For a long time, communist themes have dominated Malayalam cinema's political genre. However, filmmakers have started to accept other aspects of Indian politics in recent years. Take, for instance, Mammootty's new album One. Many people thought Mammootty's role looked like Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan based on the teaser. The filmmakers, on the other hand, avoided explicitly endorsing any philosophy or political group. So much so that the screenwriting team of Bobby-Sanjay doesn't even discuss the protagonist's political party or philosophy. All we saw was a documentary on the wretched state of politics and how it is no longer representative of the people.
We just saw a film on politics' wretched state and how it is no longer called public service.
Similarly, the forthcoming political thriller Malik from director Mahesh Narayanan introduces us to a new political expression in Kerala. Rarely do we see a mainstream film in which a minority group asserts it's political will unapologetically.
The best Malayalam political films released in the last ten years are included below.
One
Malayalam superstar Mammootty’s latest film One will start streaming on Netflix on Tuesday. Directed by Santhosh Viswanath of Chirakodinja Kinavukal fame, the movie is written by screenwriter duo Bobby and Sanjay. In the film, Mammootty plays an honest political leader named Kadakkal Chandran. One also stars Nimisha Sajayan, Joju George, Murali Gopy and Shanker Ramakrishnan among others. The film released only in theatres only in Kerala on March 26 amid a lot of expectations. One, however, received mixed reviews and it did not really make a dent at the box office.
Vellimoonga
Biju Menon plays the lead role in this political satire. The film follows the struggles of a politician from a national party with little political clout in the state. He does not have the required reputation or financial backing to win an MLA seat. He has devoted the rest of his time to politics but has achieved little. When he tries to marry a girl he likes at 40, he has just his wit, moxie, and political acumen to draw on. Vellimoonga is available to watch on Disney and Hotstar.
Eeda
B Ajithkumar, a renowned film editor, made his directorial debut with Eeda. It is the big-screen adaptation of William Shakespeare's timeless romantic tragedy Romeo and Juliet, which is induced by a strong dose of realism. The storey is set in modern-day Kannur, which has become a hotbed of political animosity. The film examines the horrors of political brutality and the need for bloodshed. Eeda is available to watch on Netflix.
Sakhavu
The film, directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Sidhartha Siva, is a reflection on how young people see politics as a way to get money and influence quickly. Krishna Kumar (Nivin Pauly) is the protagonist of the film. He is a power-hungry socialist student body's general secretary. He is a ruthless and dishonest climber who is willing to throw his friend to the wolves if it advances his political career. Sakhavu is now available to watch on Disney+ and Hotstar.
Oru Mexican Aparatha
Director Tom Emmatty's unapologetic love letter to the ideas of communism and liberation is a box office smash in 2017. The movie depicts how tumultuous college campus politics can be. The film is set in Kochi's Maharaja College and follows the competition between members of the CPI(M) and the Congress parties. And it's without a doubt one of Malayalam's most brilliantly filmed political films in the last decade.
Ramaleela
Sachy, whose untimely death has left a massive vacuum in the Malayalam film industry, wrote this film. Ramaleela, like many of his other films, is chock-full of jokes. Set against a tumultuous political background, the film tells the storey of K. R. Ramanunni, a political leader played by Dileep, who recently shifted his allegiance from the communist party. He becomes a primary suspect in a high-profile murder case and is forced to flee before he can prove his innocence. On Google Play Movies, you can watch Ramaleela.
Lucifer
The role of Mohanlal, the film's lead actor, is crucial to the success of the 2019 blockbuster. In addition, debut director Prithviraj Sukumaran's visual style and screenwriter Murali Gopy's unforgettable dialogues. The film should not take on the responsibility of romanticising politics as a public benefit. Instead, it serves as a reminder that politics isn't about making a choice between good and evil. However, it is a case of picking the lesser of two evils. Lucifer is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.
Unda
The struggle of a group of Kerala police officers assigned to secure a polling booth in a Naxal-infested area is the subject of director Khalid Rahman's film. They have no practical experience coping with the unimaginable security and humanitarian problems that exist in our country's darkest corners. Amazon Prime has Unda available to watch.
Janamaithri
John Manthrickal wrote and directed the film, which is a political satire. When Kerala cops are required to enforce a Central government order to strengthen the relationship between the police department and the public, a series of funny mishaps ensue. Janamaithri is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.
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