Pinkvilla Recommendations: 5 Must-watch underrated Malayalam films on OTT

Pinkvilla 7 months ago

A diverse selection of Malayalam movies is available on OTT, ready to be streamed from the comfort of your home. While popular choices often grab more attention, let's take a look at some underrated gems that demand your time.

Cast: Dileep, Siddharth, Murali Gopy, Namitha Pramod, Bobby Simha, Shweta Menon, Manikuttan, Vijayaraghavan, Siddique, Nedumudi Venu, Indrans
Director: Rathish Ambat
Genre: Epic Alternate History Action
Runtime: 2 hours and 47 minutes
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

Criminally underrated despite being an ambitious and genre-bending film, Kammara Sambhavam is an impressive venture that has impeccable and standout roles by Dileep and Siddharth.

Directed by Ratish Ambat and written by Murali Gopy, the tale follows Kammaran, a senior leader of a fictional political party, the Indian Liberation Party (ILP), and the so-called last veteran of the Indian independence movement in their village.

Cast: Zarin Shihab, Vinay Forrt, Kalabhavan Shajohn, Aji Thiruvamkulam, Jolly Antony, Madan Babu K, Nandhan Unni, Prasanth Madhavan
Director: Anand Ekarshi
Genre: Thriller Drama
Runtime: 2 hours and 19 minutes
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

Despite screenings and recognition at prestigious film festivals like IFFLA, IFFI, and IFFK, Aattam remains under-watched.

The story centers around a theater group with only one female performer, Anjali, and all other members being men. After a show, the group attends a lavish party, organized by an affluent actor among them. Things take a dark turn when Anjali is harassed by one of her colleagues.

Unable to identify the perpetrator, she begins to view all the men, including her boyfriend, through the same lens. The film explores her trauma and emotional isolation, focusing on the power dynamics and her journey to reclaim her voice. The psychological complexity and the slow-burning storytelling make Aattam a unique and thought-provoking watch.

Cast: Dulquer Salmaan, Sunny Wayne, Surja Bala Hijam, Shaun Romy, Ena Saha, Abhija Sivakala, Shane Nigam, Joy Mathew, Dhritiman Chatterjee, Vanitha Krishnachandran
Director: Sameer Thahir
Genre: Road Adventure
Runtime: 2 hours and 17 minutes
Where to watch: JioHotstar/ManoramaMAX

Neelakasham Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi (NPCB) is yet another new wave film in Malayalam cinema that stars Dulquer Salmaan in the lead. Directed by Sameer Thahir, the road adventure flick blends romance, travel, and self-discovery.

NPCB revolves around Kasi and Suni, two best friends embarking on a bike trip from Kerala to Nagaland.

Kasi, the protagonist, is searching for Bassi, his long-lost love. As the journey unfolds, the film becomes a meditation on memory, loss, and connection. It also explores personal transformation through travel and human interaction, underlining why he cannot let that one girl go.

While NPCB's theme resonates with several viewers and has attained a cult status in Malayalam cinema circles, it remains underappreciated outside Kerala and deserves more mainstream recognition.

5. Season (1989)

Cast: Mohanlal, Gavin Packard, Maniyanpilla Raju, Ashokan, Shari, Leena Nair, Jagathy Sreekumar, Thodupuzha Vasanthi, Thilakan, Azeez, Prem Prakash
Director: Padmarajan
Genre: Jailbreak Action Thriller
Runtime: 1 hour and 50 minutes
Where to watch: Eros Now/SunNXT

While most of director Padmarajan's films are considered classics, Season often flies under the radar. Featuring a stellar performance by Mohanlal, this jailbreak action thriller is set in 1982 and follows Jeevan, a beachside restaurant owner in Kovalam.

Despite his wealth and mysterious aura, Jeevan appears to live a clean life with no vices until he gets involved in a drug deal to help two youngsters, Porinju and Kanthi. When his plan to save them spirals out of control, he finds himself imprisoned, setting the stage for a gripping thriller.

Season is a classic film that is tightly crafted, a high-stakes thriller that is to the likes of The Shawshank Redemption for its intense storytelling and atmospheric tension.

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