Do you enjoy the increased feelings of suspense, that nail-biting anxiety, and anticipation that comes with viewing a good movie? Do you enjoy the adrenaline rush you get while being immersed in the frames of a fantastic cinematic craft? Then we bring you a list of malayalam thriller movies to look forward to.
Thrillers are one of the fictional film subgenres that could come out as criminal thrillers, horror thrillers, or detective fictions. Here are the top five from the Malayalam film industry.
1. Drishyam
There is ‘Perception’ and then there is ‘Manipulated perception.’
Do you think it’s possible to deceive the minds of people so they start believing in lies?
“Drishyam” an exceptional thriller movie by Jeethu Joseph, is based on the psychological idea that visual and auditory acquainting together can readily mislead and condition our thoughts than clear facts. The film expertly combines words and images to create a spine-tingling depiction of a man’s battle to keep his dear family together. The plot of the film revolves around a man’s attempts to shield his family from being questioned about a fatal accident that they are in real connected to.
Georgekutty (Mohanlal) is a movie buff and cable TV operator who resides in a peaceful village of Kerala. He is comfortable and happy with his modest family, which includes his wife (‘Rani’ played by Meena) and two daughters, Anju (Ansiba) and Anu (Esther). When Varun (Roshan) steps into their lives unexpectedly, the four of them and their bond are put to the ultimate test, in horrible ways they have never experienced before. It also discusses how the protagonist, who is only schooled to the fourth grade, uses his knowledge of films to outwit an IPS officer’s intelligence.
Jeethu Joseph keeps the story simmering steadily in the beginning with the adorable family moments and gradually turns up the heat, bringing it to a roaring boil with the progress of events. There are various moments that develop between Georgekutty and the IPS officer Geetha Prabhakaran (Asha Sarath) that leave the viewer anticipating the next scene. And the climax of the movie brings the surprise no one had imagined.
Eagerly forecasting for more after watching the first film, you shouldn’t miss out on Drishyam 2, which is a sequel that provides another round of goosebumps. Both movies are worth a million watches. Jeethu Joseph creates a wonderful blend of the reality and falsity in “Drishyam.” As a result of which you’re treated to an unparalleled cinematic stellar that surprises you at every turn.
2. Iratta
Not the regular twins story you’ll see.!
Iratta transforms into a brutal examination of effects by going far beyond the common principles of action and reaction addressed in cinema. How? Thanks to its brainstorm of an ending. It’s like a rough diamond initially and breaks through the predictions of viewers with time, bringing out the real shine. If you are waiting for that magnificent moment in a film, then wait for the climax in the case of ‘Iratta’.
The film’s strength comes from Joju George’s dual performance. In terms of his character’s potential and the artist’s acting prowess, the protagonist is at the top of his game. Joju George plays the character of Vinod and Pramod, both who are police officers but one of who gets shot dead in the beginning of the movie itself. That’s where it all begins as well.!
As we see one of his characters in the movie come to grips with the gravity of what he has done and let us see through the contradictory feelings one brother has for the other, we see what a genius Joju George is as an actor. Joju imparts a tightly strung look to Vinod and Pramod, making them appear to be men who are constantly on the verge of exploding out of control.
If Iratta, seen from the perspective of the ‘our nurture becomes our nature’ debate, it would appear to be claiming that neither a person’s upbringing nor their surroundings can be held solely accountable for who they become.
Rest is upto the viewers to find out.! This is one hell of a thriller in recent releases that you shouldn’t wait anymore to watch.
3. Mukundan Unni Associates
Thrillers are supposed to get us that nerve wrecking adrenaline rush.!!
You might alter your mind after watching this, though.
Mukundanunni Associates by Abhinav Sunder Nayak is a stand out in the genre of thriller movies. The entire film is narrated by the persistent inner voice of the protagonist, which more than 90% of the time sounds evil. The narrations use dark humor and funny observations to mask the severity of the characters’ wrongdoings and make them more bearable to witness.
