The Great Indian Kitchen a family drama centering around a young newly married couple told from the woman’s point of view. All is going well until mother-in-law must go to her daughter’s home and keeping to two men happy falls onto the bride. Tradition and rigidity clash with more modern ideas in this telling story written and directed by Jeo Baby. Nimisha Sajayan as the wife is excellent.
Minnal Murali is Malayalam’s first superhero origin story. The hero and anti-hero share many similarities, including being struck by lighting that gives them superpowers. Tovino Thomas as the hero, and especially Guru Somasundaram as the villain make each character fully human. Director Basil Joseph tells the story with lots of originality and humor.
Malik tells the tale of Ali Sulaiman, godfather in a coastal town in Kerala where Christians and Muslims live side by side. Ali is preparing for a pilgrimage to the Hajj when he is arrested as a terrorist. The story of his life is told in flashbacks from committing petty crimes as a child to becoming a smuggler and marrying a Christian woman. Fahadh Faasil spans the age of 21 to 58. Directed, written, and edited by Mahesh Narayanan who examines the relationship between politics and religion.
Kuruthi is a social thriller that examines the attitudes of a small group of Hindus and Muslims who take sides when their religious prejudices are tested. Set up as a tense home invasion story, Roshan Mathews as Ibrahim must decide if his God is vengeful or merciful. Director Manu Warrier uses the tale as a vehicle that examines what kind of religion we are passing on to a new generation.
