Fan Of Malayalam films, Here Are 7 Films Of 2022 You Shouldn't Miss

We are almost at the end of 2022; this year has been a blast for regional cinema. Especially films from the south did well at the box office and won the hearts of people across India. Here is a look back on 7 Malayalam films of 2022, which were a delight to watch.

I was interested in exploring world cinema, and that is when I came across regional films too. I decided to analyse films from different states. The first one was Kerala, i.e., movies from the Malayalam film industry. I became a fan of Malayalam films right from the first film. The film was Ennu Ninte Moideen (Yours Truly, Moideen), a 2015 film based on actual events. It was a masterpiece I never got to watch in Bollywood films. It was picture-perfect from storyline to acting and from the background score to cinematography. From that, I got hooked on Malayalam films. Malayalam films are more of a slice of life, love-romance, family, and genre, which are hardly explored in mainstream cinema. It is pure artwork. 

Binge Watch these 7 films

This year many such films were released, and here are my few recommendations for why I watched these films and why you should watch them. 

7 Malayalam films of 2022 which were a delight to watch

Malayankunju 

Malayankunju is a survival thriller film that keeps you on edge. Sajimon Prabhakar's directorial stars Fahadh Faasil in the lead role, one of the Malayalam Industry's gems. The film's music is highlighted, and why it won't be as it is composed by A. R. Rahman. Anikkuttan (Fahadh Faasil) plays an upper-caste service mechanic role and takes pride in his caste. However, he is mentally disturbed after his father's death as his sister eloped with her lover the night before her wedding. Anikkuttan hates his sister's lover as he is from a lower caste. Caste biases are the film's central theme; it navigates the hatred that comes from discrimination can do a lot of damage. I watched this film because the writer smartly induced social evils and depicted them through a regular man's lens. Nothing humongous. Only brings out how caste impacts daily life. 

Wonder Women 

Anjali Menon's Wonder Women stars Nitya Menen, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Amruta Subhash, Nadiya Moidu, Padmapriya Janakiraman, Sayanora Philip, and Archana Padmini in prominent roles. They bond in a prenatal class. Through her powerful writing, Menon talks about a woman's life during pregnancy. The film navigates pregnancy from a different perspective, asserting that pregnancy can be distinct for different women. It is not necessarily a comfortable ride. It is rare to find a film on such a subject. It is very maturely written and executed. 

Hey Sinamika!

Hey Sinamika means hey, angry person. The film is about a woman (Aditi Rao Hydari), who is annoyed by her caring spouse and wants to divorce him. However, she can't ask her spouse (Salman Dulquer) to divorce, as she couldn't find a single flaw in him. So she roped in a therapist and a neighbour to help her while doing so therapist falls in love with him. The story has beautiful cinematography and the moments created between Rao and Dulquer are heartwarming, so it is worth a watch. 

Jo and Jo 

Jo and Jo (Jomol & Jomon) centres a sibling pair in the film. The film navigates the rift between the two siblings Jomol and Jomon. Jomol is the elder daughter, who thinks her parents love her brother Jomon more because he is a male. Jomon in a certain way holds chauvinistic values when it comes to the power struggle between him and his sister. This increases with an anonymous love letter as both try to unravel the full story behind the letter with evidence, forming the story. The story, again a slice of life showcases sibling love, family power dynamics, and gender discrimination in a comedy way. It gives you a good laugh. 

Hridayam

Hridayam means Heart, the film is a coming-of-age romantic drama film. It is a complicated love story that aligns well with the millennials. Not every love story is supposed to have a happy ending. The film is a perfect example of it; one love story doesn't have a happy end, but the film does have a perfect end. It doesn't drag around first love; somewhere in subtle tones it says love can happen many times. Sometimes it is about creating a life story than a love story.    

Vaashi

Vaashi is a courtroom drama gives you chills. Advocates Ebin and Madhavi are colleagues who fall in love. They have a love story outside the court but a rivalry inside it. Their professional life and personal life entangle, denting their love life. A lot happens in between but above all their love prevails. It is an average film; it only partially fulfills your expectations but is a good film. 

19(1)(a)

19(1)(a) has an amazing star cast of Actors Nithya Menen, Vijay Sethupathi, Indrajith Sukumaran, and Indrans. This was the first reason why I watched the film. Secondly, the film's plot is contemporary and talks about freedom of speech and expression as the film's name suggests Article 19(1) of The Constitution of India. The story is basically about a lady running a photocopy shop and a revolutionary writer, who leaves the manuscript of his unpublished novel with her. The film has a fresh storyline, it's a must-watch. 

The views are the author's own.

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