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Writer's pictureAbhirami Nair

7 times Malayalam movies broke stereotypes

Updated: Nov 10, 2023

Movies have always been a powerful medium that has always influenced common people. Here are some movies which broke stereotypes and has resulted in the way viewers perceive cinema.


1. Uyare (Toxic relationships and survival)

The movie focuses on the protagonist Pallavi being in a very toxic relationship with Govind who is clearly toxic but Pallavi is in denial. No matter how much her loved ones point it out to her, she tolerates it all. A conflict occurs due to which she is scarred for life. The story shows Pallavi's revival and breaking stereotypes.



2. Deshadanakkili Karayarilla (Female friendships and elements of lesbian relationship)

The movie is about Shari and Karthika, two girls who are studying in a boarding school. The friendship they share is deep and are inseparable. The movie has a loose ending that leaves the viewers with a question of what their relationship truly was.

Source : IMDB


3. Mayanadhi (Female perspective of love and intimacy)

The movie shows how the protagonist Aparna, breaks the conventional thinking of sexual intimacy and marriage constructs. The dialogue said by Aparna on 'sex is not a compromise' lead to major discussions.


4. The Great Indian Kitchen (Women being obliged to social construct and patriarchy of marriage)

The film portrays a woman being trapped in a loop of patriarchal ideologies and societal concepts after being married. Be it the age old traditions that no longer makes sense or the never ending manual labor she does, her life is monotonous and lethargic. One can find themself in a rut through the middle of the movie, but it shows her world which is even more stagnant. The story is about how she responds to it.


5. Kumbalangi Nights (Redefining Masculinity)

The movie breaks stereotypes by portraying men who seek help. Be it Bobby who broke down in front of his girlfriend Babymol or Saji who asked for help from his younger brother to see a therapist, the movie showed the complexities of men and their mental health. When the character Shammi is the reddest of the red flags in the movie, the four brothers are placed as contrasts to the masculinity that the character has.



6. 22 Female Kottayam (Strong female lead who seeks revenge)

Tessa, a simple young woman is thrown to the harsh world which transforms her. This film presented a powerful female protagonist who takes matters into her own hands, defying traditional gender roles. She seeks revenge for the damage she endured. The mode of revenge was critically accalimed by the audience and resulted in giving out a powerful message.



7. Maheshinte Prathikaaram (Nonviolent Resolution)

Mahesh, a simpleton who lived in the rural parts of Idukki (Kerala), leads a simple life. But things change when he is thrashed by a man. Mahesh opts for nonviolent methods to resolve conflicts, breaking the macho-hero stereotype.


All picture courtesy: Stills from the films

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