15 Best Malayalam Movies on Netflix Right Now – Netflix has proven to be an excellent platform for Malayalam film. With the current facelift that this particular regional sector is through, the online streaming service has made available to the public those films that are brave, distinctive, and not specifically aimed at a commercial audience. Some of the films on this list, such as ‘Eeda’ (2018), feature disturbing topics and unique filmmaking approaches. A film like ‘Chaayam Poosiya Veedu’ (2015), which is unlikely to find a large audience in theaters due to its daring character representations, has a sizable online following.
15. One (2021)
‘One,’ directed by Santhosh Viswanath and starring Mammootty, Murali Gopy, Joju George, and Siddique, is a political drama film. The plot revolves around a formidable Kerala chief minister who has created a name for himself and earned public adoration for his unwavering stance against corruption. However, many lawmakers despise him for his dictatorial choices and want him to step down. When a power struggle is sparked by a social media post, the people’s chief minister’s rigid principles are put to the test as he is compelled to fight for his own name and the greater good.
14. CIA: Comrade in America (2017)
At first sight, Amal Neerad’s CIA appears to be another in a long line of communist-themed films that have recently swamped Malayalam cinema. The protagonist of the film is Aji, a young communist who falls in love with an NRI girl and travels to the US (illegally through Mexico) to prevent her from marrying someone else her parents had chosen for her. The actors have all done well, and the plot is intriguing enough. However, the film stumbles slightly in execution, becoming a little “draggy” near the finish. Amal Neerad, on the other hand, avoids making a forceful statement on a very sensitive and incredibly relevant subject matter in favor of making tasteless jokes about men being raped. ‘Comrade in America,’ on the other hand, is pleasant and entertaining enough to watch. Dulquer Salmaan, Karthika, and Priyanka Nair star.
13. Maniyarayile Ashokan (2020)
‘Maniyarayile Ashokan,’ directed by Shamsu Zayba and produced by Dulquer Salmaan, is a feel-good film intended to give every male out there hope that they would find their dream woman someday, warts and all, and she will be wonderful. ‘Maniyarayile Ashokan’ follows Ashokan, a middle-aged man who does not appear like he stepped right off a movie poster, as he suffers from FOMO as all of his acquaintances marry and settle into a life of fortunate domesticity. Ashokan simply wants to marry a nice girl and establish a family, but he has had no luck thus far. Ashokan goes to some needless efforts to correct his “planetary alignments” (as reported by an astrologer). There isn’t much substance to the tale, but the cinematography is stunning, as are all of the characters. Watch it as a 2-hour delightful diversion from the harsh facts of life.
12. Forensic (2020)
‘Forensic’ is a serial killer criminal thriller that teams up an investigative officer and a medico-legal advisor (two people with a history, but thankfully not the romantic sort) to track down a serial killer who targets children in particular. This film does not go into great length about the killer’s past because, as the protagonist reveals early on, sometimes the thrill of the crime is the psychopath’s only motive. What this film also doesn’t do is present any type of love subplot, which is fantastic because, because, who has time to sing romantic songs when there’s a child-murdering monster on the loose? ‘Forensic’ is a good crime thriller with some strong performances from the major players.
11. Varane Avashyamund (2020)
‘Varane Avashyamund,’ Anoop Sathyan’s directorial debut, is a feel-good family film that was intended to be the ultimate soothing comfort watch for restful Sundays. It could have been so much better if it had been better scripted and the characters had more depth. But, alas, the film remains surreal, and the characters are superficial. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a terrific film. Yes, it is. The plot, set in a Chennai apartment building, revolves around the interactions of freshly moved-in neighbors and plays out like a lovely slice-of-life affair. Overall, it’s a charming and pleasant film that will make you grin.