Even in his mid-thirties, success puts the protagonist on a lost path despite his persistent efforts to succeed. He is willing to do anything because he is so focused on this specific concept of success. Because of the way the plot shows his growth from small-time frauds to things most people would dare not consider doing, we are left with this impression that the protagonist is capable of anything. In his brazen aggression to climb up the ladder, Protagonist creates a crooked structure around him made up of obedient security guards, ambulance drivers, and law enforcement agents.
The director Abhinav Sunder Nayak and co-writer Vimal Gopalakrishnan offer all of the evil acts of Mukundanunni which would have presented in another movie as a dark, somber mood with an outrageous tinge of humorous interpretations. It is a choice that better displays the concept. As a result of which we chuckle at the protagonist’s pranks which in reality is frequently putting someone else at risk.
Looking for a unique and worthwhile experience? ‘Mukundanunni and Associates’ might be your cup of tea.!
Keep your eyes peeled.!
4. Joji
You’ll have contradictory feelings about whether the movie is really moving forward after watching Dileesh Pothen’s masterwork thriller ‘Joji’. Is it lagging behind or is there simply too much going on that you aren’t noticing? Is it too slow or is it just subtly executed? Well.. the thing is that, there is too much ‘regularness’ in the crimes committed by the characters. That’s why.!
With the attention to detailing, keen observation skills and quirky sense of humor, Joji, the protagonist played by Fahadh Faasil, stands up to the reputation, the duo of Dileesh pothen and Fahad has established for themselves before.
Following the stroke of the patriarch Kuttappan PK Panachel (PN Sunny), his heirs are forced to decide between their true feelings for him and the persona they put on in front of others. Think about the possibility of losing the father you loathe, despise, or at best, disliked. That is the position that the hero of the movie (Fahadh Faasil) and the dysfunctional joint family of the Panachel find themselves in.
Joji deviates from usual Indian conventions but also avoids the western cliches. It’s a different story in calm frames. There is no regular Villain stereotyping you will find, when the protagonist himself or when the supporting cast engage in heinous activities.
Came. Murdered. Left.
Simple as that.
We are left wondering with an expression of ‘Are you kidding me?’
When the protagonist commits horrifying acts, they are not shown as a “tense background” intense wicked act. They seem normal and emotionless. With an air of everydayness, they casually carry out their wrongdoings. Because of the same reason, their adventures are both joking and terrifying. Joji is unique because he has no boundaries, in contrast to others who have questionable values and codes of behavior.
It is a thoughtful, observant film that offers a number of insights on Kerala culture along the road as a series of events unfold naturally.
If you plan to watch this alone, especially at night, When no one’s around.
5. Bhootahakaalam
I suggest you rethink your decision.!
Asha (Revathy) and Vinu (Shane Nigam) are the two leads of the movie, both battling mental health issues. And the horror drama is centered on their weary mother-son relationship. Asha being a school teacher supports her family that includes her bedridden mother. She is the sole earner in the family while her son Vinu, a pharmacy graduate, is having trouble finding a job for himself. We see Vinu and Asha at odds increasingly as she is unwilling to let her son leave the city in search of better opportunities.
But the actual story doesn’t begin there.!
It takes skill for a director and scriptwriter to hold the core back and give us enough threads to cling onto. In that case director Rahul Sadasivan has done an amazing plot execution.
The horror component is mostly incidental to the story. One with an unstable mind is misunderstood and not taken seriously. The inability of those around Vinu to accept his claims—many of which look improbable actually makes his issues worse.
Bhoothakalam is the definition of ‘How to frighten a crowd without a lot of jump scares.’
The already compromised mental states of Vinu and Asha are made worse by the circumstances that follow in their life. And that’s when Director Rahul Sadasivan begins to construct the horror portion of the picture while gradually drawing the spectator into some spine chilling scenarios.
Bhoothakalam focuses on a number of topics which need to be discussed. That includes mental health, elderly care, substance abuse, faults in the educational system and job security. But it never wavers from its primary objective of terrifying the audience.
Bhoothakaalam, A spick and span, disturbing horror could leave you wondering if it is a psychological or a paranormal thriller. The title and the epilogue won’t give you a clear resolution. It’s up to the viewer to perceive it the way they want.!
If you are in for a watch of something that will keep you on the edge of your seat, don’t miss these 5 recent and promising malayalam thriller films!
By Swathi Nath
