Celebrate Onam With These 7 Heartwarming Family-Friendly Malayalam Movies
The festival of Onam is just around the corner. Onam is a festival of peace, prosperity and joy. It is what signifies the reign of all things good and honest, a victory of righteousness and community over other forces of evil. Celebrated in the Southern state of Kerala, Onam is also a festival that usually brings about the release of some great family-friendly movies.
If you're not making your way to a theatre this Onam, have no worries! We've compiled a list of really fun, entertaining and joyful Malayalam films to watch with your friends and family. These movies are of the classic feel-good variety -- they have no gore, suspense or otherwise stressful aspects that may mar your family viewing experience.
Jacob's Kingdom of Heaven
Released in 2016 and directed by Vineeth Sreenivasan, Jacob's Kingdom of Heaven is one of the finest feel-good movies released in Malayalam cinema in the recent times. Along with the credit of having one of the most popular Onam songs in the Malayalee consciousness, JKH also has the added feather in its cap of being set and shot in the UAE. The film is as much an ode to Dubai as it is to famiy and the power of perseverence in the face of a challenge. It is a sweet, inspiring watch that will leave you grateful for your family's presence.
Godha
This powerful Basil Thomas drama made huge ripples upon its release in 2017. Starring Wamiqa Gabbi, Tovino Thomas, Renji Panicker and Maala Parvathi, the movie traces the journey of a single female wrestler as she struggles to overcome patriarchal norms and her own situations. Adorned with Shaan Rahman's splendid music and the lovely backdrop of a village in Kerala, Godha is made even sweeter with the innocent performance of Tovino and the powerhouse that is Wamiqa.
Ustad Hotel
It is not exaggeration to say that the release of Anjali Menon's Ustad Hotel in 2012 transformed Malayalam cinema for good. Not only did it introduce Dulquer Salmaan as an actor to the general public, but it also unveiled the spectacular beauty of Calicut and its food. Ustad Hotel is a movie that is as lyrical and beautiful as the landscape of human goodness and the love of food. It is so heartfelt, so melodic and so representative of the true human spirit, that you cannot take your eyes of it. Dulquer Salmaan and Nithya Menen are delights to watch and Thilakan brings an incredible gravity to the movie. This one is for both your tummy and your eyes!
Sunday Holiday
The beginning of our life is at the end of a heartbreak. Jis Joy's Sunday Holiday was surprise hit. It does not make sweeping promises yet there is something about the movie that appeals to the core of our lives and truth. Assif Ali and Aparna Balamurali are two heartbroken strangers who meet and have their destinies twisted together. The movie is heartfelt and, as the name suggests, makes for a perfect Sunday afternoon watch on Onam.
Charlie
Another exhilarating watch by Martin Prakkat, Charlie was another breakout role for hearthrob Dulquer Salmaan. In this, Salmaan plays an endearing adrenaline junkie who somehow impacts the life of Tessa, played by an incredible Parvathy Thiruvothu. The movie is colorful as it is entertaining and filled to the brim with energy and mystique that will make you want to travel and chase experiences. It is thrilling without heartache or violence and embellished by Gopi Sundar's great music.
Salt N' Pepper
Yet another film that changed the course of the industry in the best possible way. Salt N' Pepper is what happens when friendship meets love meets food. It presents a wide concoction of interesting characters having their lives altered in unexpected ways and is also an ode to the love and joy of eating good food. Directed by 2011 and starring Lal, Shwetha Menon, Mythili and Assif Ali, the movie flows and is elevated with melodic music and stunning picturisation of mouth-watering food. You can watch this one over and over again.
Guppy
This is the movie that formally introduced Tovino Thomas as a formidable presence in the Malayalam film industry. Sporting an iconic long beard with patterned shirts and on his rumbling bike, Tovino's Engineer Thejas might not be all that intimidating and flawless as you might think. The cinematography in Guppy does complete justice to its spectacular storyline and music. Young Chetan is an absolute discovery and and Sreenivasan and Rohini takes the story to another level. Guppy is bittersweet but a true revelation.
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