5 Underrated Malayalam Crime Thrillers on OTT: Dulquer Salmaan’s Theevram, Chaappa Kurishu and Ela Veezha Poonchira

Malayalam cinema has always been known for experimenting with various genres and producing notable thriller films. If you’re wondering what to explore next, here’s a list of movies you can check out.

5 Malayalam crime thrillers to watch on OTT

1. Operation Java

• Cast: Balu Varghese, Lukman Avaran, Irshad Ali, Binu Pappu, Prasanth Alexander, Shine Tom Chacko, Mamitha Baiju, Mathew Thomas, Sminu Sijo, Vinayakan
• Director: Tharun Moorthy
• Runtime: 2 hours and 26 minutes
• Where to watch: ZEE5

Operation Java follows Anthony George and Vinay Dasan, two talented but unemployed B.Tech graduates who work as temporary employees/interns for the Kochi cyber cell police. They use their technical expertise to assist the police in solving several complex, mostly unrelated cybercrimes over a period of about a year and a half.

If you enjoy thriller films with engaging and intriguing plotlines, this is definitely a perfect watch.

2. Chaappa Kurishu

• Cast: Fahadh Faasil, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Roma Asrani, Remya Nambeesan, Nivetha Thomas
• Director: Sameer Thahir
• Runtime: 2 hours and 10 minutes
• Where to watch: SunNXT

Chaappa Kurishu revolves around the lives of two individuals. Arjun, a wealthy man in the construction business in Kochi, is having an affair with his subordinate Sonia while preparing to get engaged to his family friend’s daughter, Ann. On the other hand, Ansari lives in a slum and works in a supermarket doing odd jobs. He is often mocked for his appearance and has a crush on his co-worker Nafiza.

When Arjun loses his phone, he becomes extremely anxious as it contains intimate videos of him and Sonia. How Ansari comes into the picture and the rivalry that develops between them are explored in the film, making it a high-stakes thriller often credited as one of the early ventures of Malayalam cinema’s new wave.

3. Ela Veezha Poonchira

• Cast: Soubin Shahir, Sudhi Koppa, Jude Anthany Joseph, Jithu Ashraf, Vincent Vadakkan, Girish Mohan, Jineesh Chandran
• Director: Shahi Kabir
• Runtime: 1 hour and 44 minutes
• Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

Ela Veezha Poonchira narrates the story of two policemen, Madhu and Sudhi, stationed at a remote wireless police station on a treacherous high-altitude hilltop in Kerala. During the monsoon, they discover body parts scattered across the hill, leading to a tense investigation that uncovers a revenge-driven plot.

Despite its shorter runtime, the film offers edge-of-the-seat moments for lovers of the genre.

4. Bhramaram

• Cast: Mohanlal, Bhumika Chawla, Suresh Menon, Lakshmi Gopalaswamy, Murali Gopy
• Director: Blessy
• Runtime: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Where to watch: JioHotstar

Bhramaram follows Sivankutty, a jeep driver who tracks down his childhood friends, Unni and Alex, after 30 years to confront them for framing him for a crime he didn’t commit. As he seeks justice, his presence creates fear and tension in their lives, eventually forcing them to confront their past actions, leading to several intense moments.

With an impeccable performance by Mohanlal, this film still stands as one of the most Goated works by the actor.

5. Theevram

• Cast: Dulquer Salmaan, Shikha Nair, Sreenivasan, Vishnu G. Raghav, Riya Saira, Vinay Forrt, Anu Mohan, Janardhanan
• Director: Roopesh Peethambaran
• Runtime: ManoramaMAX
• Where to watch: 2 hours and 15 minutes

Theevram focuses on Harsha Vardhan, a musician seeking violent revenge against an auto driver, Raghavan, who is responsible for his wife Maya’s death. How Harsha carries out his revenge while also revisiting memories from his early life with his wife forms the central narrative of the film.

These are just some of the underrated Malayalam thriller movies available for streaming on OTT platforms.

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