Drishyam 2: The Resurrection (Malayalam, Amazon Prime Video) : It’s rare to follow up a thriller with a sequel equally potent, if not better. Drishyam 2 manages to walk that same tightrope of suspense and drama as its first part to deliver a rollercoaster of twists and turns to reach that jaw-dropping finale. Stitched from the remnants of the first film, writer and director Jeetu Joseph teams up with the ever-reliable Mohanlal as Georgekutty for its wicked manoeuvres. It’s one hell of a ride!
Koozhangal (Tamil) : P.S. Vinoth Raj’s masterful Koozhangal, India’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards, takes one day out of the lives of Ganpathy (Karuththadaiyaan), an alcoholic and abusive husband and father, who accompanies his son Velu (Chellapandi) to bring his mother back. Koozhangal relies on the contours of the dry landscape to place its characters, their rage competing against one another. With a carefully controlled interplay of dialogue and action, this gritty, relentless take on the crossroads between patriarchy and poverty is fiercely unsentimental and starkly brilliant.
Aarkkariyam (Malayalam, Neestream) : In cinematographer Sanu John Varghese’s superb directorial debut, Biju Menon and Parvathy make an effective father-daughter duo, processing their own hard truths in contrasting ways. Punctuated with a restrained tone that gives way to a stunning climax, Varghese makes sure the effect lingers in the mind long after it’s over.
Mandela (Tamil, Netflix) : Debutant writer-director Madonne Ashwin’s Mandela revolves around an outcast named Elichavaayan (a fantastic Yogi Babu) whose democratic right to vote places him in a different light, ahead of the elections in the village of Soorangudi. A political satire that never reduces itself to cheap caricatures and exaggerations, Mandela is continuously sharp and richly thought provoking. This one’s a solid thumbs up!
Jathi Ratnalu (Telugu, Amazon Prime Video) : Naveen Polishetty (who we all loved as Acid in Chhichhore), Priyadarshi and Rahul Ramakrishna are a riot in Jathi Ratnalu that revolves around three friends who travel from Jogipet to Hyderabad in search of a better future. Unapologetically entertaining, director Anudeep’s keen eye for detail brings the best out of his cast, and the result is a lighthearted comedy that never takes itself too seriously. In a heavily uncertain year like 2021, Jathi Ratnalu is a gentle reminder to take things one day at a time.
Churuli (Malayalam, SonyLIV) : In equal measures ambitious and ambiguous, Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Churuli is not everyone’s cup of tea. This is a film that dares to experiment and examine, and trusts its audience to follow the maze. It is not in any mood for spoon-feeding. Adapted by S. Hareesh from a story by Vinoy Thomas, Churuli sets out as an undercover police operation before transmuting itself into a mythical parable of power and identity. Technically brilliant, Churuli reinforces Pellissery as a daring film-maker continuously pushing the envelope.
Malik (Malayalam, Amazon Prime Video):Trust Fahadh Faasil to put no foot wrong in Mahesh Narayanan’s epic crime saga of communal rivalries. Faasil makes the predictability of the structural deviations in the narrative a minor contrivance, providing a fully rounded portrait of a character that is never larger than life. Inspired by The Godfather films, especially in that uninterrupted introductory sequence, Narayanan, who has earlier made Take Off and C U Soon, cements his position as one of the most exciting Indian film-makers working today.
Godavari (Marathi) : Director Nikhil Mahajan’s Marathi film features a strong central performance from Jitendra Joshi, who stars as the chain-smoking Nishikant, perennially searching for something. Familial issues based on land and health concerns make him reflect on his own choices. The contained rage in Joshi’s performance is a delight to watch. Godavari is a modestly paced endeavour that rewards your patience in quietly stunning tremors.
Kala (Malayalam, Amazon Prime Video) : When a dog lover decides to teach a lesson to those who are cruel to dogs, things get way too out of control. Tovino Thomas delivers one of his strongest performances as the bloodied and vengeful Shaji whose plan of stealing his father’s peppercorn harvest becomes a fight for survival. What follows is a literal bloodbath of a movie... brutal and yet never for a second can you take your eyes off the screen. Sharply directed by Rohith V. S., Kala is elevated by tremendous sound design by Dawn Vincent.
Santhosha Sinthe Onnam Rahasyam (Malayalam, Neestream) : In Don Palathara’s experimental drama that takes place inside a car, Rima Kallingal and Jithin Puthenchery star as Maria and Jithin, a couple on the way to a clinic in their car for a pregnancy test. They dig up old sounds and tease one another, leaving a lot of things unsaid for the audience to pick up. In what is a cross between Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise and Jafar Panahi’s Taxi, Palathara churns out a meditative potrait of a generation unable to connect words with their thoughts. The find of the year.