10. Kappela (2020)
‘Kappela,’ Muhammed Musthafa’s directorial debut, is a visually magnificent picture that plays on the “deceptive appearances” stereotype. Jessie (Anna Ben) is a little girl living in a secluded Kerala hamlet who dreams of leaving someday (mainly because of her strict and overly controlling father). She dials the wrong number one day, only to have the person on the other end contact her again on a frequent basis soon after. Vishnu (Roshan Matthew) is this person, who appears to be a genuine decent guy living in a huge city. Jessie doesn’t need much more than the pull of city life away from her hamlet to fall in love with him. It’s merely a bonus that he has good looks and a lot of charisma. Jessie flees to live with Vishnu. The narrative shifts from “sweet, romantic slice-of-life” to “duplicitous betrayal” at this point. Ultimately, the film’s message is founded in patriarchy, however subtly – that girls can only live a safe life if they follow the rules set by their father and mother. Despite the conclusion, ‘Kappela’ is a genuinely outstanding film that excels in cinematography, screenplay, and performance.
9. Uyare (2019)
Acid attacks are becoming one of the most regular crimes against women in South Asia, and the consequences of such an attack are often horrifying. The protagonist of this film is Pallavi, a young woman who aspires to be a flight attendant. Her preparations are thwarted when her ex-boyfriend pours acid at her, horribly disfiguring her face. As a result of the attack, Pallavi loses some of her vision. Pallavi meets Vishal, who wants to hire her as a flight attendant despite her poor eyesight, but his father advises her against it, claiming that doing so would jeopardize the safety of the passengers. Vishal, on the other hand, speaks about Pallavi’s discrimination in a news conference, and she initially feels uneasy when her tale is shared with the rest of the world. Her father, on the other hand, finally persuades her to re-enter the workforce. ‘Uyare,’ a moving story, is particularly pertinent in the South Asian environment. Despite the fact that the plot contains tropes, the way everything is performed brilliantly deserves our praise.
8. Grandmaster (2012)
Mohanlal, the principal actor in this 2012 action thriller, is one of South Indian cinema’s most respected performers, with a successful career spanning decades. In this role, he plays Chandrashekhar, a high-ranking police chief who receives an anonymous letter from a man named “Z” who claims to be killing individuals one by one. A spate of three killings soon follows, thoroughly perplexing Chandrashekhar. He does note that the murderer is killing his victims in alphabetical sequence. Deepti is the name of Chandrashekhar’s ex-wife, and he believes she is the serial killer’s fourth victim. Chandrashekhar even zeroes in on a man who has appeared in three previous murder cases, but is this individual being employed by the mastermind behind these murders? The film’s story isn’t particularly original, but it’s well-executed and makes for an entertaining watch.
7. Vikrithi (2019)
The word ‘Vikrithi’ means’mischief.’ Someone performs what he believes to be trivial misbehavior, and someone else’s entire life is devastated as a result. That’s the concept of Emcee Thomas’ ‘Vikrithi,’ which, oddly, is based on a true story. Sameer, a man with a need to overshare on social media about everything and everything, takes a picture of a drunken passed out on the Kochi metro and posts it as a meme that becomes viral. However, the person sleeping on the metro is not a drunk, but a man named Eldho, who is deaf and deafeningly deafeningly deafeningly deafeningly deafeningly deafeningly deafeningly deafeningly deafeningly deafeningly deafeningly deafeningly deafeningly deafening But Sameer’s irresponsible post sets the ball rolling, and circumstances transpire that cause Eldho a great deal of anguish and misery. This comedy-drama is one of the best Malayalam films in recent years, with only a few erratic parts in the second half.
6. Sudani From Nigeria (2018)
‘Sudani From Nigeria,’ a charming story of friendship set in a small town in the Indian state of Kerala, is a film that people of all ages may appreciate. The story begins with Majeed, a local soccer manager who is able to bring some success to his squad by hiring three Nigerian players. Samuel, one of these guys, sustains a serious injury and requires time to recover. Majeed recognizes that Samuel will be unable to pay the hospital bills and suggests that Samuel stay with him and his mother. Samuel begins living with Majeed, and the two quickly form a close bond. Because Majeed’s townspeople had never seen a foreigner before, Samuel quickly becomes popular in the area. This attracts the attention of the police, who arrive shortly after to inquire about Samuel’s passport. This film, although portraying a wonderful story, also demonstrates how suffering is a common feature in the human experience. This is a feel-good film that will stay with you long after you’ve finished watching it. Every part of this film is of the highest caliber.
