Before Hollywood became a part of our everyday lives, there was a time when some extraordinary Malayalam thrillers came out. These Malayalam thrillers ranged from serial killing stories to confusing investigative thrillers, and can be ranked among the best spine-chilling nail-biters. Let us have a look at some of these classics.
Irakal (1986)
There is one name that’s going to make you watch this movie and that’s K.G.George. Irakal is considered the first movie in the dark film genre in Malayalam. K.G.George wrote and directed this psychological thriller which won two Kerala State Film Awards for the year – Second Best Film and Best Story. The story revolves around the life of Baby, portrayed by K.B.Ganesh Kumar. His father is a wealthy business tycoon who also has some felonious trades. The overall situation of the family and his lover affects Baby deeply. This results in a series of chaotic situations. I’m damn sure you will get reminded of another Malayalam movie that came out in 2021 which describes a major plot point from Irakal. And once you find it, you will be surprised.
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Also Read: Most Underrated Psychopaths in Malayalam Cinema
Aparan (1988)
Written and directed by Padmarajan, Aparan is a mystery psychological thriller based on his short story of the same name. K.Vishwanatha Pillai, played by Jayaram is an innocent young man leading a normal life. He gets mistaken for a hardcore criminal and is arrested by police. The criminal Uthaman is his doppelganger. A series of complex circumstances follows Vishwanathan’s life when Uthaman enters and creates rifts in his relationships. The climax of this movie will leave you in a fix for sure. Aparan was Jayaram’s debut movie, and it was both a commercial and critical success.
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Utharam (1989)
Utharam, written by prominent Malayalam writer M.T.Vasudevan Nair and directed by V.K.Pavithran, was based on the short story No Motive written by Daphne Du Maurier. It is considered to be one of the best investigative thrillers in Malayalam cinema. Selina Thomas, a poet, commits suicide under mysterious circumstances. Balachandran Nair, played by Mammooty, is a Delhi based freelance journalist. As he is a close friend of Selina’s husband, Balachandran Nair embarks on a journey to find the truth behind her suicide. Considering how unsophisticated technology was at the time, it is noteworthy how he solves the puzzle. A pretty decent watch with a handful of elegant actors.
Watch here.
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Ee Thanutha Veluppan Kalathu (1990)
Do you know there is a serial killer movie written by the OG writer P.Padmarajan? Here it is. Written by Padmarajan and directed by Joshy, Ee Thanutha Veluppan Kalathu revolves around a series of murders of old men. There is only a single factor that connects all these murders – coconut fibre that is stuffed into their mouths after death. S.P Haridas Damodaran I.P.S, played by Mammooty, is in charge of this case. Christopher, played by Suresh Gopi, is also one of the main characters. The story mainly revolves around Christopher and the murders and ends with the capturing of the real killer. It is a must-watch mystery thriller.
Watch here.
Also Read: Liked The Silence Of The Lambs? Then You’ll Love These Hannibal Lecter Movies
If you’re up for a Malayalam thriller movie marathon this weekend, you should definitely give these a try.
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