Dream 2024: With 3 Rs 100-crore films in 4 months, Malayalam cinema ups the ante

Aadujeevitham

This ‘stunning’ survival drama, in which Prithviraj Sukumaran delivers one of his most soul-stirring performances, has done the impossible and stormed the box office.

[Here is our Aadujeevitham review in case of you want to read it].

Aadujeevitham is based on the real-life story of a man, Najeeb, who ends up living in slave-like conditions in a goat farm in the middle of a Saudi Arabian desert.

The film based on Benyamin’s epic novel of the same name is a finely designed survival film. Director Blessy brings in his emotional beats without making the film too melodramatic. There are prolonged silences and quiet moments that border on existential stillness – and the movie proves that the director is a modern-day master in showing the tiniest facets of human emotions.

Gokul, who plays Najeeb’s friend, holds his own admirably, while Amala Paul, who does not have much to do, appears in flashbacks, adds a vibrant touch. Sunil K cranks the camera with a muted visual palette and AR Rahman’s eclectic score emphasises the pathos of Najeeb’s survival story.

The film has collected over Rs 115 crore so far, according to trade trackers.

Manjummel Boys

Based on a true story set in Ernakulam, Manjummel Boys, turned out to be a mega commercial hit, generating a net profit of ₹102.18 crore in India alone, against a production budget of ₹20 crore. Overall, it has mopped up around ₹230 crore in gross collections worldwide. Though it was well received in Kerala, it went on to become a big hit in Tamil Nadu and now in Andhra territories as well.

Catch our review of Manummel Boys here

Chidambaram’s directorial stars Soubin Shahir, Jean Paul Lal Jr., Sreenath Bhasi, Balu Varghese, Deepak Parambol and Ganapathy in the lead roles. Despite new big-ticket releases, including ‘Aadujeevitham’, it continues to draw crowds.

Set in 2006, a group of 10 happy-go-lucky young men, goes on a trip to Kodaikanal. Led by Kuttan (Soubin Shahir), they explore the hill station with uninhibited abandon. They go to visit the Guna caves (Devil’s Kitchen), where Kamal Haasan’s 2021 Tamil film 'Gunaa' was shot. Though the real cave is sealed off, they trespass the gates and begin exploring its depths. When Subash (Sreenath Bhasi) falls into one of the deepest pits in the cave, locals and police tell them, “none of the 13 people who fell into the Devil’s Kitchen previously have returned alive, and their bodies remain unrecovered”.

The rest of the film focuses on the nine men’s determined efforts to save their friend. Cinematographer Shyju Khalid offers some spectacular visuals.

Though the film was trashed by well-known writer Jeyamohan for "glorifying rowdyism, alcoholism" and the philistine attitude among Kerala’s youth, the film has gone on to leave a deep imprint in Malayalam, and even Indian cinema.

Premalu

This delightful comedy made on a modest budget of fewer than ₹10 crores has mopped up ₹135 crore at the box office. Produced by Fahad Faasil, Dileesh Pothan and Syam Pushkaran, it is Girish AD’s third directorial venture.

'Premalu,' starring Naslen and Mamitha Baiju in the lead roles, is a romantic comedy set in Hyderabad. Written by Girish D and Kiran Josey, it is a fun comedy about a bunch of loveable losers. The film focuses on the under-confident Sachin (Naslen), who falls head over heels in love with a hyper-focused IT professional, Reenu (Mamitha).

It is a harmless, light-hearted film on life and love that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Even the antagonist's antics played by Aadhi (Shyam Mohan) are designed to draw laughs. But audiences loved the film and it became a huge success. In an interview, the actor Shyam Mohan said that they all understand that they created "history" with this film, but the full impact is yet to dawn on them.

Bramayugam

Directed by Rahul Sadasivan, this film was largely driven by the performance of its lead actors, mainly Mammootty. Catch our review of Bramayugam here.

Mammootty plays Kunjumon Potti, a menacing old man who enslaves a young folk singer, Thevan (Arjun Asokan), in his mansion. Sidharth Bharathan plays a nameless cook who is biding his time to take his revenge. Spearheaded by a stellar Mammootty who breathes fire as the unpredictable Potti, the film is a slow burner that soon evolves into a brilliant cat-and-mouse game between the protagonists in a mansion that holds deep dark secrets.

Shehnad Jalal's camera work is complemented perfectly by Shafique Mohamed Ali's editing. Christo Xavier’s music is also fantastic.

Cowritten by Sadasivan and TD Ramakrishnan, this period gothic thriller with elements of local folklore was released on February 15, 2024 in black and white format. The film was a box-office success, grossing over ₹85 crore. It received acclaim from critics and audiences, for not only the acting but for its cinematography, sound design, background score, and production design.

Abraham Ozler

This crime thriller has been co-produced and directed by Midhun Manual Thomas and written by Randheer Krishnan. The film stars Jayaram in the titular role, along with Mammooty, Anaswara Rajan, Arjun Ashokan, Arya Salim, Senthil Krishna, Jagadish, Saiju Kurup, and Dileesh Pothan in supporting roles. The movie revolves around ACP Abraham Ozler's efforts to investigate the death of an IT employee and capture a serial killer, only known as "Birthday Killer".

By reinventing Jayaram as an actor and by infusing so much information into a stereotypical thriller, Abraham Ozler remains fairly engaging. Though it has predictable thrills in the first half it ends with a bang, as Midhun provides a more than satisfactory conclusion.

The film earned around ₹40.53 crore worldwide, becoming Jayaram's highest grossing film.

Eid/Vishu releases

According to early reports, Aavesham and Varshangalkku Sesham, the latest festival releases, are also doing well if the first-day response is anything to go by.