5. Angamaly Diaries (2017)
To deliver a film in a style never seen before in Malayalam cinema, with a cast of 86 new faces, is unquestionably a risk. Director Lijo Jose Pelliserry portrays the story of a group of outlaws in the streets of Angamaly in a harsh, raw, merciless manner, creating a crazy, almost psychotic reality of events in a film that is both well-acted and well-written. The 11-minute long shot that climaxes the film is a cinematographic feat, and it is truly one of the greatest works on Indian celluloid. There isn’t much to say about the plot of this film, which may be its biggest flaw, but in its defense, ‘Angamaly Diaries’ 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 unexpected. Fortunately, they could carry it with them, making it one of Pelliserry’s many successful experimental undertakings.
4. Thottappan (2019)
Shanavas K Bavakkutty’s second directorial effort, ‘Thottappan,’ deviates significantly from the book from which it is adapted – Francis Noronha’s “Thottapan.” However, the divergence from the original tale is not necessarily a bad thing. Aside from a little extraneous filler, the film is nearly faultless and accurate in its depiction of life in distant villages in India, far removed from city life. The plot revolves around Itthak, who is the Thottappan (or godfather) of Sarah, his late partner and closest friend’s daughter. After his friend died, Itthak gave up all to care for Sarah and raise her as his own. Parenthood, brotherhood, family, community, trust, and betrayal are all topics explored in the film. It’s a raw, authentic, and gripping viewing, made even better by the outstanding performances of its characters.
3. Minnal Murali (2021)
‘Minnal Murali’ is an Indian Malayalam-language superhero film starring Tovino Thomas, Guru Somasundaram, Femina George, and Aju Varghese. The Basil Joseph-directed film depicts an ordinary tailor named Jaison who is struck by lightning by mistake and, to everyone’s surprise, escapes uninjured. A few days after the traumatic occurrence, he learns he has received superhero skills. Regrettably, before he can put them to good use, Jaison is accused of an unsolved crime by law enforcement. When his own villagers turn against him, he understands he must battle for his own survival.
2. Kurup (2021)
‘Kurup,’ directed by Srinath Rajendran, is an Indian Malayalam-language crime thriller film written by Jithin K. Jose, K. S. Aravind, and Daniel Sayooj Nair. The Dulquer Salmaan and Indrajith Sukumaran-starrer follows the main protagonist on a mission to discover a man who looks like him. Once he’s identified the proper individual, the consummate criminal intends to exploit him as a vehicle for self-promotion by fabricating his own death and making quick money by defrauding the system, but will he be able to pull off his ambitious goal?
1. Njan Prakashan (2018)
This 2018 parody portrays the narrative of Prakashan, a man who despises his job as a nurse and believes that this profession is just for women. Prakashan intends to marry a woman of a foreign nationality in order to obtain a visa for that country and begin a better life abroad. Prakashan learns that his ex-girlfriend Salomi is moving to Germany to work as a nurse because the pay in Germany is substantially greater than in Kerala, India. Prakashan goes about gathering money, sometimes in pretty dodgy ways, to buy tickets for himself and Salomi, but his efforts fail miserably when he finds that it was Salomi who had been making a fool of him for the money all along. What will Prakashan do in this situation? Will he be able to rebuild his life after this major setback? You must watch ‘Njan Prakashan’ if you want to find out. The film is well written, has some amazing characters, and is a lot of fun to see. The director’s handling of the film’s fine balance of humorous and somber parts is genuinely admirable.