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Top ten Malayalam feel good movies to watch on OTT; from Kumbalangi Nights to Bangalore Days
Whether you’re having a rough day, week, or month, these ten Malayalam feel good movies are sure to brighten up your day. Keep reading.
While Mollywood has always excelled in all genres of filmmaking, perhaps no other film industry makes comforting, reassuring movies like the Malayalam filmmakers down South. From hope-inducing tear-jerkers to coming-of-age dramas, let us look at the top ten feel-good Malayalam movies across platforms.
1. Hridayam (2022)
- Writer-Director: Vineeth Sreenivasan
- Runtime: 2 hours 51 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
- Cast: Pranav Mohanlal, Kalyani Priyadarshan, Darshana Rajendran
- Genre: Romance/Musical
- Where to watch: Disney + Hotstar
Despite the plethora of college coming-of-age dramas available in the Indian streaming space alone, Hridayam still stands tall, emerging as a refreshing and highly relatable tale of first love, acceptance, and maturity. But what really makes Hridayam so special is its stunning musical album composed by Hesham Abdul Wahab.
2. Kumbalangi Nights (2019)
- Writer-Director: Madhu C. Narayanan
- Runtime: 2 hours 15 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
- Cast: Shane Nigam, Soubin Shahir, Anna Ben, Fahadh Faasil, Sreenath Bhasi
- Genre: Drama/Romance
- Where to watch: Prime Video
For anybody looking to get into Malayalam movies, Kumbalangi Nights is the perfect starter. Even though it is a heavy film in terms of its emotions and drama, it is never heavy on the viewer but instead feels like a warm light on the soul. The love-hate relationship between the brothers, the blooming of love between characters, and Fahadh’s iconic Shammi portrayal, Kumbalangi Nights will always be my favorite comfort watch.
3. Koode (2018)
- Writer-Director: Anjali Menon
- Runtime: 2 hours 35 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.6/10
- Cast: Nazriya Nazim Fahadh, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Roshan Mathew
- Genre: Romance/Drama
- Where to watch: Disney + Hotstar
An underrated film from director Anjali Menon that often gets under-discussed because of her iconic film Bangalore Days, but something which, in my opinion, deserves equal love. Koode follows the story of Joshua who returns home after the passing of his sister, Jenny. However, unexpected events lead him to discover Jenny’s soul, resulting in a whole lot of outer-world brother-sister bonding.
4. Njan Prakashan (2018)
- Writer-Director: Sathyan Anthikad
- Runtime: 2 hours 11 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
- Cast: Fahadh Faasil, Sreenivasan, Devika Sanjay
- Genre: Comedy/Drama
- Where to watch: Prime Video/Netflix
A film that will make you fall in love with Fahadh Faasil (if you haven’t already), Njan Prakashan is the coming-of-age story of Prakashan, a lovable scamster who tries to marry into a wealthy family to secure a luxurious life but gets scammed in return. This sets him off on a path to find the true meaning of life. It is a hilarious film that also manages to strike an emotional chord, making it a perfect feel-good Malayalam movie.
5. Jacobinte Swargarajyam (2016)
- Writer-Director: Vineeth Sreenivasan
- Runtime: 2 hours 25 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.6/10
- Cast: Nivin Pauly, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Reba Monica John
- Genre: Family/Drama
- Where to watch: YouTube
Jacobinte Swargarajyam is a heartwarming story of a family coming together to solve a crisis in their family. When Jacob, an ambitious businessman gets frauded by his friend, he is left in huge debt. How Jacob’s son Jerry along with their family overcome their struggles forms the plot of this film that is based on a true story.
6. Charlie (2015)
- Writer-Director: Martin Prakkat
- Runtime: 2 hours 10 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 8/10
- Cast: Dulquer Salmaan, Parvathy Thiruvothu
- Genre: Romance/Thriller
- Where to watch: Sun NXT
Charlie is a colorful, vibrant film that follows the story of Tessa, a journalist who wanders away from her home to escape an unwanted marriage. On her journey, she rents a room previously occupied by a mysterious artist, who remains elusive. Then begins her hunt to find this mysterious figure in the by-lanes of Kerala.
7. Premam (2015)
- Writer-Director: Alphonse Puthren
- Runtime: 2 hours 36 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
- Cast: Nivin Pauly, Sai Pallavi, Madonna Sebastian, Anupama Parameshwaran
- Genre: Romance/Comedy
- Where to watch: Disney+Hotstar
A trendsetting Malayalam film that transcended all language barriers to prove that cinema has no language and that, Cinema is language. A tale of loving, letting go, and, acceptance, Premam is etched deep in the hearts of everyone who has seen it and is unarguably not only one of the best Malayalam feel good movies of all time but also one of the best Malayalam movies of all time.
8. Bangalore Days (2014)
- Writer-Director: Anjali Menon
- Runtime: 2 hours 52 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
- Cast: Romance/Comedy
- Genre: Dulquer Salmaan, Nivin Pauly, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Fahadh Faasil, Nazriya Nazim, Nithya Menen
- Where to watch: Disney + Hotstar
The warmth of Bengaluru (Bangalore), the bond between cousins, and the various stages of love, Bangalore Days is undeniably a benchmark film in the Malayalam Film Industry, one that set the ball rolling for future films to follow.
9. Thattathin Marayathu (2012)
- Writer-Director: Vineeth Sreenivasan
- Runtime: 2 hours 7 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
- Cast: Nivin Pauly, Isha Talwar
- Genre: Romance/Musical
- Where to watch: Sun NXT
Vinod, a Hindu boy is madly in love with Aisha, a Muslim. As Aisha slowly begins to catch feelings for Vinod, tensions start arising between the two due to differences in religion. Will they overcome this barrier or will this act as a roadblock to their relationship? Although the theme might seem serious, the film emerges as a light-hearted watch, making it a great addition to the list of Malayalam feel good movies.
10. Ustad Hotel (2012)
- Writer: Anjali Menon
- Director: Anwar Rasheed
- Runtime: 2 hours 19 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
- Cast: Dulquer Salmaan, Nithya Menen, Thilakan
- Genre: Romance/Musical
- Where to watch: Disney+Hotstar, YouTube
Ustad Hotel follows the story of Faizi, an aspiring chef who is forced to take care of his dad’s business against his wishes. One day, he decides to leave the comfort of his home to help his grandfather Kareem run his hotel. There he forms an everlasting bond with his grandfather, the sea, and Sulaimani Chai. Ustad Hotel is a delicious mouth-watering film that makes you want more once it's over.
What is your favorite pick from the list? Let us know in the comments below.
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