Part 2 Of Quirky AF Films That You May Have Missed At The Theatres

Check out Part 1 of this series, if you haven’t already!

Padayottam

Padayottam is basically a road movie about 3 thugs travelling from Trivandrum to Kasargod to seek revenge for one of their gang members getting hospitalised. But predictably, hilarity ensues.

Highlights:

Biju Menon is at his least Vellimoonga-ist till we see him Ayyappanum Koshiyum
The different cultures, accents, dialects of each region are explored as they pass.
Watching directors like Lijo Jose Pellissery (as a hilarious don dealing with suicidal tendencies), Dileesh Pothan and Basil Joseph act and have fun.

You can watch Padayottam here.

Njandukalude Nattil Oridavela

Kurien returns home from London when he’s summoned by his mother, assuming that it’s about his Kalyanam (marriage). But soon he realises it’s about his mother and her battle with cancer.

Highlights:

Nivin Pauly is at his cutest in this, but the movie does not rely on him at all. The movie is clearly an ensemble and everyone from Shanthi Krishna, Lal to Dileesh Pothen and Saiju Kurup fit like a glove.

This is one of the movies I feel Malayalis weren’t really prepared for. It’s a funny movie, but the humour was more situational in nature. There were no snazzy comebacks, no slapstick. The sitcom nature of the movie is further emphasised in the shots where the camera barely moves.

You can watch Njandukalude Nattil Oridavela here.

Koothara

The second outing from Srinath Rajendran after Second Show, and it has one of the most realistic portrayals of college life in Malayalam Cinema. The movie is basically about 3 characters who meet in college and how their life gets progressively messed up until they meet Mohanlal’s Ustad Saali.

Highlights:

The chemistry between the leads (Sunny Wayne, Tovino Thomas and a surprisingly good Bharat) is lovely. And the music by Thakara and Gopi Sunder deserves more love.

Dakini

In Malayalam, we rarely get movies based on older people. And when we do, it’s never really about them having fun. But that’s what we get with Dakini, where we follow four old women set out to fight an underworld don to bring their friend back home.

Highlights:

The amazing chemistry between Sarasa Balussery, Sethu Lakshmi, Pauly Valsan, Savithri Sreedharan

Rahul Raj’s music grows on you.

LavaKusha

Two jobless youth in desperate need of money decides to help an undercover cop in a confidential operation.

Highlights:

Though the script by Neeraj Madhav isn’t spectacular by any means, it does evoke a certain nostalgia with the tried and tested formula about two goofballs with little or no money thrown into a bunch of hilarious situations with some crime thrown into the mix.

You can watch LavaKusha here.

Janamaithri

A movie set in a single night about a group of policemen, a sales executive with diarrhoea, two sets of thieves, and a newspaper boy who become unwittingly involved in one comical mishap after another.

Highlights:

It’s a short movie that was filmed on an extremely tight budget and screenplay. But the eccentric characters draw you in and take you for a ride. This is more along the veins of movies like Aadu.

You can watch Janamaithri here.

Tamaar Padaar

The film moves around three entirely different characters: A cop, ACP Pauran (played against his type by Prithviraj), and two circus performers (Chemban Vinod and Baburaj) whom he arrests as terror suspects.

Highlights:

With the co-writer of Salt N’ Pepper, Idukki Gold, and Da Thadiya helming the movie, there are instances of humour and genuine laugh out loud moments placed throughout the movie.

The killer thaadi song, that becomes the central theme of the movie.

You can watch Tamaar Padaar here.

Chirakodinja Kinavukal

If you’ve watched Azhakiya Ravanan, you’ll know the “Chirakodinja Kinavukal” script that Ambujakshan narrated to Shanker Das. Now watch him trying to make it into a movie while spoofing as many existing Malayalam movies as possible.

Highlights:

This is one of the finest full-length spoofs that came out in Malayalam. But sadly, it did not resonate with the audience at the time.

It rewards you with laughs for your knowledge in Malayalam cinema.

There are even instances where characters come out of the pages, and talk with the writer about how they want to be characterised.

I look forward to more work from Santhosh Vishwanath and Praveen considering they debuted with such a banger.

You can watch Chirakodinja Kinavukal here.

Kili Poyi

Two young professionals are tired of their routine jobs and decided to take a break with a Goa Trip. They’re soon stuck in a comedy of errors involving a misplaced bag, lethal goons, smugglers, and an angry boss.