he chose the political violence of Kannur to spoil the day for his star-crossed couple Aishwarya and Anand.
Ajithkumar's modern day adaptation of the Shakespearean classic had Shane Nigam and Nimisha Sajayan in the lead roles. It also had some fine performances by Alancier Ley Lopez, Sujith Sankar and Surabhi Lakshmi. Besides being the story of two people who are forced to be on the run because of the political affiliations of their families, it is also a meditation on the pointlessness of political violence. The film was praised by critics and had a decent run in the theatres.
Aabhaasam
A bus from Bengaluru is travelling to Thiruvananthapuram. Inside the bus is a cross-section of people from various walks of life. There is an outspoken feminist, a lecherous young man, a foreigner, a few deeply religious people, a child who appears to be a victim of some sort of abuse, a transgender—a piece of modern day India as it is.
Aarsha Bharatha Samskaram, abbreviated as Aabhaasam, directed by Jubith Namradath with Rima Kallingal, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Alencier Ley Lopez and Indrans in the lead roles, is a satirical look at the modern India. While the director has tried to fit in too many themes and in the process failed to do justice to the themes, it succeeds in making some strong statements about the political, religious and social scenario in the country.
