Pinkvilla Recommendations: 5 Must-watch underrated Malayalam films on OTT

A diverse selection of Malayalam movies is available on OTT, ready to be streamed from the comfort of your home. While popular choices often grab more attention, let’s take a look at some underrated gems that demand your time.

5 Must-watch Malayalam films to watch on OTT

1. City of God (2011)

• Cast: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Indrajith Sukumaran, Rajeev Pillai, Rohini, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Rima Kallingal
• Director: Lijo Jose Pellissery
• Genre: Crime Thriller
• Runtime: 2 hours and 25 minutes
• Where to watch: ManoramaMAX

If you’re a fan of crime thrillers and hyperlink narratives, then City of God should definitely be on your watchlist. Directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery, the film was one of the earliest ventures of the Malayalam New Wave movement.

Set in Kochi, the story interweaves four different tales involving a Tamil migrant couple, an actress, a builder, a criminal, and the wife of a businessman. As their lives intersect through a road accident, the film highlights multiple perspectives from different social strata.

2. Kammara Sambhavam (2018)

• Cast: Dileep, Siddharth, Murali Gopy, Namitha Pramod, Bobby Simha, Shweta Menon, Manikuttan, Vijayaraghavan, Siddique, Nedumudi Venu, Indrans
• Director: Rathish Ambat
• Genre: Epic Alternate History Action
• Runtime: 2 hours and 47 minutes
• Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

Criminally underrated despite being an ambitious and genre-bending film, Kammara Sambhavam is an impressive venture that has impeccable and standout roles by Dileep and Siddharth.

Directed by Ratish Ambat and written by Murali Gopy, the tale follows Kammaran, a senior leader of a fictional political party, the Indian Liberation Party (ILP), and the so-called last veteran of the Indian independence movement in their village.

As the party faces decline, liquor barons and party members decide to make a biopic on him to revive its image.

However, as Kammaran recounts his life to a filmmaker, it becomes clear as day that he is far from a heroic personality, but rather a selfish anti-villain. What follows is a brilliant commentary on how history is distorted to create fake narratives and propaganda. 

The film’s layered narrative and strong performances make it a unique cinematic experience, being an experimental venture with impressive performances by Dileep and Siddharth.

3. Aattam (2023)

• Cast: Zarin Shihab, Vinay Forrt, Kalabhavan Shajohn, Aji Thiruvamkulam, Jolly Antony, Madan Babu K, Nandhan Unni, Prasanth Madhavan
• Director: Anand Ekarshi
• Genre: Thriller Drama
• Runtime: 2 hours and 19 minutes
• Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

Despite screenings and recognition at prestigious film festivals like IFFLA, IFFI, and IFFK, Aattam remains under-watched.

The story centers around a theater group with only one female performer, Anjali, and all other members being men. After a show, the group attends a lavish party, organized by an affluent actor among them. Things take a dark turn when Anjali is harassed by one of her colleagues.

Unable to identify the perpetrator, she begins to view all the men, including her boyfriend, through the same lens. The film explores her trauma and emotional isolation, focusing on the power dynamics and her journey to reclaim her voice. The psychological complexity and the slow-burning storytelling make Aattam a unique and thought-provoking watch.

4. Neelakasham Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi (2013)

• Cast: Dulquer Salmaan, Sunny Wayne, Surja Bala Hijam, Shaun Romy, Ena Saha, Abhija Sivakala, Shane Nigam, Joy Mathew, Dhritiman Chatterjee, Vanitha Krishnachandran
• Director: Sameer Thahir
• Genre: Road Adventure
• Runtime: 2 hours and 17 minutes
• Where to watch: JioHotstar/ManoramaMAX

Neelakasham Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi (NPCB) is yet another new wave film in Malayalam cinema that stars Dulquer Salmaan in the lead. Directed by Sameer Thahir, the road adventure flick blends romance, travel, and self-discovery.

NPCB revolves around Kasi and Suni, two best friends embarking on a bike trip from Kerala to Nagaland.

Kasi, the protagonist, is searching for Bassi, his long-lost love. As the journey unfolds, the film becomes a meditation on memory, loss, and connection. It also explores personal transformation through travel and human interaction, underlining why he cannot let that one girl go.

While NPCB’s theme resonates with several viewers and has attained a cult status in Malayalam cinema circles, it remains underappreciated outside Kerala and deserves more mainstream recognition.

5. Season (1989)

• Cast: Mohanlal, Gavin Packard, Maniyanpilla Raju, Ashokan, Shari, Leena Nair, Jagathy Sreekumar, Thodupuzha Vasanthi, Thilakan, Azeez, Prem Prakash
• Director: Padmarajan
• Genre: Jailbreak Action Thriller
• Runtime: 1 hour and 50 minutes
• Where to watch: Eros Now/SunNXT

While most of director Padmarajan’s films are considered classics, Season often flies under the radar. Featuring a stellar performance by Mohanlal, this jailbreak action thriller is set in 1982 and follows Jeevan, a beachside restaurant owner in Kovalam.

Despite his wealth and mysterious aura, Jeevan appears to live a clean life with no vices until he gets involved in a drug deal to help two youngsters, Porinju and Kanthi. When his plan to save them spirals out of control, he finds himself imprisoned, setting the stage for a gripping thriller.

Season is a classic film that is tightly crafted, a high-stakes thriller that is to the likes of The Shawshank Redemption for its intense storytelling and atmospheric tension.

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