Top 5 Malayalam Films of 2019
by Inakshi Chandra-Mohanty
An effectual portrayal of the simplicity of life in a small village, Kumbalangi Nights follows four brothers and the progression of their relationship with one another as they discover love, life, and happiness. What makes this film different from others on this list is, that barring the end sequence, the film focuses mainly on basic conflicts. While the story progresses slowly, the film remains strong due to the character arcs, shaped by these little conflicts. Apart from the four brothers, there are many other characters, each of whom has his/her own story to tell. And the audience engagement with these characters who metaphorically represent different ways of life is what makes Kumbalangi Nights a beautifully crafted piece of art.
Society is a jungle and all humans are animals. As the men in this film, hunt a bull gone rogue in their village, their interpersonal conflicts turn into monstrous rivalry. In their desperation to capture it, these men have to become equals to the bull, which leads to them becoming as threatening to each other as the bull is to them. The search for the bull becomes a fight for survival. The distinguishing factors of this film are the production technicalities, which lead to a thunderous climax. There is the man-made, VFX controlled bull that needs to look realistic enough for the audience to truly imagine a bull in that scenario. And there is the suspenseful soundtrack, full of dramatic beats meant to imitate a tribal state. Jallikattu is an immensely fine-tuned, artistic venture that serves as a metaphor for the crumbling society.
Malayalam films are known for taking the simplest of ideas and adapting them into engaging, human stories. Helen is one such film. It’s the story of a young woman and her relationships with those around her that come to fore one ill-fated evening when she is trapped in a cooler room. It begins as a slice-of-life drama and slowly transitions into a survival drama. This film thrives on its thrilling, edge-of-the-seat writing. Each second of the narrative is vital. The suspense is built not on her survival, but instead on how she uses her intelligence to keep herself safe, for longer than a human ideally should have lived in such an environment. Without many dialogues, she manages to convey so much through her facial expressions and her actions when she is trapped. Helen is a marvelous entertainer that manages to keep the audience hooked till the very end.
In 2018, Kerala suffered a Nipah outbreak, claiming many lives. But due to the efficiency of the government officials working alongside doctors, it was contained before it caused too much damage. Virus brings this real story to the forefront. The film doesn’t engage in much cinematic liberty, barring the dramatization of human nature, which is necessary in order for the audience to empathize with the pains of the characters. Otherwise, most of the facts and characters are synonymous with the real life incident. The enormous star cast including names such as Parvathy, Tovino Thomas, Asif Ali, Sreenath Basi, Rima Kallingal, Madonna Sebastian, Soubin Shahir, and many, many more talented actors, prove that amount of screen presence doesn’t always amount to well-rounded characters. Because of the overflow of characters, most characters are limited to only a few scenes. Yet, each character is so well-written, that the audience instantly connects with them. Virus is not only a succinct thriller, but also an emotional journey.
Out of the many amazing Malayalam films released in 2019, Uyare is the most dramatic. Yet, its dramatic nature doesn’t negatively impact the film’s nature. Malayalam films are traditionally known to be simplistic, realistic portrayals of life as it is. In this respect, Uyare is no different. But it manages to create a separate base of its own by using conventional, heightened drama. This film, which tells the story of a young woman aiming to fulfill her dream of flying after surviving an acid attack, is a heart-wrenching tale. The topic is such, that a simplistic outlook wouldn’t do justice to the emotions felt by the characters, which is why certain scenes require extreme acting. And this emotional roundabout is the strongest element of this unique drama.
